aking away from Kurtz's extreme. Unlike Kurtz who lacked all restraint and would never find looking down on people bad, Marlow realized that he couldn't hold it against them simply because they didn't know better. Clearly, Marlow is edging toward a 'middle ground'. Despite this act of judgment, the reader doesn't know exactly where Marlow stands. However, Marlow does something that is the quintessential act of affirmation that he has chose the middle of the two extremes. While aboard the Nellie, Marlow tells his comrades that "I hate, detest, and can't bear a lie...simply because it appalls me. There is a taint of death, a flavor of mortality in lies..."(44). Towards the end of the novel, Marlow is invited by Kurtz's fiancee to go to her house to speak of her beloved Kurtz. Upon her asking Marlow what his last words were, Marlow responded "The last word he pronounced was---your name"(131). He lies to her. He does something he utterly detests. This is the event that convinces the reader of Marlow's uptaking of a middle position. He does look inside himself and use his own personal ability to judge this event. He does what Kurtz had told him. Despite his abhorrence of lies, he judges this situation and decides that it was right to lie. However, he is different from Kurtz. Kurtz did judge every event independently, however, he does it solely based on his own whims. He could not incorporate any objective principles whatsoever in making his decision. Marlow does judge every event independently, however, he can not rely solely on his own creeds. Regardless of his decision, he will always incorporate some objective principles into his judgment. Marlow now creates his 'alternative reality' and achieves his truth. When Marlow was exposed to the imperialistic environment of the congo, it had a tremendous effect upon him. The protagonist of Conrad's novel undergoes a drastic change in response to his environment, common ...
