Kurtz only physically appears near the end of Marlow's tale, but he is prevalent throughout. He is the topic of everyone's conversation, he is the goal of the mission, and he is the background against which everyone is seen. Marlow is telling the story of not just his meeting with Kurtz, but how Kurtz affected his life.

        From the coast to Kurtz's station, everyone has something to say about Kurtz, his power and darkness increasing as Marlow nears him. The accountant labeled him a "first-class agent" and a "remarkable person" who brings in more ivory than everyone else put together. This idea remains in the story, found in every description of Kurtz. He becomes a "chief," a "prodigy," and a "special being" from the words of the bricklayer. As Kurtz's reputation increases, so does Marlow's anticipation. His journey becomes more important and every setback is a possibility of Kurtz's death and a failure.

        Kurtz fascinates Marlow. The power he holds to bend people to his will is like Marlow's ability to get what he wants. When they decided something, it is done. Marlow feels a strong kinship to Kurtz; they are like brothers, blessed with the same clear mind, cold logic, manipulative power, and strange passions. Kurtz is Marlow to the extreme, out of control and falling fast.

        Marlow uses Kurtz's alive life to see the hollow men around him. The vitality described to Marlow shines like a light through the company men and the natives. Their transparent skins reveal a lack of purpose, of ambition, a blank past, and no future. Kurtz himself becomes clear before he dies, but his skin contains a dark fire, thoughts, passions, plans. Marlow sees him, sees his battle with himself, sees his victory. It is the knowledge of Kurtz's victory that lets Marlow go on when faced with death, with common apathy toward life.

        Kurtz is the focus of the story: all events, all thoughts lead to him. Kurtz is the law against which everyone is judged, he is the companion Marlow turns to in despair. For such a strong influence to be directly felt for a greater period of time would have made it less powerful than the simple glimpse of greatness Marlow experienced.