The Nature of Man in Lord of the Flies
William Golding, in his novel Lord of the Flies symbolically describes the degeneration of a civilized society. Embedded within the story of a group of young boys struggling to survive alone on a deserted island are insights to the capacity of evil within the human soul and how it relates to the defect in societies. After a plane crash that results in their inhabitation of the island, the boys establish a democratic society that thrives on order, necessity and unity. Slowly, however, the peaceful society that they create shatters through a path of hatred, disrespect, murder and the release of the true human soul.Many of William Golding's works discusses man's capacity for fear and cowardice. Golding wished to show that fear is an emotion that is instinctive and active in humans from the very beginnings of their lives. This revelation uncovers another weakness in man, supporting Golding's belief that beneath the coat of civility lies the hidden human passion, savagery and an almost animal-like cruelty. Throughout the novel, there is a constant struggle for power between two groups and the struggle illustrates man's fear of losing control. The fear of the unknown is natural, the fear of losing power is inherited - Golding uses t
When the confusion finally leads to a manhunt for Ralph, we see that despite the strong sense of British character and civility that has been instilled in the youths throughout their lives, the boys have backpedaled in the absence of morality and orders, to show the underlying savage side existent in all humans. "'They hate you, Ralph. They're going to do you.' ... 'and we've got to be careful and throw our spears like at a pig' ... 'we're going to spread out in a line across the island, we're going to forward from this end until we find you.' ... ". The methodical method in which Jack displayed his planning shows how cold and distant his mind has gone from the beginning of the novel. The hunt of Ralph is the most savage act of all because it was planned. It was systematically thought out and planned by the savages. Bearing in mind that Ralph was once elected chief over the boys makes the hunt seem all the more savage and inhumane as the boys planned to kill someone who they once considered as a peer. In the increasingly more degenerate society of the boys, the intellectual is lowered to the status of the beast. The barbaric and primal instincts of human nature reached its apogee in the murder of Piggy - executed in cool detachment by Roger. "The storm of sound beat at them (Piggy and Ralph), an incantation of hatred. High overhead, Roger, with a sense of delirious abandonment, leaned all his weight on the lever". Roger killed Piggy with indifference, coolly, casually, for he no longer has civilisation to fear repercussions from. This act of savagery is quickly followed Jack leading a preliminary attack against Ralph - "Viciously, with full intention, he (Jack) hurled his spear at Ralph". Lord of the flies used changes experienced by boys on an uninhabited island to show the evil nature of man. By using different charac
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Approximate Word count = 1237
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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