Harrison Bergeron And Lord Of The Flies Analysis

With injustice and cruelty running rampant in the world, it is unsurprising that people become determined to make things better for tomorrow. Those aware of the moral greyness of their actions often quote the cliché saying that the ends justify the means. Commendable yet unreasonable, leaders whose sole purpose in life is to fix what they see as “wrong” with the world fall prey to thinking there is only ally or enemy. In the long run, they cause more conflict since they no longer force themselves to hold their principles to same standards as they hold others. This is the downfall of leaders in many works of literature, including Harrison Bergeron and The Lord of the Flies. If given power, individuals obsessed with achieving their ideals …show more content…
While Harrison Bergeron and Jack Merridew both personify this behavior through their absolute thinking and moral ambiguity, interestingly, other works have echoed the complicated relationship between Jack and Ralph in The Lord of the Flies: Magneto and Professor X from the X-Men; Hannibal Lecter and Will Graham from the TV show Hannibal; and, most recently, Erik Killmonger and T’Challa from Black Panther. All these relationships have a common thread--natural chemistry because of similar ambitions. However, they all clash over methods; one is willing to commit the questionable behavior that the other does not condone. Consequently, having this reflection of themselves keeps a zealot in line and promotes the best environment for change as the pair challenges each other to think in new ways for a common goal. While it can be tempting to resort to ruthless tactics to achieve glorified aspirations, one must take care not to do so, lest they become a villain