Anna Miller
English
Dr. Ogle
Fear: Overcome or overpower?
“Fear doesn't shut you down; it wakes you up”
-Veronica Roth Award winning author Faraaz Kazi once stated that:“Fear is the most potent weapon.” This philosophy is supported by innumerable events in history, and is thoroughly described by William Golding in his book Lord of the Flies. In this novel, several English schoolboys crash on an island, and are forced to continue a civilization without adults, and therefore, without rules. The plot continues and the human capacity to become savage is evident. Golding shows that the human race is instinctually chaotic, and without order and punishment, they will return to this state of mind. He also describes the effects of fear on the boys, and how their vulnerability becomes an excuse for power and violence. Safety is lost when the boy’s obsession with growing stronger than their fears becomes a more dominant ideal than maintaining order.
Life on the island, previous to fear …show more content…
Previous to the introduction of the beast, the boys’ actions are those of model citizens. They work together to create order, relying solely on their knowledge from how they were raised. However, when the beast is first brought up, rules become less strict, and fear is what decides the behavior of the boys. Later, when this fear is further discussed, the idea of a beast torments their thoughts to a breaking point. The goal of growing stronger than the beast to prove ability, and to ultimately lessen fear, becomes their only focus. This allows violence to overthrow order, and evolves into a reign of terror that results in Simon’s death. However, the chaotic mess that the island becomes is no mistake. The fear that the beast imposes upon the boys is so intense that they turn to violence in order to prove their ability to kill, which makes them feel less like the victim and more like the
English
Dr. Ogle
Fear: Overcome or overpower?
“Fear doesn't shut you down; it wakes you up”
-Veronica Roth Award winning author Faraaz Kazi once stated that:“Fear is the most potent weapon.” This philosophy is supported by innumerable events in history, and is thoroughly described by William Golding in his book Lord of the Flies. In this novel, several English schoolboys crash on an island, and are forced to continue a civilization without adults, and therefore, without rules. The plot continues and the human capacity to become savage is evident. Golding shows that the human race is instinctually chaotic, and without order and punishment, they will return to this state of mind. He also describes the effects of fear on the boys, and how their vulnerability becomes an excuse for power and violence. Safety is lost when the boy’s obsession with growing stronger than their fears becomes a more dominant ideal than maintaining order.
Life on the island, previous to fear …show more content…
Previous to the introduction of the beast, the boys’ actions are those of model citizens. They work together to create order, relying solely on their knowledge from how they were raised. However, when the beast is first brought up, rules become less strict, and fear is what decides the behavior of the boys. Later, when this fear is further discussed, the idea of a beast torments their thoughts to a breaking point. The goal of growing stronger than the beast to prove ability, and to ultimately lessen fear, becomes their only focus. This allows violence to overthrow order, and evolves into a reign of terror that results in Simon’s death. However, the chaotic mess that the island becomes is no mistake. The fear that the beast imposes upon the boys is so intense that they turn to violence in order to prove their ability to kill, which makes them feel less like the victim and more like the