Isabelle Bagon

HNRS 378
2/20/24

1. The English travelers get involved in a battle between the native Indian population and
the ape-men. The English travelers have formed an alliance with the natives against the
ape-men, who are described as “fierce brutes with foaming mouths and glaring eyes”1. Said
would critique the idea of “saving” the indigenous people, in the decision to join forces against
the ape-men could be seen as a manifestation of the colonial savior construct. The English
travelers, even if they were intentional, perpetuate stereotypes and reinforce the notion of their
cultural superiority. The ape-men attack the Indian line with clubs and stones and face
difficulties against the move of agile Indian warriors and the firepower of the English travelers.
Such descriptions contribute to McClintock’s idea of “Othering”, where a group is depicted as
fundamentally different and potentially threatening. However, the English travelers, particularly
with their rifles, provided crucial support in repulsing the ape-men's attacks. The narrative
highlights the contrast between the primitive weapons of the ape-men and the advanced
firearms of the English travelers. In the end, the natives and Englishmen are victorious with the
surviving ape-men fleeing into the woods. McClintock would scrutinize the English travelers
equipped with advanced weaponry, aligning with the natives to combat the ape-men. "They are
great fighters, and they hate the ape-men even as we do. They command... the thunder and the
lightning."2This collaboration could be analyzed as a reflection of imperialistic tendencies, where
a technologically advanced group collaborates with indigenous people to defeat a perceived
common enemy. On the contrary, Martí would emphasize the significance of these two groups
coming together to resist a common oppressor. The collaboration reflects Martí’s belief in
solidarity among oppressed people as they confront external threats. McClintock may see that
the ape-men are dehumanized in the narrative, reducing them to primitive force rather than
recognizing their humanity. “The males were exterminated, Ape Town was destroyed, the
females and young were driven away to live in bondage”3. Their dehumanization serves as a
way to justify the violent consequences of their extermination and the destruction of their
habitat. “The reign of man was assured forever Maple Land”4. The quote can be seen as Martí's
point of interest, as the “reign of man” is a pivotal moment as the indigenous people reclaim
control over their territory. Martí with his anti-colonial perspective, might say that this battle was
a testament to the resilience of colonized peoples and reclaiming agency.

2. Challenger reveals his escape plan by using a makeshift balloon using gas from a mud
geyser. Ned was given a map with a special cave marked, leading to the group’s successful
escape from the plateau. Back in the civilized world, they face skepticism about their
adventures. Challenger presents evidence, a baby pterodactyl, as it “ unfurled, spread, and
fluttered as a pair of leathery wings” 5 convincing the audience. The men are celebrated, were

1
Doyle, The Lost World,103
2
Doyle, The Lost World, 101
3
Doyle,The Lost World ,105
4
Doyle, The Lost World, 104
5
Doyle, The Lost World, 120
paraded through the streets as the adventure gains widespread attention. “Everyone was
moving, shouting, gesticulating. A dense crowd of cheering men were round the four travelers”6.
Ned’s plans to win over Gladys are thwarted as she has married another man. The group
shares their diamonds, and Lord Roxton begins organizing another expedition to the plateau,
joined by Ned. Said would likely focus on the representation of colonial power and the Western
gaze in the novel. He might critique how the English travelers encounter unknown land and
impose their own cultural perspectives. That these character’s actions reflect broader colonial
ideologies. Martí might interpret the narrative through the lens of resistance. He could focus on
the indigenous people’s struggle against the man-apes, connecting parallels between the
conflict in the novel and historical struggles for national liberation. McClintock might explore how
gender roles and stereotypes are reinforced in the novel. She could analyze how Gladys is the
driving force behind Ned joining the expedition, as well as the construction of masculinity in the
context of imperialism. Spivak might also examine how Gladys’s character intersects with the
colonial structure and patriarchal norms. Fanon might scrutinize the character’s interactions with
people different from their own, dehumanizing and having an internal acceptance of colonial
ideologies about them.

6
Doyle, The Lost World, 120