Achebe notes that "it would not have been beyond Conrad's power to [hint at an alternative frame of reference] if he had thought it necessary." Because Heart of Darkness subliminally guides the reader to oppose Marlow's racist beliefs, an alternative frame of reference is not required. While Conrad could have been politically correct and protected himself from criticism by inserting a contradictory argument via the narrator or one of the sailors aboard the Nellie, doing so would have been counterproductive. By portraying Marlow as a narrow-minded bigot who tends to contradict himself and disrespect women, Conrad vilifies his protagonist. As a result, the reader is naturally led to disagree with Marlow's outlandish and prejudicial remarks and to conclude that racism is inherently wrong. A conclusion that the reader comes to on his own is probably stronger than a conclusion forced upon him by the reader