The Lies A lie is an untruth. It can be a false statement or a statement left unsaid which causes someone to be misled. In life, lies are told for many different reasons. In fiction, they thicken the plot and overall setting of the story. In Conrad's Heart of Darkness, Marlow dislikes lies and therefore only tells two, both in extraordinary circumstances. Thus, these lies show the following about Marlow: even though he has been touched by evil, he is still a good man himself. He never actually tells a lie, but lets others continue to believe w ....