of the two extremes of mankind, he returns to England. Because of his knowledge, he has a new understanding. He knows it is impossible to revert to his former mentality because he has been enlightened and, thus, lost his naivete. Perhaps he could adopt Kurtz’ ways and live in the other extreme. At one point, Marlow had peered over the edge (68). Why did he not jump? Marlow is repelled from joining Kurtz for several reasons. First, Kurtz had "kicked himself loose of the earth...he had kicked the very earth to pieces. He was alone --- and I [Marlow] before him did not know whether I stood on the ground or floated in the air" (65). Kurtz had denied any sort of moral convictions in order to be worshipped as a god. Because of this unmonitored power, Kurtz lost all sense of restraint and became the savage that he was. Marlow, however, has not lost his sense of morality and, thus, has not become a savage free of societal hindrance. It is because of Marlow's rejection of both the Europeans, who he claims are full of "stupid importance” (70), and Kurtz' inability to establish his own moral code, that Marlow chooses another avenue. The first time the reader witnesses Marlow's choice to find a middle ground is when he first gets back to Europe. Marlow finds himself resenting the way the Europeans go about their lives, "hurrying through the streets to filch a little money from each other [. . .]" (70). Not only did he find their lives meaningless, but he also silently mocked them. "I had no particular desire to enlighten them, but I had some difficulty restraining myself from laughing in their faces so full of stupid importance. I tottered about the streets [. . .] grinning bitterly at perfectly respectable persons. I admit my behaviour was inexcusable [. . .]” (70). Although Marlow looked down on the Europeans, he judged his own actions and found them inexcusable. This is evidence of Marlow rejecting Kurtz' extreme. Unlike Kurtz...
