Tintin in the Congo is a comic released in 1930 that depicts the interactions between Tintin, a European, and the native inhabitants of the Congo. At first glance, the comic seems to resemble a child comedy, but upon further examination, Tintin in the Congo showcases the same attitudes exhibited by European states when they were colonizing new territory. The feeling of superiority that Tintin unexpectedly received and the submission of the natives helped reinforced the European states that the Congo needed to be colonized. The Congolese needed to be colonized because according to the comic, the natives were unintelligent and that the Europeans were more clever and advanced than the natives.
In Tintin in the Congo, Tintin’s dog Snowy assumes that “mosquitoes don’t bite dogs.” (Hergé,10) But throughout his sleep, the mosquitoes bite Snowy. Even though the mosquitoes do not seriously harm Snowy, the dog is surprised that the mosquitoes even bit him in the first place. It causes Snowy annoyance and anger that he is unable to continue his plan of uninterrupted sleep.
Many European leaders had the preconceived notion that Africa and particularly the Congo for King Leopold II needed to be colonized. Tintin in the Congo helped advanced this notion. Europeans assumed that nothing terrible would happen to them, just like Snowy assumed that the mosquitoes would not harm him. According to Hochschild, “…Europeans began imagining Africa… [and what] they pictured was a dreamscape, a site for fantasies of the fearsome and the supernatural.” (Hochschild, 6) This dreamscape that Europeans envisioned would enable them to settle the area, establish markets, trade posts, and churches. Just like Snowy, Europeans assumed that the natives would not bite them or in other words, put up much resistance. However, this was not the case as Leopold was bit by multiple mosquitoes, such the Belgian Parliament, some European states, and the natives themselves. But from the story it is easy, to see the themes in Tintin in the Congo helped to justify Leopold’s actions in the Congo.
Tintin during his stay in the Congo, hunts various animals, ranging from a harmless antelope to attempting to hunt a leopard, and finally hunting an elephant. (Hergé,30)
This progression of animal hunting was exhibited by Leopold in the Congo. After obtaining the Congo, he was not satisfied. He wanted to hunt Congo for its resources such as rubber. Just like Tintin, Leopold was interested in hunting and seizing the next lucrative animal, or in Leopold’s case, resource. According to Hochschild, Leopold recognized “that the world did not lose its desire for ivory, but by the late 1890s wild rubber had far surpassed it as the main source of revenue from the Congo.” (Hochschild,159) Tintin’s relative ease at hunting animals justified Leopold to hunting the Congo’s resources, to the point where Leopold’s style of hunting was composed of using African slaves to collect rubber and limiting the activities of the slaves. Hochschild states that “wherever rubber vines grew, the population was tightly controlled. Usually you had to get a permit from the state or company agent in order to visit a friend or relative in another village.” (Hochschild, 163) Tintin’s innocent idea of hunting animals for game can justify Leopold’s idea of subjugating the Congolese to collect rubber and other resources.
In Tintin in the Congo, Tintin finds out that Al Capone has attempted to kill him because he thought that Tintin was going to interfere with his plans on controlling diamond production in Africa. (Hergé,52) Essentially, Al Capone wanted to tie up loose ends so that no person can stand in his way of obtaining diamonds. This scene helped to justify Leopold’s action in the Congo by saying that to obtain something for oneself, one must be willing to do anything, which includes attempted murder. While Leopold did not murder anyone directly, he did enact measures designed to ensure that he would be the sole proprietor of the Congo. Leopold according to Hochschild secured the Congo for himself by getting rid of his likely foes through lobbying and secret deals. Leopold and his associates like Henry Shelton Stanford, convinced the United States to recognize Leopold’s Congo State. (Hochschild,82) Leopold convinced France, that in case he was unable to maintain the Congo, France would be allowed before any other state to decide if they want to buy the Congo. (Hochschild,82) Just like Al Capone, King Leopold wanted to control the Congo for himself, and he had to tie up some loose ends before doing so.
In conclusion, Tintin in the Congo should not be taken out of circulation because it serves as a reminder to Europeans their old misguided perception of the Congo and of Colonialism in general. Taking the book out of circulation is effectively erasing history, and despite the book’s insult towards the Congolese, it shows young readers the type of treatment they received. The book can be used as a lesson to show young readers the errors of the comic.
Citations
Hergé. The Adventures of Tintin: Tintin in the Congo. N.p.: n.p., 1946. CUNY Blackboard. Web. 5 Apr. 2017. <https://bbhosted.cuny.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-29192884-dt-content-rid-127757802_1/courses/BAR01_HIS_3230_NETA_1172_1/Tintin%20in%20the%20Congo.pdf>.
Hochschild, Adam. King Leopold’s Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1999. Print.