Shanaz Deen
The recurring doctrine of balance has been around since the beginning of civilization. There is a balance between day and night, yin and yang, and most importantly, good and evil. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, common opposing forces found in humanity are hidden and discussed under the literal plot. Golding uses diction and symbolism to demonstrate his ideas about the necessity for balance between good and evil, forces that are present in every aspect of society. Political, religious, philosophical, and universal features are discussed in the plot by using symbols to present contrasting ideas. Politics, like a democracy and dictatorship, are portrayed using two main characters, Ralph and Jack. Ralph constantly shows …show more content…
Angelic and satanic images are portrayed through Simon and the Lord of the Flies. Innocently, Simon always sees the silver lining in a storm cloud. He suggests that the “beastie” is “only us,” (89) referring to an internal fear that aroused because of their troubling situation. Most of the time, Simon had better ideas than all of the others combined. However, his beliefs are suppressed because he had an innocent image instead of a powerful and assertive one. Using words like, “smiled,” (22) “shyly,” (25) “carefully,” (50) and “delightfully gay,” (55) Golding reveals Simon’s purity and modesty. Evil, the opposing side of innocence, is depicted by the Lord of the Flies. On a literal level, the Lord of the Flies is a pig’s head on a stick swarming with black flies, that was left as a tribute for the beast. Although Simon hallucinates the pig speaking to him, it symbolizes the devil and temptation. In the story, the Lord of the Flies overwhelms Simon to the point where he “lost consciousness,” (144). It is described using words like “pile of guts,” “white teeth,” “dim eyes,” and “ancient, inescapable recognition,” (138). It asks Simon, “Aren’t you afraid of me?” (143) and he responds by shaking his head. Simon knows the exactly what the Lord of the Flies is, and although he represents the true essence of innocence, he still becomes attracted to the immorality. Golding demonstrates the capacity for …show more content…
The scar is introduced into the book using words like, “smashed,” “shaken,” “broken,” (7) “gash,” and “splintered,” (29). Overall, the scar possesses a negative connotation. On a superficial level, the plane that crash landed destroyed numerous trees, leaving a physical mark, and left behind the memory of the boys’ old lives. Universally, it displays the capability of destruction and disorder in all of mankind, especially human-driven things. Contradictory to destruction is order, represented by the conch shell. The conch is an ordinary object that the boys give blind obedience to. They respect the “white, magic shell,” (180) and “appear” (17) when it is sounded. The conch has an unquestionable authority on the island at the beginning, loses its control as entropy increases. Similarly, order loses its power when people defy the laws and listen to an autocratic voice that acts on instinct, like Jack. When the shell shatters into a “thousand white fragments,” and “ceased to exist,” (181) it represents how order is nearly impossible to restore after it has been
The recurring doctrine of balance has been around since the beginning of civilization. There is a balance between day and night, yin and yang, and most importantly, good and evil. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, common opposing forces found in humanity are hidden and discussed under the literal plot. Golding uses diction and symbolism to demonstrate his ideas about the necessity for balance between good and evil, forces that are present in every aspect of society. Political, religious, philosophical, and universal features are discussed in the plot by using symbols to present contrasting ideas. Politics, like a democracy and dictatorship, are portrayed using two main characters, Ralph and Jack. Ralph constantly shows …show more content…
Angelic and satanic images are portrayed through Simon and the Lord of the Flies. Innocently, Simon always sees the silver lining in a storm cloud. He suggests that the “beastie” is “only us,” (89) referring to an internal fear that aroused because of their troubling situation. Most of the time, Simon had better ideas than all of the others combined. However, his beliefs are suppressed because he had an innocent image instead of a powerful and assertive one. Using words like, “smiled,” (22) “shyly,” (25) “carefully,” (50) and “delightfully gay,” (55) Golding reveals Simon’s purity and modesty. Evil, the opposing side of innocence, is depicted by the Lord of the Flies. On a literal level, the Lord of the Flies is a pig’s head on a stick swarming with black flies, that was left as a tribute for the beast. Although Simon hallucinates the pig speaking to him, it symbolizes the devil and temptation. In the story, the Lord of the Flies overwhelms Simon to the point where he “lost consciousness,” (144). It is described using words like “pile of guts,” “white teeth,” “dim eyes,” and “ancient, inescapable recognition,” (138). It asks Simon, “Aren’t you afraid of me?” (143) and he responds by shaking his head. Simon knows the exactly what the Lord of the Flies is, and although he represents the true essence of innocence, he still becomes attracted to the immorality. Golding demonstrates the capacity for …show more content…
The scar is introduced into the book using words like, “smashed,” “shaken,” “broken,” (7) “gash,” and “splintered,” (29). Overall, the scar possesses a negative connotation. On a superficial level, the plane that crash landed destroyed numerous trees, leaving a physical mark, and left behind the memory of the boys’ old lives. Universally, it displays the capability of destruction and disorder in all of mankind, especially human-driven things. Contradictory to destruction is order, represented by the conch shell. The conch is an ordinary object that the boys give blind obedience to. They respect the “white, magic shell,” (180) and “appear” (17) when it is sounded. The conch has an unquestionable authority on the island at the beginning, loses its control as entropy increases. Similarly, order loses its power when people defy the laws and listen to an autocratic voice that acts on instinct, like Jack. When the shell shatters into a “thousand white fragments,” and “ceased to exist,” (181) it represents how order is nearly impossible to restore after it has been