Lord Of The Flies Literary Analysis Essay

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Golding’s Lord of the Flies is clearly a story about a return to primeval human instincts of savagery and fear in the face of isolation and danger rather than just a story of the dilemma faced by teenage boys stranded on an island. Throughout the novel, underlying tones such as political ideologies are reflected by the boys’ actions. However, as the novel progresses, it is clear that expansive symbols and motifs largely mirror attitudes of the boys and on a larger scale, closely resemble aspects of society necessary for growth and development. According to Bufkin, this novel contains an intricate network of interrelated symbols and images that, composing the texture of Lord of the Flies, enlarge and universalize meaning (45). Ultimately, Golding’s Lord of the Flies symbolizes the quintessentially human conflict of civilization versus primitiveness through its use of expansive symbols and motifs which reflects the political ideologies that pervade the novel and accurately reflect Golding’s intention: “to attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature" (Martin, 408). As we see at the start of the novel, the notions of organization and order play a pivotal role in alleviating tensions between the boys and bringing about a sense of serenity to the boys, who have just been stranded on an island. One important object in the novel that reflects those themes is the conch shell. Ralph and Piggy discover the conch shell on the beach initially and use it to gather the separated boys. Used in this situation, the conch is essentially a powerful symbol of “order and authority” (Martin, 410). The shell effectively governs the boys’ meetings, for the boy who holds the shell holds the right to speak. In this regard, the shell is more than just a symbol—it is an actual embodiment of political authority and democratic power. As Diken et al. describes, Ralph “appeals to reason and order” and his sense of discipline exemplifies democratic utopianism, which holds the same ideals and values evident in our government and society today (432) However, as the island civilization erodes and the boys descend into savagery, the conch shell loses its power and influence among them. The involvement of Ralph and Jack as leaders reflects the polarized views that are found in present-day society regarding political authority; some prefer authoritarianism while others democracy. The drastic effects of these political ideologies can be clearly seen throughout the novel. For example, Ralph’s moral and prudent authority is displayed when after they have determined that they have stranded upon an island, he says, “So you see…We need hunters to get us meat. And another thing….There aren’t any grownups. We shall have to look after ourselves.” (Golding, 44). Ralph displays a division of power by splitting up the duties of the “society” for their benefit and exemplifies the value of collectivism, the importance and opinion of a group; in essence, both represent the values of democracy. On the other hand, Jack’s political ideology of authoritarianism leads to the downfall of
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The boys are afraid of the beast, but only Simon realizes that they fear the beast because it exists within each of them. As the boys grow more savage, their belief in the beast grows stronger. By the end of the novel, the boys are offering it sacrifices and treating it as a god. The boys’ behavior is what brings the beast into existence, so the more savagely the boys act, the more real the beast seems to become. What reinforces this behavior is the physical existence of the Lord of the Flies, a severed cow’s head on a pike with flies around and a Biblical allusion to Beelzebub, a demonic devil. As Bufkin states, “the materialization of this devil coincides with the emergence of savage evil in the boys, revealed in the acts that they commit” (48). This confirms the idea that the “physical” manifestation coupled with the mental manifestation of the “beast” created a primal instinct of fear that influenced the uncivilized actions of the boys. In terms of political ideology, Diken et al. considers these states of chaos and irrational behavior as typical of fascist violence, which on a larger scale brings about radical changes to the society and the state; in this case, the “society” of the deserted island

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