In Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, he talks about the battle between the innate evil and the goodness present in every human being. Through the development of the novel's characters, Conrad articulates what drives a person to allow his bad intentions or his good intentions to dominate. By juxtaposing the characters of Marlow and Kurtz, Joseph Conrad suggests that to avoid succumbing to natural evil intentions, or the heart of darkness, one must consciously avoid fixation on worldly desires. These secular ambitions are the cause of Kurtz's total submission to his inner evil. Although both Kurtz and Marlow made the same physical journey into the interior of Africa, these men and their spiritual journeys are distinguished by their choices, which inevitably allow them to emphasize their harmful or admiral-like characteristics. Kurtz's age-old desire for ivory and his blind ambition for a corporate position force him to abandon the constraints of society and travel to the Congo, where his isolation forces him to discover his dark self. Kurtz's insatiable desire for earthly objects leads him to perform inhumane actions, such as placing African heads on poles around his home. He descends into ferocity: he surrenders to his darkness and his inner evil. In contrast, Marlow, who takes the same journey as Kurtz, initially begins with different intentions and mindsets. He appreciates his work, but is bound by honor and truth; he "hates, detests, cannot bear a lie". Ultimately, his responsibility and moral system allow Marlow to rise above his heart of darkness and leave the Congo safely, while Kurtz's surrender leads to his death. In today's modern society, the concept of limiting secular desires and ambitions is still applicable because humanity continues to struggle with secular attractions; humans still struggle to succumb to their innate goodness or evil When Conrad writes that there were people who “were men enough to face the darkness,” he implores humanity to recognize the presence of both good and evil in the soul , but to emphasize the good by controlling worldly desires and ambitions. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why should video games be banned?"