Heart Of Darkness Essay, Research Paper

A lie is an untruth. It can be a false statement or a statement left unsaid

which causes someone to be misled. In life, lies are told for many different

reasons. In fiction, they thicken the plot and overall setting of the story. In

Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, Marlow dislikes lies and therefore only tells two,

both in extraordinary circumstances. Thus, these lies show the following about

Marlow: even though he has been touched by evil, he is still a good man himself.

He never actually tells a lie, but lets others continue to believe what they

already believe in which case helps him justify the lies. Marlow, in the middle

of his story, interrupts himself to say, "You know I hate, detest, and

can’t bear a lie." He does not think he is better than the rest of the

world. Lies simply appall and disgust him immensely. Marlow feels there is a

"taint of death, and a flavor of mortality in lies." Lying makes him

feel "miserable and sick, like biting something rotten would do."

Since he feels this way, he would only tell a lie in the most exceptional state

of affairs. The first lie was told by Marlow in extraordinary circumstances. It

was told because he had a notion it would somehow be of help to Mr. Kurtz. The

lie was to allow the brick maker to think he had more influence in the company

than he actually had. This lie would help Kurtz in two ways. Firstly, it would

help Marlow to get the rivets he needed to fix the boat, and that would provide

Kurtz with a means of communication, or a way out of the jungle. Secondly, it

would provide Kurtz with an ally who was perceived as powerful. Marlow knew that

others were jealous of the success of Mr. Kurtz. Some saw him as the next

"Director of the Company," and some were trying to find a reason to

hang him. If Marlow was considered powerful, he might be able to help Mr. Kurtz

in some way. This is an excellent reason for telling a lie. 2 The second lie was

also told in extraordinary circumstances. It is told to "the intended"

so that the image of her dead fiancйe would not be destroyed. She has

waited at least two years for her lover to return from Africa, and now he is

dead. During this time, she has built his image up in her mind. To her, Kurtz is

a man to be admired. She feels it would be "impossible not to love

him." She was proud to have been engaged to Kurtz, and would be shocked to

learn of the things he had done to people and the surrounding environment.

Marlow had to decide if he should tell her the truth about Kurtz and cause her

even greater grief, or let her go on believing that he was a good man. Thus,

this example was one in which Marlow could tell a lie. The significance of this

lie is that it would serve no purpose to tell the truth, so Marlow does not.

Kurtz is dead and to tell the truth would only hurt an innocent woman. She had

no idea that her fiancйe had an evil heart. She thought that he was loved

and admired by everyone who knew him. If she learned of the things he had done,

it would destroy her. Marlow showed his good side by not telling her the truth

about Kurtz. This is a suitable ending to the work because it means that even

though Marlow has met a man with a "Heart of Darkness," and that even

after facing his own darkness, he has come out of the jungle unchanged, for the

most part. He is still a good human being with feelings and a sense of right and

wrong. Marlow never actually vocalized a lie. He simply allowed others to

continue to believe an untruth. First, the brick maker thought Marlow was more

influential than he actually was, and Marlow allowed him to continue to believe

that. Secondly, the intended thought her fiancй was a good man, and Marlow

allowed her to continue to believe that. Since he never actually vocalized a

lie, he was better able to justify them to himself. 3 Marlow dislikes lies, and

only tells them in extraordinary circumstances. When he does lie, it is for the

sake of others, not himself. This shows that he is a kind human being. It is

unfortunate that all lies are not told with such noble purpose. Society, as well

as the world, would be a better place if they were.