“Your success in Europe is ensured in any case.” (111)

The men aboard the Company steamer have no intent to colonize the Congolese. They really are only concerned with what the citizens of “civilization” – that is, Europe – think of them when they return. They feel as though they have to do something novel to assure this fame and that anything already done is pointless and beneath them. As Marlow so blatantly puts it: “The glamour’s off,” (42).As Conrad explains through the novel, places like the North Pole have already been visited, so if he was to visit it there would be no real gain. The Congo, however, is uncharted territory and thus worthy of exploration. With the declaration that Europe will view them as a success, their goals have been accomplished – they left home as nobodies and can now return heroes.