I have just finished reading The African Queen by C. S. Forester, author of the famous Horatio Hornblower stories. The African Queen is the name of a steam launch owned by a mechanic in Central Africa. The story takes place during the open stages of World War II and revolves around the mechanic and a missionary woman and their journey on the launch.
Rose Sayer grew up in a rigidly religious home and when her brother, Samuel, was called to the mission field in Africa she went along with him. They serve together for 10 years before the story begins. At it's opening Samuel dies and Rose is left with Germans closing in on her. Mr. Allnutt arrives on the river to help her bury her brother and offer her a means of departure. Throughout the next few chapters we find Rose a liberated woman after her brother's death. Though a faithful Christian, he was a puritan in the worst sense of the word and held the two of them to such rigid standards that it's a relief to be away from the mission. She discovers a strong sense to aid their country, England, in "her most desperate hour of need" and convices Allnutt to journey with her to destroy a German patrol boat.
Unfortunately Allnutt is not a man to whom one needs to work very hard to convince. He is a weak man and to avoid an argument he conceeds to Rose's plan saying that perhaps the launch engine should suffer in the heat, or perhaps she should run aground and then there would be no question of going on. Rose proposes of traveling down an almost uncharted river, through rapids only a canoe could safely shoot, past a German outpost, into an unknown delta and finishing at the entrance to the lake guarded by the German patrol. On the other side of the lake are the British and safety. But entering the lake from the river would have the elimant of surprise; who would dare to travel down the Bora and her rapids?
The African Queen covers about 4 weeks of adventures, but to both the characters and the reader it seems ever so much longer. Rose and Allnutt descover friendship in each other; Rose's strength of purpose and diligence aids Allnutt's lazy streak and he's carefree manner frees Rose and puts her at ease with life. They are well written characters and very interesting characters.
Half way through the story Rose and Allnutt develop a romance. After an exhilerating day of triumphanting through the rapids and being unable to contain their joy, they share the night together. C. S. Forester is modest in his description of their love making, but nevertheless I was rather shocked. It was hardly believable that a missionary woman, a virgin, of 33 years would so quickly forget the Lord's commandments. Did she never really believe? Why wouldn't a day of excitement and night of passion produce remorse and regret? But there was none. I was very dissapointed in Rose's character and Forester's depicted of Christianity. Allnutt's character was rather debase to begin with; been married before, but never divorced and prostitutes and a mistress were his companions in Africa. Forester writes joy and love into their new relationship. They become as husband and wife in each other's eyes as they truly develope a tender respect for one another. This is his excuse for their behavior, but I don't buy it. I complained to my husband about this relationship in the book, and he said how does it end?
Well, near the end of the story Allnutt and Rose are faced with death as they approach the goal of their journey. Their scheme involves ramming the launch with denators and explosives in the bows into the German patrol, which can only be done by hand. They tell each other they'll jump off at the last minute, but they know this might not work. Rose's mind turns to God at the thought of meeting Him face to face within a few days. She first recalls how she has not even prayed since leaving hte mission. No thoughts were directed toward her Maker, no prayers and for this she is over come with grief. After a life devoted, she forgets. In the midst of her penitance she blushes with the thought of lying with Allnutt in a manner forbidden by God. And "she enjoyed it as no woman should". She cries out for forgiveness and thanks God for such a man as Allnutt who did not abuse her, but truely loved her. The end of the story is not what I expected, but quite satisfying. Rose and Allnutt decide it would be best to be married before joining the world of civilization.
While I heartily enjoyed the adventures of the story and Forester's writing style, I would only be able to recommend this book with a few qualifications. It is well worth the read as far as adventure and the wonderful descriptions of Africa go. The characters are extremely well written, very true to life. Forester writes as one who is practised in the art of story telling.
