"The man of the earliest ages were like children as compared with our-selves We reap the fruits of their toil- (Temple). Yet Conrad argues with this reduced, undoubted view of history; we are not sure to find the right line of progress or the true lay-ers of civilisation, culture, philosophy or religion.
Conrad embodies his own apostasy and scepticism in intertwining illusion with real-ity. He achieves the uncertainty by making Marlow responsible for the story. The narration is not "authorial"; Marlow's views are distanced from the authorial perspective. We can never be sure how much Marlow understands, how far the events are being reflected through transmutation of his consciousness. .
This new indirect method, the "double transposition" of events makes Marlow's bias towards himself ironic in the reader's eyes. .
There had been a lot of such rot let loose in print and talk just about that time, and the excellent woman [Marlow's aunt], living right in the rush of all that humbug, got carried off her feet. She talked about "weaning those ignorant millions from their horrid ways," till, upon my word, she made me quite uncomfortable. I ventured to hint that the Company was run for profit. (Conrad 20).
Or later: .
No, they were not inhuman. Well, you know, that was the worst of it - this suspicion of their not being inhuman . but what thrilled you was just the thought of their humanity - like yours - the thought of your remote kinship with this wild and passionate up-roar. (Conrad 47).
Conrad replaces the nineteenth-century linear narrative (as going forward into the more complete cognition of truth) with untrue reflection of events. Marlow does not reflect rationally consistent view of reality. .
Conrad speaks ironically not only about this over-simplified optimism, but also about the inferiority of the primeval culture.
We were wanderers on a prehistoric earth, on an earth that wore the aspect of an unknown planet.