As he is being tried, the audience may be reminded of the dichotomy that is unfolding before them, as we see a San man with no concept of law on trial in an African court attempts to enforce the laws given to him by his former colonial overlords. Here the comparison between the old Africa and the new, the pure and the corrupt, becomes clear. In other words, it is Africa as it should have been, and Africa as it has become: a continent attempting to resemble its former colonial powers. The film shows the failure of this act and infers that as long as African nations try to be like European ones, they will be as ridiculous as those in the film. He then tries to convince them that they should be themselves, unrestrained by the vestiges of the “white man's burden.” The film ultimately shows the futility of Western society when Mr. Stern (the protagonist) tries to give Xi money for his help. This sign of gratitude (the highest he can give as a Westerner) is received with utter contempt by Xi, who drops it from his hands as he walks away. This ostensibly functions as an analogy to the uselessness of Western culture, seeming to say “the best you have is meaningless” – a harsh rebuke to any Westerner.