Makola

Makola is another important character in the short story “An Outpost of Progress” by Joseph Conrad. He calls himself James Price although others call him Makola. He is from Siera Leone and is married to “a negress from Loanda, very large and very noisy”. Makola has three children. He works at the trading station, where he oversees ten workers and where he initiates trades. 

Makola’s inner characterization reveals that he is different from other natives. He is well-educated, which helps him initiate trades with other tribes: “He spoke English and French with a warbling accent, wrote a beautiful hand, understood bookkeeping, and cherished in his innermost heart the worship of evil spirits”. This example also hints at Makola’s dual nature. On the one hand, h...