Human Nature Challenges the idea of the Panopticon
What would you do if you thought you were constantly being watched? Would you change how you approached certain situations or would it drive you to do things you never imagined? Throughout the Lord of the Flies, William Golding uses Jeremy Bentham’s design of the Panopticon which is based on Foucault's theory. Bentham states: “The Panopticon was to be a prison that gave the inmates the impression they were being watched at all times” (Bentham). Bentham’s reason behind this was, “It creates within the individual a sense of being continually watched – regardless of whether or not they actually are – so that, after a period of time, individuals come to regulate their own behavior” (Bentham). …show more content…
They realize this when they see their chance of getting off the island go by when the fire goes out because they did not have their priorities. When the boys are determined to hunt and kill giving into their temptations they continue to chose to do wrong because they know that killing is not right. They chant, “Kill the pig! Cut her throat! Bash her in” (57)! The boys are driven with the temptation to kill and with their humanistic traits they are inclined to chose wrong. The boys not only hunt the pigs but they have a chant which shows their passion and their nature that it is human nature to give into temptation. Later when roger decides to throw rocks at henry he knows that it is wrong because he doesn’t throw to hit. He was just pushing the boundaries and trying to see what he could do. “'Roger gathered a handful of stones and began to throw them. Yet there was a space round Henry, perhaps six yards in diameter, into which he dare not throw. Here, invisible yet strong, was the taboo of the old life. Round the squatting child was the protection of parents and school and policemen and the law. Roger’s arm was conditioned by a civilization that knew nothing of him and was in ruins” (62). When Roger throws rocks at Henry he does not aim right at him but near him. This is showing that because of his human nature he knows not to hit him with the rocks but chooses to do so anyways . Roger knows between right and wrong but chooses to give into his temptations of following his human
What would you do if you thought you were constantly being watched? Would you change how you approached certain situations or would it drive you to do things you never imagined? Throughout the Lord of the Flies, William Golding uses Jeremy Bentham’s design of the Panopticon which is based on Foucault's theory. Bentham states: “The Panopticon was to be a prison that gave the inmates the impression they were being watched at all times” (Bentham). Bentham’s reason behind this was, “It creates within the individual a sense of being continually watched – regardless of whether or not they actually are – so that, after a period of time, individuals come to regulate their own behavior” (Bentham). …show more content…
They realize this when they see their chance of getting off the island go by when the fire goes out because they did not have their priorities. When the boys are determined to hunt and kill giving into their temptations they continue to chose to do wrong because they know that killing is not right. They chant, “Kill the pig! Cut her throat! Bash her in” (57)! The boys are driven with the temptation to kill and with their humanistic traits they are inclined to chose wrong. The boys not only hunt the pigs but they have a chant which shows their passion and their nature that it is human nature to give into temptation. Later when roger decides to throw rocks at henry he knows that it is wrong because he doesn’t throw to hit. He was just pushing the boundaries and trying to see what he could do. “'Roger gathered a handful of stones and began to throw them. Yet there was a space round Henry, perhaps six yards in diameter, into which he dare not throw. Here, invisible yet strong, was the taboo of the old life. Round the squatting child was the protection of parents and school and policemen and the law. Roger’s arm was conditioned by a civilization that knew nothing of him and was in ruins” (62). When Roger throws rocks at Henry he does not aim right at him but near him. This is showing that because of his human nature he knows not to hit him with the rocks but chooses to do so anyways . Roger knows between right and wrong but chooses to give into his temptations of following his human