The Value of SacrificeWhat 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 confronted with the benefits that come from the sacrifices. 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 Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Reading Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad, I instantly knew what I wanted to write about. Mr. Kurtz is a star agent of the company who was once considered a normal man with good intentions. Kurtz is an ivory trader in the heart of Africa. It brings in 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 considered almost as a god. To achieve this status, one might ask what he had 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 high hopes and ambitions, but the savagery of the land cost him dearly. His desire for ivory led him to form alliances and create enemies among the native Africans, and together they raided village after village in search of ivory. He abandoned his morals in order to secure his place as a leading merchant. Kurtz's belief that he was some kind of God began after the training of the African natives. Africa was behind the times, so when Kurtz came from Europe, he brought with him new technologies and advancements. This made the natives view him as a God and they were willing to protect and help him. This is a major factor in how he became the highest-paid 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 an ordinary man." (56) This simply proves that Kurtz was considered more than a "common man" and placed himself above others. Marlow seems to be more like old Kurtz. The man Kurtz was before he became immoral and savage. Marlow goes to Africa with dreams of piloting a boat, but he sees how wild Africa is. Unlike Kurtz, he does not sacrifice his values ​​and manages to remain civilized throughout the novel. At the beginning of Kurtz's quest for power, he had simply created the persona of this "god-like" person. However, over time, this persona had slowly become his true self. This shows that if you let something take over you, it can take over your life. The worst part is that Kurtz doesn't see anything wrong with what he's doing. He is completely blind to the fact that he is hungry for power and money and taking advantage of the African natives. It is only at the end of the novel, as he dies 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 fundamental human values, his morality, to progress and gain power. Even the people around him were blind to this fact, so in a way, they abandoned their morals as well. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Personalized Essay Kurtz is, 2014.