Marlow’s aunt: Marlow talks about his aunt in the beginning of the novel, stating that it was her influence that led him to obtain this job; becoming skipper of a river steamboat. Marlow’s aunt had friends in the Company’s administration and thus used her connections to let her nephew Marlow obtain a job in the Company, after the death of one of the Company’s captains in Congo. It seemed like Marlow’s aunt loved him and wanted to do anything that would make him happy. Marlow shared that same feeling at first and was anxious to go to Congo, after being appointed quickly following Fresleven’s death and following the request made by his aunt. She doesn’t play a big role in the novel, except for the fact that she is the one who allowed and made possible for Marlow to be able to go on his adventure to Africa and meet Kurtz. Without her, it would have been harder for Marlow to have obtained this position and achieve his aspirations and there would have not been a story maybe, or at least things would have been very different and more complicated for him. Marlow’s aunt made matters easier for him, using her influence to get him a job.
Marlow changes a bit his opinion of his aunt when he goes to tell her goodbye and when she tells her nephew that hopefully he will help in civilizing the population of Congo except the fact that she used harsher words, making Marlow “uncomfortable” and labeling his aunt like women in general in Charles’ opinion as out of touch with truth. It is a bit of a critique as Marlow seems against Imperialism so his aunt’s words didn’t really make him happy. Marlow’s aunt also plays a motherly figure to him, worrying about him. She plays her role well as an aunt or a mother.
I agree with Hani in that Marlow's aunt is an important character because has secured a position for him with her influence, which makes her some sort of mother figure since she is looking out for him. Nevertheless, I find it quite ironic that Marlow thinks women are all naive and live in their own world, yet she is the one who got him the job. Especially since Marlow's aunt has a stronger influence. However, Marlow's aunt is pro colonialism and thinks the Company will do good to the inhabitants of the Congo, which can reveal a certain naivete and it can suggest that she feels superior to natives in the Congo.
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