Good vs. Evil in Lord of the Flies
Does evil always prevail? Some say yes, some say no, but no was nearly the case in William Golding Lord of the Flies. “Good” and “evil” are very broad terms, but easily distinguishable in general. Good can be nearly anything with a positive connotation, but in the case of Lord of the Flies, it typically is anything that sticks to typical morals and values, whereas evil is immoral and barbaric acts that symbolize a regression to a primal nature. The conflict between this type of good and evil can be seen everywhere, religious texts, novels, nearly anything involving a protagonist against a person, force, or themselves. There are many symbols relating to morals or lack thereof, but Golding uses the most obvious …show more content…
From the start, Ralph and his close advisors and friends work towards getting rescued and developing methods to better ensure their survival on the island. One analysis of Lord of the Flies summarized the boys as symbols of good, “During their abandonment on the island, Ralph, Piggy, Simon, and many of the other boys show elements of good in their characters. Ralph 's calm "stillness," and his attentiveness to others ' needs, make him a potentially good person. Good may be defined here as something just, virtuous, or kind that conforms to the moral order of the universe. Piggy 's knowledge and belief in the power of science and rational thought to help people understand and thus control the physical world for their mutual benefit are also obviously a force for good. Simon, always ready to help out, sensitive to the power of evil but not afraid to stand up to it, is perhaps the strongest representative of the forces of good in the story.” (Themes and Construction: Lord of the Flies) For example, they build the signal fire on top of the mountain to help them get rescued, as well as building shelters for everyone to sleep in and take shelter from the rain. These are all signs of civilization and sticking to their morals, as opposed to Jack’s primal nature in the later parts of the book. Ralph’s group would oppose the evil side with peaceful measures, never resorting to violence or other malevolent acts. For instance, after Piggy’s glasses were stolen, what little is left of Ralph’s group goes back to talk it out with them, bringing spears only for their own protection. Throughout the whole book, even though Ralph periodically has troubles remembering it, he always attempts to keep some sort of signal fire going, always trying to get everyone rescued. Not only this, Ralph gives everyone a say when dealing with problems at assemblies, and dealing with them in an orderly fashion at
Does evil always prevail? Some say yes, some say no, but no was nearly the case in William Golding Lord of the Flies. “Good” and “evil” are very broad terms, but easily distinguishable in general. Good can be nearly anything with a positive connotation, but in the case of Lord of the Flies, it typically is anything that sticks to typical morals and values, whereas evil is immoral and barbaric acts that symbolize a regression to a primal nature. The conflict between this type of good and evil can be seen everywhere, religious texts, novels, nearly anything involving a protagonist against a person, force, or themselves. There are many symbols relating to morals or lack thereof, but Golding uses the most obvious …show more content…
From the start, Ralph and his close advisors and friends work towards getting rescued and developing methods to better ensure their survival on the island. One analysis of Lord of the Flies summarized the boys as symbols of good, “During their abandonment on the island, Ralph, Piggy, Simon, and many of the other boys show elements of good in their characters. Ralph 's calm "stillness," and his attentiveness to others ' needs, make him a potentially good person. Good may be defined here as something just, virtuous, or kind that conforms to the moral order of the universe. Piggy 's knowledge and belief in the power of science and rational thought to help people understand and thus control the physical world for their mutual benefit are also obviously a force for good. Simon, always ready to help out, sensitive to the power of evil but not afraid to stand up to it, is perhaps the strongest representative of the forces of good in the story.” (Themes and Construction: Lord of the Flies) For example, they build the signal fire on top of the mountain to help them get rescued, as well as building shelters for everyone to sleep in and take shelter from the rain. These are all signs of civilization and sticking to their morals, as opposed to Jack’s primal nature in the later parts of the book. Ralph’s group would oppose the evil side with peaceful measures, never resorting to violence or other malevolent acts. For instance, after Piggy’s glasses were stolen, what little is left of Ralph’s group goes back to talk it out with them, bringing spears only for their own protection. Throughout the whole book, even though Ralph periodically has troubles remembering it, he always attempts to keep some sort of signal fire going, always trying to get everyone rescued. Not only this, Ralph gives everyone a say when dealing with problems at assemblies, and dealing with them in an orderly fashion at