Marlow's tale of his first trip to Africa reveals his naivete as a young boy hypnotized into visiting the unexplored, wild continent by a long river that was "coiled like a snake." Not only is Marlow fixated with rivers, but the narrator is as well, thinking about the Thames, all its uses, and the other great ships and the great men that have sailed upon it.
I think Marlow's trip to Africa is already comparable to Dante's trip through Hell, both navigating uncharted areas and coming across things that they do not understand.
Marlow's ignorace is very apparent when he first witnesses Africans being chained up. He assuredly jumps to the conclusion that they are chained up because they are criminals, slavery nowhere near his thoughts. He also gives his biscuit to a young, starving, African boy, feeling pity for him, so Marlow is not yet a racist, still the farthest thing from a slaver, though rather he maintains this innocence is yet to be seen. He does have the potention, however, for that others are inferior to him, as apparent through his treatment and opinion of women who he calls out for being "out of touch with truth." Therefore stereotypes and a sense of superiority are not entirely unknown to him.
While Marlow's youth and inexperience are endearing to the reader (I immediately like him for his ingenuousness), it is unlikely that he will remain in this state of simplistic naivete for his entire stay in Africa
Cassidy, I think you are on the right track when you say that it is unlikely he will remain in his state of innocence. But I guess what you will need to decide is how he changes as he progresses through the Congo and whether or not it is preferable to his initial state.
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