Marlow Character Sketch

Charlie Marlow is a seaman, wanderer, and philosopher. Unlike many of his colleagues, who love the sea as an only way of life and are uninterested in exploring the shore, Marlow is inspired by his wanderlust and want to see the world’s unknown places. As a boy, he was forever intrigued by the blank spaces on the map, and “Heart of Darkness” is built around him telling the story of a journey he made to a then unknown country. Marlow is quite average looking and very amicable. Though it is clear he disagrees with the European colonialism and treatment of the native African people, it is also unsure if he himself is racist and possibly even sexist. He can be intuitive and picks up on the first impressions of people. He also is well read and well informed about what is going on. Yet you also get the impression from reading that the Company may not be what it seems, that there may be more than what Marlow knows.

In Obasan, Naomi is just beginning to discover her history and heritage. Learning from the letters and papers her passionate aunt gave to her, and from her own memories, blocked for so long, she begins to discover more about her family and own identity. A young schoolteacher, Naomi feels torn between the silence of her aunt, Obasan, and the outspokenness of her aunt, Emily. Learning about what has happened brings back a whole host of terrible memories she has tried to suppress for so long, including those of her mother leaving and her neighbor, a sick and twisted creepy old man.