Savagery In Lord Of The Flies

From the moment we are born, we are taught how to act and behave, how to speak to others, and how to respect authority. We are raised within the rules and guidelines that dictate our respective cultures and societies, and as such we grow accustomed to following those rules. The characters in William Golding’s acclaimed novel, “Lord of the Flies,” are assumedly raised under similar circumstances, starting out as civilized British boys who are still attached to the vestiges of their old civilization. However, as we see in the story, they are unable to maintain these behaviours as their connection with the adult world weakens. While they are initially able to perpetuate themselves as civilized members of a new society, the powerful forces of fear …show more content…
However, as Simon and Piggy both suggest, it is not the fabled “beast” that many of the boys fear, but ironically it is themselves, and by extension the savagery within all human beings. Golding makes this evident not only in the way some of the boys (particularly Piggy) are shown to be afraid of Jack and his hunters, who are the epitome of brutality on the island, but also in one of the ways he chooses to manifest the fear of the beast: the parachutist. When Sam and Eric discover the dead man on the mountain, they flee from him immediately, failing to recognize him as another human being and automatically assuming he is the beast they fear. Not only does this show how removed from society they have become, as they can’t even recognize another man, but the parachutist is also a relic of war and therefore the malice present even in the adult world. Thus, the twins’ reactions serve to reinforce the idea that it is intrinsic savagery that the boys on the island fear. Additionally, fear of this “beast” prevents the boys from climbing the mountain and thus lighting the signal fire. As the signal fire is their only hope for rescue, the fact that they can no longer maintain it severely weakens their connection to the adult world, an important milestone in their fall from civilization. Inherent human savagery and the fear thereof is further demonstrated …show more content…
Most of the children have joined Jack and his hunters, and even Ralph and Piggy, steadfast upholders of order and civilization throughout the novel, are caught up in the fear and depravity that lead to Simon’s demise. This surrender to savagery is especially signified by the destruction of the conch. Throughout the story, the conch is an important symbol of civilization; it brings the boys together in the first place, and allows them to uphold order and enforce their rules. Once the conch is destroyed, however, civilization and the law and order it brings with it are completely eradicated, allowing anarchy and barbarity to take control of the island through Jack and his hunters. This is further reinforced by the boys’ newfound willingness to knowingly commit the worst kinds of violence against one another, as seen when Roger kills Piggy and is heavily implied to have tortured Sam and Eric, and when Jack leads his hunters in attempting to kill Ralph. Finally, the true extent of the children’s descent into depravity is revealed in the last chapter of the novel. In this poignant scene, the boys encounter a naval officer, who is there to rescue them. However, they do not immediately celebrate this event. Rather, they are silent and motionless, as they finally see how removed from society they have become. This revelation is made