Nostromo

Conrad set his novel in the mining town of Sulaco, an imaginary port in the occidental region of the country of Costaguana.

The book has more fully developed characters than any other of his novels, but two characters dominate the narrative: Senor Gould and the eponymous anti-hero, the "incorruptible" Nostromo.

Though a fictional nation, Costaguana's geography as described in the book resembles real-life Colombia.

Costaguana has a long history of tyranny, revolution and warfare, but has recently experienced a period of stability under the dictator Ribiera.

Nostromo is believed by Senor Gould to be incorruptible, and for this reason is entrusted with hiding the silver from the revolutionaries.

He accepts the mission not out of loyalty to Senor Gould, but rather because he sees an opportunity to increase his own fame.