Lord of the Flies Essay
“The theme is an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature” (204). William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies focuses on a group of boys stranded on island who are left to create their society and determine their own rules. Being isolated from the order of civilization allows the boys to inflict their will however they please. Golding reveals in Lord of the Flies that when the laws and order of society are stripped away are stripped away, the true evil nature of humanity emerges. The dynamic character Jack, the symbolic beast, and the killing of Simon all support Golding’s claims.
Throughout Lord of the Flies, Jack resembles violence and malice while trying to establish complete dominance …show more content…
Simon embodies the only purity and goodness that isn’t corrupted throughout the novel. Therefore, the tragic death of this character represents the end of innocence on the island. In chapter nine, Simon rushes to group of boys only to be mistaken for the beast, “The crowd surged after it, poured down the rock, leapt on to the beast, screamed, struck, bit, tore. There were no words, and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws” (153). Simon is severely mutilated and dies a painful death at the hand of the other boys. This incident shows how the boys descend into savagery and abandon what they once believed was ethical. Earlier in the story, the boys would have never followed through with the killing of another human. However, as they drift away from civilization, their ethical beliefs are shifted. Thus, this proves Golding’s claim by demonstrating the emergence of humanity’s evil and violent nature. Simon’s death is also tragic because it falls immediately after his discovery of something very important about the beast that the boys are afraid of. While with the Lord of the Flies, Simon realizes what the beast really is and as a result the Lord of the Flies threatens him, “‘I’m warning you. I’m going to get angry. D’you see. You’re not wanted. Understand?” (144). This quote discloses that a …show more content…
The boys had previously thought that the beast ranged from creatures like a giant squid, tiger, or ghost. At last, Simon finds what the boys believed was the beast, “He crawled forward and soon he understood. The tangle of lines showed him the mechanics of this parody; he examined the white nasal bones, the teeth, the colors of corruption” (146). The beast turns out to be a parachutist corpse. However, this is not the real beast in Lord of the Flies. The true nature of the beast is revealed to Simon during a discussion with the Lord of the Flies. The severed sow’s head declares, “‘Fancy thinking the beast was something you could hunt and kill...You knew didn’t you? I’m part of you’” (143). The pig explains that the beast is not a literal creature but instead it is the evil nature that lies within humanity. The pig helps Simon realise that the boys themselves are the beast. Golding believes that evil nature is shown when laws and order disappear from society. The loss of government structure and order is precisely what is happening during this part of the novel. Subsequently, this marks a turning point for the boys who go on to murder two boys on the
“The theme is an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature” (204). William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies focuses on a group of boys stranded on island who are left to create their society and determine their own rules. Being isolated from the order of civilization allows the boys to inflict their will however they please. Golding reveals in Lord of the Flies that when the laws and order of society are stripped away are stripped away, the true evil nature of humanity emerges. The dynamic character Jack, the symbolic beast, and the killing of Simon all support Golding’s claims.
Throughout Lord of the Flies, Jack resembles violence and malice while trying to establish complete dominance …show more content…
Simon embodies the only purity and goodness that isn’t corrupted throughout the novel. Therefore, the tragic death of this character represents the end of innocence on the island. In chapter nine, Simon rushes to group of boys only to be mistaken for the beast, “The crowd surged after it, poured down the rock, leapt on to the beast, screamed, struck, bit, tore. There were no words, and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws” (153). Simon is severely mutilated and dies a painful death at the hand of the other boys. This incident shows how the boys descend into savagery and abandon what they once believed was ethical. Earlier in the story, the boys would have never followed through with the killing of another human. However, as they drift away from civilization, their ethical beliefs are shifted. Thus, this proves Golding’s claim by demonstrating the emergence of humanity’s evil and violent nature. Simon’s death is also tragic because it falls immediately after his discovery of something very important about the beast that the boys are afraid of. While with the Lord of the Flies, Simon realizes what the beast really is and as a result the Lord of the Flies threatens him, “‘I’m warning you. I’m going to get angry. D’you see. You’re not wanted. Understand?” (144). This quote discloses that a …show more content…
The boys had previously thought that the beast ranged from creatures like a giant squid, tiger, or ghost. At last, Simon finds what the boys believed was the beast, “He crawled forward and soon he understood. The tangle of lines showed him the mechanics of this parody; he examined the white nasal bones, the teeth, the colors of corruption” (146). The beast turns out to be a parachutist corpse. However, this is not the real beast in Lord of the Flies. The true nature of the beast is revealed to Simon during a discussion with the Lord of the Flies. The severed sow’s head declares, “‘Fancy thinking the beast was something you could hunt and kill...You knew didn’t you? I’m part of you’” (143). The pig explains that the beast is not a literal creature but instead it is the evil nature that lies within humanity. The pig helps Simon realise that the boys themselves are the beast. Golding believes that evil nature is shown when laws and order disappear from society. The loss of government structure and order is precisely what is happening during this part of the novel. Subsequently, this marks a turning point for the boys who go on to murder two boys on the