Heart of Darkness
In the novel Heart of Darkness, written by Joseph Conrad, there are many references that pertain to truth. Some of these references discuss universal truth, some illustrate symbolic truth, while others present individual truths that impose themselves on the main character and narrator Marlow. Conrad also establishes the ideas of good truth and evil truth, which are subdivisions of the universal truth that he illustrates. The good truth can be said to be synonymous with white truth, represented by light and the virtuous side of man, while the evil truth is synonymous with dark truth, and represented by darkness and the dark side of man. Conrad’s thoughts about these truths are alluded to throughout the novel through the use of Marlow’s character as a storyteller. Careful inspection of Marlow’s words show the reader Conrad’s assessment of truth. The beginning of Marlow’s story impresses upon the reader the disguised lie of the trading company with which he becomes associated. The position which he gains once belonged to a man by the name of Fresleven who died while he was “engaged in the noble cause”(p 72) of enlightening the savages. Marlow’s aunt, who aids him in getting the job, sees Marlow as “Something like an emiss . . .
However, in his reflection on Kurtz’ death, Marlow says: “He said it. The fact that he lies at this point shows that he has learned that there are some times when one must hide the evil truth from those who have not experienced it. In analyzing this novel one should realize the true nature of man and our personal relation to the Heart of Darkness. Marlow continues on to say, “he went ashore and started to hammer the chief of the village with a stick. The reader can also see Marlow’s great respect for truth as he says: “You know I hate, detest, and can’t bear a lie, not because I am straighter than the rest of us, but simply because it appalls me. ‘The horror!’ He was a remarkable man. There is a taint of death, a flavor of mortality in lies–which is exactly what I hate and detest in the world–what I want to forget. The man “had been killed in a scuffle with the natives” over “two black hens. Conrad also uses the white men with dark souls and the black native men with innocent or good souls in an ironic contrast between good truth and ugly truth. ”(p 147), “ I saw on that ivory face the expression of sombre pride, of ruthless power, of craven terror–of an intense and hopeless despair. Yet in spite of this, Marlow narrates that the company “was the biggest thing in the town, and everybody [he] met was full of it. ”(p 147), thus revealing to the reader the dark side of the great Kurtz. This example is one of many that show the two sides of man as a universal truth. An interesting point to note about the death of Fresleven, the white man who previously occupied Marlow’s position in the company, are the circumstances surrounding his death.
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