Heart Of Darkness Research Paper

The Company strives to obtain as much possible ivory as they can, but the cause of this obsession as well as business is the deterioration of the people living in the Congo, and the mindset of their own men. Marlow, since a child, was always fascinated with maps, and to travel to all the blank spots on their. With the help of his Aunt, Marlow sets across a journey to the African Congo. In Joseph Conrad’s, The Heart of Darkness, Marlow retells his physical and mental expedition to the Congo. Marlow has heard so much of the praised Mr. Kurtz, who brings in as much ivory as all the other agents put together, but as Marlow travels to the Inner Station to meet him he witnesses the truth behind how this ivory is obtained. The Company and Mister Kurtz,

transform the lives of others in pursuit of power and money.
The Company’s main goal is to obtain as much ivory as possible which comes with wealth and power.

In this frenzy though they lose sight of what effect they are giving to the natives of the land. This harassment and discrimination spreads hate and despair among everyone in the region. When Marlow first gets off his boat and sets foot at the Outer Station, he states, “I could see every rib, the joints of their limbs were connected like the knots in a rope; each had an iron collar on his neck, and all were connected together with a chain whose bights swung between them rhythmically clinking” (pg. 12, para. 4). Marlow is the first person to recognize the ill treatment of these African Americans who have just been turned into slaves. This insatiable greed that everyone in the Company possesses is hindering them from seeing the true outcome of darkness. The lives of the natives are changed to a poor, rib-cage showing hunger, and lack of even basic freedoms and rights. Nobody even ponders the question or look at the point of view of the natives; if they did they will surely see the wretchedness in their

society.
Marlow is new to the Company and ruthless environment he is put into, but even as Marlow comes in sane and begins to think of the cruelty to the African Americans, he is hinted at thinking in a new way.

In Marlow’s previous encounter with a doctor in the Company, he gets a scientific insight at the changes of a human being. Marlow states when he thinks about the doctor, “I remembered the old doctor-‘It would be interesting to watch the mental changes of individuals on the spot’. I felt I was becoming scientifically interesting” (pg. 17, para. 1). Marlow states that he is becoming “scientifically interesting”, so here it means that he is being changed mentally on the spot. Despite his usual state of mind, he begins to be influenced by the thoughts and ideas of the people in the Company. This supports the fact that the Company is willing for anyone new to change their mindset into thinking that what they are doing is right and legal. The Company changes the minds of the normal people into a greedy mind filled with desire for ivory. Marlow is at the brink of being affected by this technique for obtaining wealth and

power.
Kurtz was expected to be the man of praise and be the epitome of all man. He was supposed to gather as much ivory as all the other agents combined, but no one knew about his ruthless ways to obtain this. Marlow respects this man, discarding his ruthless ways, and only looking at his perfections. When Marlow and a Russian trader were talking he disclosed, “‘Shoot you!’ I cried. ‘What for?’ ‘Well, I had a small lot of ivory the chief of that village near my house gave me. You see I used to shoot game for them. Well, he wanted I, and wouldn’t hear reason. He declared he would shoot mw unless I gave him the ivory and then cleared out of the country…’“ (pg. 50, para. 2). Kurtz is the full representation of the monster created by the Company to obtain ivory at any cost. After going awl, his method of obtaining ivory is no longer humane, but to raid all the villages nearby and rob them of their possessions. It has even come to the point that Kurtz has to threaten and even kill his most loyal employees for only ivory. The Company has transformed its people into monsters, built to only obtain ivory.
Kurtz’s dream is sabotaged, his once thought perfect plan for obtaining more and more ivory was finally put to an end, by his sickness. At last, Kurtz dies from ill health, and his ruthless strategy of obtaining ivory goes with him to his deathbed. Marlow is saddened by the loss of such a man, and also gets sick. It amazes Marlow as he looks at his past journey and how corrupt the people can be. The wealth and power bearing on one person can rot the rest of the people surrounding them, is a theme conveyed throughout the book. The true heart of darkness lies within the people who degrade others for a trivial goal of wealth and power.