The Value of Sacrifice What you value can often be determined by what you are willing to sacrifice. People may believe that they will honor what they value, but this usually only lasts until we are faced with the benefits that come from the sacrifice. Many people may say they have “good values,” but the truth is that actions speak louder than words. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay After reading Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad, I immediately knew what I wanted to write about. Mr. Kurtz is a top Company agent who was once considered a normal man with good intentions. Kurtz is an ivory trader in the heart of Africa. It carries more ivory than all the other stations combined, making it something of a legend among other traders. He is spoken of with great esteem and seen in an almost divine way. To achieve that status, one might ask: what did he have to sacrifice to get there? The answer would be that he sacrificed one of the most sacred values ​​that every human being should have, morality. Kurtz, in many ways, could be considered greedy. He went to Africa with great hopes and ambitions, but the ferocity of the land got the better of him. His desire for ivory drives him to make alliances and enemies among the native Africans, and together they raid village after village in search of ivory. He gave up his morals to secure his place as a top trader. Kurtz's belief that he was some sort of God began after he formed the following of the native Africans. Africa was behind the times, so when Kurtz arrived from Europe, he brought with him new technologies and advances. This made the natives see him as a God and were willing to protect and help him. This was a major factor in how he became the highest earning ivory trader. He used the kindness of the natives to advance in life and earn more money for himself. The Harlequin had said to Marlow: "You cannot judge Kurtz as you would a normal man." (56) This simply shows that Kurtz was considered more than a "common man", and placed himself above others. Marlow seems to be more like the old Kurtz. The man Kurtz was before he became immoral and wild. Marlow goes to Africa with the dream of piloting a boat, but sees how wild Africa is. Unlike Kurtz, he does not sacrifice his values ​​and manages to remain civil throughout the novel. At the beginning of his bid for power, Kurtz had simply created a “God-like” character. However, as time passed, this personality of his had slowly become his true self. It shows that if you let something take over you, it can take over your life. The worst thing is that Kurtz sees nothing wrong with what he is doing. He is completely blind to the fact that he is hungry for power and money and takes advantage of the native Africans. It is only at the end of the novel, when he is dying on his deathbed, that he realizes what he has done. That's why he shouts “The horrors! The horrors!” (69) He sacrificed one of the most basic human values, his morals, to advance and gain power. The people around him were also blind to this fact, so in a sense they also gave up their morals. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Kurtz went to Africa with good intentions and dreamed of becoming a great ivory trader. His dreams came true, but at a high cost. Marlow was able to keep himself civil during his, 2014.