Juan Linares
Mr. Maust
English IV AP
12 February 2016
The Lie We Live,
An Explanation of Marlow’s Lie in Heart of Darkness
In Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, Marlow tells early on that he hates, detests, “and can’t bear a lie..”(85). Through the novel, the character of Marlow expresses how he is morally different to those he meets through the Congo. He witnesses men reaching into the primeval part of their brains. A place where power is absolute, and all is done for personal gain. He witnesses men lying to each other, and even to themselves, and condemns this as a foul act of character. But Marlow’s last deed is a lie, and perhaps the most memorable lie of the novella; however, it conflicts with Marlow’s original ideas regarding lies. …show more content…
Kurtz’s Intended lives under the same misunderstanding that Marlow's aunt does. These women, living with all the comforts of Europe, believe that the imperialist project is a thoroughly moral one. They are ignorant to the reality of the matter, and therefore hold no moral responsibility; Marlow himself seems to think something similar, for he believes that a woman’s world is not equipped to handle such a truth. To him, “some confounded fact we men have been living contentedly with ever since the day of creation would start up and knock the whole thing over.”(Conrad 67) And in this outdated belief, we see that ultimately, Marlow’s intentions for lying were not evil. Unlike the Brickmaker, Marlow’s lie does not serve him any personal gain. He understands the reality of the Congo, and the ignorance of those around him, and even then he sees it only just that he does not disturb the lie they swallow as truth. When Marlow lies to the Intended, he does so under an extreme circumstance. She thought of Kurtz as a man liked by many, and to know his truth would only destroy her. Even after Marlow meets a man who embodies “the heart of an immense darkness,”(Conrad 155) he is able to retain some good in himself. He knows the difference between right and wrong, and only lies under extraordinary circumstances, with the hearts of others in mind before his
Mr. Maust
English IV AP
12 February 2016
The Lie We Live,
An Explanation of Marlow’s Lie in Heart of Darkness
In Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, Marlow tells early on that he hates, detests, “and can’t bear a lie..”(85). Through the novel, the character of Marlow expresses how he is morally different to those he meets through the Congo. He witnesses men reaching into the primeval part of their brains. A place where power is absolute, and all is done for personal gain. He witnesses men lying to each other, and even to themselves, and condemns this as a foul act of character. But Marlow’s last deed is a lie, and perhaps the most memorable lie of the novella; however, it conflicts with Marlow’s original ideas regarding lies. …show more content…
Kurtz’s Intended lives under the same misunderstanding that Marlow's aunt does. These women, living with all the comforts of Europe, believe that the imperialist project is a thoroughly moral one. They are ignorant to the reality of the matter, and therefore hold no moral responsibility; Marlow himself seems to think something similar, for he believes that a woman’s world is not equipped to handle such a truth. To him, “some confounded fact we men have been living contentedly with ever since the day of creation would start up and knock the whole thing over.”(Conrad 67) And in this outdated belief, we see that ultimately, Marlow’s intentions for lying were not evil. Unlike the Brickmaker, Marlow’s lie does not serve him any personal gain. He understands the reality of the Congo, and the ignorance of those around him, and even then he sees it only just that he does not disturb the lie they swallow as truth. When Marlow lies to the Intended, he does so under an extreme circumstance. She thought of Kurtz as a man liked by many, and to know his truth would only destroy her. Even after Marlow meets a man who embodies “the heart of an immense darkness,”(Conrad 155) he is able to retain some good in himself. He knows the difference between right and wrong, and only lies under extraordinary circumstances, with the hearts of others in mind before his