CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN - why is Marlow in awe of Kurtz? Why does he respect him? It makes no sense - even Kurtz was aware of the “horror”, of how greed and desire and power literally brought him to death and the darkness - so why does Marlow respect him? I feel like I’m missing something here in an otherwise interesting novella! I don’t feel sorry for Kurtz at all and neither Marlow, despite his critique on the Company. They’re clearly still on the wrong side of Indigenous & African history.

I’m also reading this wondering at Conrad's racism - he's clearly critical of Imperialism, yet so many comments he makes I can’t even begin to justify! And so many comparisons to the Indigenous people being like animals. Disgusting, unacceptable in the 21st century, but to thing this was once how people thought.

The symbolism throughout really resonated with me. It’s a metaphor and image I can imagine and feels quite tangible to me.

I wish I just could understand WHY Marlow - the protagonist - respects Kurtz - clearly the antagonist. But I otherwise quite enjoyed reading this novel - racist to its core, but so important historically.