Charlie Marlow as a Narrator in Heart of Darkness

611 Words2 Pages

Some of the things you have discovered about Charlie Marlow as a

Narrator in Heart of Darkness.

In Heart of Darkness, the main story teller is Charlie Marlow. Based

on a boat waiting for the turn of the tide on the river Thames, he

tells his crew of his journey into the African Congo.

In the opening pages Marlow is described as looking like some kind of

idol; "he had the pose of a Buddha preaching" this relates to his

somewhat philosophical way of recounting his tale, as a narrator

Marlow often deflects from the story, he is vague and thinks very

deeply about Imperialism- one of the main themes in heart of darkness.

When Marlow states, "I had got a heavenly mission to civilize you," he

expresses his good intentions to help the Africans progress and

advance. Furthermore, when he says, "I was an impostor," Marlow seems

to recognize the fact that he is an unjustified invader into a foreign

land. During the book there are many hints at his unease towards

various events he's witnessed. His first arrival in the Congo when he

comes into contact with a chain gang; "For a ...

Open Document