According to the FBI, there were 1,490 murders involving knives in 2013. On the other hand, the number of amazing dishes produced by Gordon Ramsay was numerous. The point being, a knife can be used to cook or to kill. Its utility is wholly dependent on who uses it. Similarly, a mask is only as good as the person who uses it. There are several cultures with rich history involving ceremonies with masks; meanwhile, they have gained a negative connotation after years of popular culture’s misuse. In horror movies and dystopian novels, the usage of masks to symbolize mob mentality is common. This holds true even in Lord of The Flies, where Golding uses physical masks, i.e. camouflage, to express the children’s innate savagery and submission, whereas
…show more content…
Unlike the children in The Lord of the Flies who give in to the mask’s savagery, Cory has complete control over the mask. He wears it due to his desire of upholding the expectation of the townspeople. Cory, someone who was wealthier and blessed with riches, lived separately from the townspeople. Hence, whenever he “went down town / we people on the pavement looked at him” (Robinson 1-2). Adequately intelligent, Cory realizes the jealousy of the commoners with their gazes constantly resting upon him, so he utilizes a facade. When realizing that he is considered superior to the townspeople, he is pressured to maintain the masquerade of perfection so as to not offend them. Even more, Richard Cory is forced to uphold the farce of happiness due to the envy of others. The townspeople “thought that he was everything / to make [them] wish that [they] were in his place” (Robinson 11-12). Cory is aware of what the townspeople coveted: his wealth, knowledge, his mannerism and his glamour. Therefore, Cory is unintentionally excluded by the townspeople due to the respect and admiration they exhibit, making it a difficult task for Cory to ask for their help. Hence, Richard Cory chooses to wear a metaphorical mask of perfection, but due to the envy and expectations of the townspeople and Cory’s own misjudgements, it has a negative effect on him. …show more content…
Firstly, the children wear masks as a symbol of strength, pride and unity. When the children wear their camouflage, they are no longer individuals, but rather part of the whole. During the dance with thunder, “there was the throb and stamp of a single organism” (Golding 152). The wish of the beast became the will of the children; they were no longer sane individuals capable of intelligent thought, but rather savage animals waiting to rend and kill. Contrasting this, Cory wears a mask in fear of disapproval and confrontation. Richard Cory understands the jealousy of the people, and in order to curry favor, “was always human when he talked” (Robinson 6). In a constant dilemma of maintaining a good opinion, Cory constantly hides and suppresses his emotions. While having control over the mask, when used for unfavorable purposes, Cory breaks down, and eventually “...One calm summer night, / Went home and put a bullet through his head” ( Robinson 15-16). The implication being that, if the townspeople hadn’t pressured Cory into becoming such a perfectionist, then he would still be alive. However, this is incorrect since Cory was the only one who had power over the mask. The townspeople may have pressured him subconsciously, but it was Cory’s conscious and deliberate decision to use the mask in a self-harming way: suppressing emotions, hiding his fear, and pretending to be
Unlike the children in The Lord of the Flies who give in to the mask’s savagery, Cory has complete control over the mask. He wears it due to his desire of upholding the expectation of the townspeople. Cory, someone who was wealthier and blessed with riches, lived separately from the townspeople. Hence, whenever he “went down town / we people on the pavement looked at him” (Robinson 1-2). Adequately intelligent, Cory realizes the jealousy of the commoners with their gazes constantly resting upon him, so he utilizes a facade. When realizing that he is considered superior to the townspeople, he is pressured to maintain the masquerade of perfection so as to not offend them. Even more, Richard Cory is forced to uphold the farce of happiness due to the envy of others. The townspeople “thought that he was everything / to make [them] wish that [they] were in his place” (Robinson 11-12). Cory is aware of what the townspeople coveted: his wealth, knowledge, his mannerism and his glamour. Therefore, Cory is unintentionally excluded by the townspeople due to the respect and admiration they exhibit, making it a difficult task for Cory to ask for their help. Hence, Richard Cory chooses to wear a metaphorical mask of perfection, but due to the envy and expectations of the townspeople and Cory’s own misjudgements, it has a negative effect on him. …show more content…
Firstly, the children wear masks as a symbol of strength, pride and unity. When the children wear their camouflage, they are no longer individuals, but rather part of the whole. During the dance with thunder, “there was the throb and stamp of a single organism” (Golding 152). The wish of the beast became the will of the children; they were no longer sane individuals capable of intelligent thought, but rather savage animals waiting to rend and kill. Contrasting this, Cory wears a mask in fear of disapproval and confrontation. Richard Cory understands the jealousy of the people, and in order to curry favor, “was always human when he talked” (Robinson 6). In a constant dilemma of maintaining a good opinion, Cory constantly hides and suppresses his emotions. While having control over the mask, when used for unfavorable purposes, Cory breaks down, and eventually “...One calm summer night, / Went home and put a bullet through his head” ( Robinson 15-16). The implication being that, if the townspeople hadn’t pressured Cory into becoming such a perfectionist, then he would still be alive. However, this is incorrect since Cory was the only one who had power over the mask. The townspeople may have pressured him subconsciously, but it was Cory’s conscious and deliberate decision to use the mask in a self-harming way: suppressing emotions, hiding his fear, and pretending to be