The False GodFriedrich Nietzsche once provided one of the truest opinions on power the world has ever heard when he said, “All things are subject to interpretation, whatever interpretation prevails in a given moment is a function of power and not of truth." The promises and truths that those who gain power spread to their people are not always for the common good. The worst leaders of people are those who put more effort and thought into stroking their own egos than making a real, sincere effort to help their people. These evil sociopathic dictators use their power to try to brainwash the minds of the people who have to live under them with their own hidden beliefs and agendas, foolishly believing they are a “savior”. There has yet to be a situation with a community leader who has this kind of unchecked power and influence with a happy ending. Perhaps the greatest story ever written about good versus evil, madness, abuse of power, influence and nature might just be Heart of Darkness. Heart of Darkness, written by Joseph Conrad, tells the story of an agent named Marlow, who experiences hellish conditions and behavior while trying to save a man named Kurtz, who turns out to be quite a handful. During this journey the moral ramifications of Kurtz and Marlow's actions are left up to the audience's interpretation after Kurtz goes mad and becomes the catalyst for the events that occur throughout the plot. Conrad uses events from his real life along with themes of greed, power, and obsession to show what causes Kurtz, who serves as a symbol for real-world leaders, to go mad and abuse power. Before divulging the question of what changed Kurtz, it is important to look at what is inside... middle of paper... a person addicted to ivory, but also got a taste of the power to force people to submit and he too became addicted to power. Greed, obsession, and a taste of real-life-altering power are what seduced Kurtz and changed him. Works Cited Guo, Deyan. "A world of lies in the heart of darkness." Journal of Language Teaching and Research 2.4 (2011). Network. May 17, 2014. .."Biography of Joseph Conrad." Cliff Notes. Network. May 18, 2014. .Zhao, Jiping. "The Tragedy of Kurtz: An Analysis of Kurtz in Heart of Darkness." Asian Social Sciences 4.6 (2008). Ccsenet. Network. 19 May 2014. .Corrado, Giuseppe. Heart of Darkness. New York: Dover, 1902. Print. May 19th 2014