However, Marlow is no crusader for Truth. Never easily satisfied with others' seemingly innocent remarks such as those made by the Manager and Brickmaker, Marlow constantly attempts to sift through the obscurities of what others tell him (such as when his aunt speaks to him of "weaning those ignorant millions from their horrid ways"). Marlow's chief qualities are his curiosity and skepticism. Instead, his experiences there teach Marlow about the "heart of darkness" found in all men: Many (like himself) suppress these evil urges, while others (like Kurtz) succumb to them. As a young man, Marlow wished to explore the "blank places" on the map because he longed for adventure his journey up the Congo, however, proves to be much more than a thrilling episode. The novel's narrator presents Marlow as "a meditating Buddha" because his experiences in the Congo have made him introspective and to a certain degree philosophic and wise. Marlow is a thirty-two-year-old sailor who has always lived at sea.
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