Where a person resides on the social scale is often related with moral upbringing and overall behavior. In Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, Conrad demonstrates through his characters how this common belief is clearly false. Kurtz grew up in a decent household, had a good education, and is at the top of the social scale. Marlow, however, does not have the advantages that Kurtz has. He is more of a drifter who has yet to discover himself. Normally, one would assume that Kurtz having a better life and a stronger education would have a stronger moral code than someone like Marlow. But the reality is, Marlow retains his values while Kurtz abandons them in his quest for power. Ultimately, this will be Kurtz’s downfall. Through Kurtz and Marlow, Conrad demonstrates how wealth and social statuses don’t determine moral codes; instead, people are born with a good versus evil complex and it’s up to them to listen to their conscience or to follow the id.
--I realized I didn't post my intro paragraph....whoops
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