s. Kurtz “had collected, bartered, swindled, or stolen more ivory than all the other agents together” (Conrad 43). Despite his reputation as a thief and a swindler, people in the ivory trading business regarded Kurtz as a “first-class agent” and “a very remarkable person” (Conrad 16). In addition, when Marlow came to Kurtz’s station to trade with him, “Kurtz … ordered [an] attack to be made on the steamer” (Conrad 58), even though Marlow came in peace. Finally, Marlow sees the despair of the existence of humans while in the “heart of darkness.” When Kurtz lay on his deathbed, Marlow “saw on that ivory face the expression of somber pride, of ruthless power, of craven terror—of an intense and hopeless despair” (Conrad 64). Also, the manager told Marlow that Kurtz “suffered too much. He hated all this, and somehow he couldn’t get away. When I had a chance I begged him to try and leave while there was time; I offered to go back with him. And he would say yes, and then he would remain; go off on another ivory hunt” (Conrad 51-52). Clearly, Marlow saw death, corruption, and despair in the “heart of darkness.” In all, Conrad used his own experiences and his views on life as the basis for this novel. He used his experiences from his journey down the Congo River on a steamer for the basic plot of the novel. In addition, the themes of death, corruption, and despair describe the fatalistic attitude of Conrad. He saw these themes at the heart of human existence, and Marlow confronts them in the “heart of darkness.”...