For centuries man has argued over the nature of man. The Catholic church teaches "original sin," society shows us survival of the fittest, while others preach that there is an inert goodness in human nature. The reality of man's nature cannot be so simply defined. Throughout Joseph Conrad's stories, "The Heart of Darkness" and "Secret Sharer" he uses characterization in counterpoint to reveal that man has both a dark and light side. In each story he has one character represent the dark and another represent the light in man. Conrad links the two contrasting characters through imagery, descriptions, symbols, and goals. In "Heart of Darkness" Marlow is compared to Kurtz and in "The Secret Sharer" the Captain is compared to Legatt.
             Through the comparison of Marlow and Kurtz in the "Secret Sharer" the reader sees the two sides of man. The first description of Marlow, before he's voyaged to the Heart of Darkness, is "sunken cheeks, a yellow complexion, a straight back, an ascetic aspect and, with his arms dropped, the palms of hands outwards, resembled an idol." He speaks of the "civilizing" of people with "different complexions and flatter noses." Like Kurtz, Marlow came to the Congo in an attempt to get rich off the ivory trade. With the wealth he also hoped to gain respect and status. He didn't believe in the exploitation of men and as he journeyed to evil's heart his disgust with this exploitation would forge a new direction that would keep him from becoming what Kurtz has already became. When Marlow first asks of Mr. Kurtz the Brickmaker explains that they are very much alike, belonging to the new gang of virtue," both with the intent to lighten the Dark Continent with "pity and science and prog!
             ress." Kurtz is a good painter, speaker, writer, ivory trader, and is well educa
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