Charlie Marlow Imperialism

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Characters Charlie Marlow - The protagonist of Heart of Darkness. Marlow is philosophical, independent minded, and generally sceptical of those around him. He is also a master storyteller, expressive and able to draw his listeners into his tale. Although Marlow shares many of his fellow Europeans’ prejudices, he has seen enough of the world and has encountered enough despoiled white men to make him sceptical of imperialism. The main character of the story, Marlow is a sailor who revels in exploring the uncharted areas of the world. Unlike the characters he meets on his journey, Marlow has not yet been "subjected" to the turmoil that is the African Congo and therefore is able to view things in a somewhat rational light. During his journey through …show more content…

The accountant is also the first to tell Marlow about the notorious Mr Kurtz saying that he is a "first-class agent" and "a very remarkable person." Pilgrims - The pilgrims are named this way because they carry wooden staves with them everywhere they go. In actuality, they are agents from the Central Station. They all seem to share the same desire: to get appointed to a trading-post where they can obtain ivory and make money. Unfortunately, none of them actually bother to lift a finger when they have to get something done. They all share an animosity towards the natives and treat them poorly.(Soldiers) Cannibals - The cannibals are a group of natives who are hired as crew members for Marlow's voyage. Marlow admires the fact that they are able to control their "cannibalistic urges" while on board the ship. The cannibals seem to deal with the hardships of the voyage better than the pilgrims.(Vietnamese) Russian trader - The Russian trader arrived to the Congo on a Dutch ship and ended up becoming a loyal companion of Kurtz. He regards Kurtz as an absolute genius whose words and ideas are amazingly powerful. It is the Russian who tells Marlow about Kurtz's fall into madness.(Hippie

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