Answer:
In Heart of Darkness, the narrator Marlow describes European colonization of Africa as "the germs of empire" spreading across the continent. This metaphor suggests that the European powers saw themselves as bringing civilization and progress to Africa, but in reality, their colonization was destructive and exploitative.
Conrad is using this metaphor to critique the rhetoric of empire and expose the hypocrisy of European colonization. By depicting the colonization of Africa as a disease, he is suggesting that it is harmful and destructive, rather than beneficial, as the Europeans claimed. This critique reflects Conrad's own disillusionment with European imperialism and its effects on the colonized peoples.
Step-by-step explanation: