What it means to be man is a question that has been plagued since the beginning of mankind. In Heart of Darkness, Conrad explores the issue of what a man is in two main lights. Conrad explores two side of what a man is. One is the superficial side, or the more stereotypical side. The other is the deeper meaning or the heart and soul of a man. Conrad also utilizes the characters Kurtz and Marlow to explain deeper what a man should be. .
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Conrad focuses on the superficial side of being a man more openly. By suing the character Kurtz, Conrad shows his audiences what man should be. When Marlow first encounters Kurtz, the focus is plainly on the exterior look and dress of the man. Kurtz is described as " a white man- with " a high starched collar, white cuffs, a light alpaca jacket, snowy trousers, a clean necktie, and varnished boots." (p.90). This description tells the reader that Conrad may believe to be man is to be born in England and to have the ability to dress well. This is the first physical description of Kurtz the reader is given and the clothing that he is wearing seems to be the high point. This may because the sign the being wealthy is to be well dressed. Conrad hints around the idea of wealth being important to being a man. .
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To be wealthy is a sign of being a distinguished male in Heart of Darkness. When a male is in the possession of money he is able to support a wife and family. Being able to "help [women] to stay is that beautiful world of their own" (p115) seems to be very important when it comes to being a man. The more a husband is able to give his wife and family the better of a man he can become. Also, through out the story the idea of having ivory in ones possession is important. The use of ivory in the story could represent the "toys" that men in today's society collect to prove their manhood to one another. The idea of ivory indicates this point more clearly. When the men are on the ship at the opening of the story, the Accountant is playing with ivory dominoes.
