Heart of Darkness - Marlow's Lies
Heart of Darkness - Marlow's LiesA lie is an untruth. It can be a false statement or a statement left unsaid which causes someone to be misled. In life lies are told
for many different reasons. In fiction they thicken the plot. In
Conrad's Heart of Darkness, Marlow dislikes lies and therefore
only tells two, both in extraordinary circumstances, and the lies show
the following about Marlow: even though he has been touched by evil,
he is still a good man himself; that he never actually tells a lie, he
lets others continue to believe what they already believe; and that
this helps him justify the lies. Marlow, in the middle of his story,
interupts himself to say "You know I hate, detest, and can't bear a
lie." He does not think he is better than the rest of the world. Lies
simply appal him. Marlow feels there is a "taint of death, and a
flavor of mortality in lies." Lying makes him feel "miserable and
sick, like biting something rotten would do." Since he feels this way,
he would only tell a lie in extraordinary circumstances. The first lie
was told by Marlow in extraordinary circumstances. It was told because
he had a notion it would somehow be of help to Mr. Kurtz. The lie was
to allow the brick maker to think he had more influence in the company
than he actually had. This lie would help Kurtz in two ways. Firstly
it would help Marlow to get the rivets he needed to fix the boat, and
that would provide Kurtz with a means of communication, or a way out
of the jungle. Secondly it would provide Kurtz with an ally who was
perceived as influential. Marlow knew that others were jealous of the
success of Mr. Kurtz. Some saw him as the next "Director of the
Company," and some were trying to find a reason to hang him. If Marlow
was considered powerful, he might be able to help Mr. Kurtz. This is
an extraordinary reason for telling a lie.
The second lie was also told in extraordinary circumstances. It is
told to "the intended" so that the image of her dead fiance would not
be destroyed. She has waited at least...
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