Congo :: essays research papers

The book Congo is about a group of people who go to the African Congo to return a gorilla to her homeland and to find type IIb blue diamonds. On their journey they discover the lost city of Zinj and a new species of killer gorillas, which they must overcome to survive. The story takes place in June of 1979. The three main characters are: Dr. Karen Ross, supervisor of Earth Resources Technology Services (ERTS), Dr. Peter Elliot, a primatologist who trained a gorilla named Amy to speak by the use of sign language, and Charles Munro, the guide who leads the expedition through the Congo. ERTS has already sent an expedition of eight into the Congo to retrieve type IIb blue diamonds. They are contacting them back at the base in Houston. The camera in the expedition’s camp turns on revealing a destroyed camp site: torn tents, supplies and clothing scattered everywhere, and dead bodies. As the camera moves around scanning the area a big gray object runs by the camera and destroys it. Every at ERTS is in shock. They replay the footage and freeze it on the big gray object. It looks like a gray gorilla, but gorillas don’t kill people. Karen Ross decides to take another expedition into the Congo to get the blue diamonds. Because of the bewilderment over this incident she contacts Dr. Elliot to find out what this gorilla is. She tells him that their going to the Congo and he wants to come and bring Amy, his gorilla. Amy has been experiencing bad dreams because of her past which is unknown to Dr. Ross. She begins finger painting which helps her sleep at ease because tries to banish the dreams onto paper. Elliot realizes she wants to go to the jungle because all the her paintings are of it. The expedition leaves quickly because there is a competing company that is also making its way to the Congo to get the blue diamonds, which are an amazing source of energy. The expedition is set to meet Charles Munro, the best guide there is, to guide them through the Congo. They discussed business matters and quickly headed to Nairobi. From Nairobi they took their final plane to go to the Congo. At that time a civil war had started in Africa and both sides were shooting everything, including the expedition’s plane. Every one had to take a parachute and jump out of the plane. This was a major delay in the time the expedition had to beat the competition to the diamond site. The expedition: Ross, Elliot, Munro, Amy, and some African men; have to