Likewise, Conrad uses a series of minor characters to describe Mr. Kurtz's character to Marlow before they actually meet. The chief Accountant is the first minor character Conrad uses to reference Mr. Kurtz. He makes statements like "he was the first class-agent," "he is a very remarkable person," and "Mr. Kurtz was at present in charge of a trading post, a very important one, in the true ivory country [...] sends in as much ivory as all the others put together [...]"(Conrad 28). From the description above, Mr. Kurtz is described to be an extremely productive and remarkable man. By this point, Marlow does not know who Mr. Kurtz is, but he is interested in him and wants to know more. Then Marlow meets the Company's Manager, who describes Mr. …show more content…
Kurtz to Marlow, the Manager makes sure that Marlow has not misunderstood him, stating, “I wouldn't like him to get the false idea of my disposition [...]" which indicates that the Manager fears Mr. Kurtz (41). Conrad uses other characters to allude to Mr. Kurtz’s attributes in such an extravagant way that Marlow claims "he [Mr. Kurtz] was just a word for me. I did not see the man in the name anymore than you do," but even though Marlow thinks of Mr. Kurtz as an idea, his reputation continues to pique Marlow's interest and curiosity (42). After being attacked by the natives, Marlow assumed that Mr. Kurtz might have been attacked and died as well, which caused him great disappointment because he was excited or obsessed with meeting Mr. Kurtz. The last person that alludes to Mr. Kurtz's character before Marlow meets Mr. Kurtz is the Russian trader. His depiction of Mr. Kurtz was that Mr. Kurtz is a man you listen to, he is well loved by the natives, and a man that could enlarge your mind (90). While speaking with the Russian trader Marlow, noticed what he thought were decorations of a balls on a stick, but as he got closer he realized the balls were actually the heads of "enemies" put on sticks. Although the Russian tried to justify this site, Marlow describes it as