In Joseph Conrad's short story, The Heart of Darkness (1899), Conrad effectively presents the character of Charles Marlow through the extensive use of Marlow's personal narration throughout along the news. Using such a method of presentation, Conrad introduces the reader to Marlow's character, the most important of which is his hypocrisy throughout his expedition across Africa. Marlow's change from an idealistic European looking for work to one who has seen the "heart of darkness" is well illustrated by using him as the main narrator, guiding the reader through his descent into madness due to his sensitivity to “darkness”. Charles Marlow is introduced to the reader by an anonymous narrator, one of five men aboard the Nellie. Note that he alone receives a physical description from the narrator, with “sunken cheeks” and “yellow complexion,” clearly someone who has experienced suffering, even evident in this short description. His physical appearance is not good and the reader can infer that Marlow's mental state is not much better, an implication which is soon confirmed by the novel. Shortly after being introduced, Marlow begins his account of how he sailed to Africa, comparing it to what the Romans must have felt when they traveled to the then uncivilized lands of modern London . He recounts his experiences as a member of the “noble” Company. In doing so, Marlow's personality is described in great detail, more than the words themselves reveal. Conrad's choice to use a narrative frame allows the reader to see Marlow's perspective on events and provides a noticeable change in tone as the short story progresses. As he enters his story, Marlow recounts the fate of his predecessor, a Dane named Fresleven, who "...went ashore and began to hammer the leader of...... middle of paper.. .... in search of the truth. As the narrator for the majority of Heart of Darkness, Marlow recounts his experiences and relives his most horrific moments. As the Nellie floats down the Thames into the dark void, Marlow can only see the same thing, no light or brightness means anything. Conrad's choice to make Marlow the main narrator telling his own story is an effective way to convey his message to the reader. The reader will notice Marlow's descent into madness, his conversations with others being the points of descent and his thoughts being the indicators. Ultimately, Marlow's story makes it clear that anyone's idealism, no matter how intelligent, educated, or civilized, cannot survive the all-consuming heart of darkness. Works Cited Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness and The Secret Sharer. New York: Signet Classics, 1997. Print.