heart of darkness by joseph conrad?

Question

What is the nature of evil?

Answer 1

According to the book, evil may be a matter of perception. Notice that all the facts we gain about Kurtz are second-hand and/or circumstantial. Yes, he does gather more ivory than the men nearer "civilization," but what does that prove? He may have simply found a friendlier tribe, or worked out a better system of trade with them using some barter more intelligent than those pieces of wire. Yes, his final words are an exclamation of horror, but horror of what? Colonialism? Native African culture? We never find any of these things out and can only assume.