Identity/Voice/Materialism and Objects
Marlow finds himself by basing his life on what he knows. He is extremely independent and believes that a man "...must meet that truth with his own true stuff-with his own newborn strength." In both part 1 and part 2, we see Marlow struggling to find who he is. He seems to be sure of himself because of his choice to venture out alone into the world unknown (Africa) on a steam ship. In part 2, he brings up prehistoric man, and prehistoric earth but defends his choices and opinions by saying, "I hear; I admit, but I have a voice too, and for good or evil mine is the speech that cannot be silenced" (43). He recognizes that everyone is different but refuses to try and understand the ways of men that are different then him. That is until his steerman dies. The reader sees Marlow discovering the importance of voice, and understanding that this man (along with the cannibals and pilgrims) was a person, with a voice (57-58). The word voice is repeated, which echoed in my mind. Marlow is aware of the nature of life almost, and observes life "with assumed innocence that no man was safe from trouble in this world" (46).
Yet the most important thing to Marlow is the waters and his steamboat. His steamboat (which he personifies and characterizes as female) seems to symbolize his journey of self discovery, but more importantly his guide to understanding other people. Marlow clearly spends a lot of time alone, observing the ocean and the surroundings and doesn't trust people, especially people that aren't of his own race. It's interesting that Marlow seems to detest materialism or people obsessed with objects and wealth (like Kurtz) but yet spends almost all of his time on a ship and takes care of it. That ship seems to mean more to Marlow than any person has.
Marlow doesn't like Kurtz (even before he has met him) because he imagines him to be a man taken over by ivory, because ivory is his life and he is obsessed with it. Marlow describes him as "a tree strayed by the wind" (61) because of his desire for ivory. Yet even though Marlow puts Kurtz down for this, one could argue that Marlow himself is "a tree strayed by the wind" (61) because he is obsessed with the water, and sailing, and even the darkness or horror of the earth and life. This also ties into to whether Marlow is a reliable narrator or not, and at this point in the book, the reader is forced to question every image described. Is it a dream? Is it the truth? Did all of this happen or did only some of it happen?
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