In “The Twofold Nietzschean Heritage” Girard invokes a powerful opponent of Christianity, Friedrich Nietzsche, in order to support his main argument that “no one has achieved success in making the concern for victims ‘outdated,’ and this is because it’s the only thing in our world that is not the creation of current fashion” (177). Girard is opposed to the Nietzschean disdain for mercy and antipathy towards the weak and victims, but Girard considers Nietzsche a genius since the German philosopher saw what, according to Girard, most people fail to see: Christianity is unique in its defense of victims.
Girard begins his argument by noting how Nietzsche was the first philosopher to discover the same truth that Girard mentions repeatedly throughout …show more content…
The moment that the announcement for a vote is declared, and Jack and Ralph stand side by side in a circle of voting boys, a mimetic rivalry is established. Considering that the boys are as they say are, of good British breeding, there is an allusion to the idea that they would do a fantastic job collaborating to manage their efforts to survive, but this is not the case. In fact, the level of degeneracy to which they ultimately surrender to is shocking. Even though Jack and Ralph share the goal of survival, because each sought ultimate leadership, their lack of conformity leads to violence. This to say that they are driven by Nietzsche’s concept of the Will to Power, which is the drive for autonomy from, and dominance over, all other wills. Perhaps one of the most illustrative quotes for the tension between the boy’s mimetic desire and their Will to Power is as follows, “[Ralph and Jack] looked at each other, baffled, in love and hate” (56). The word desire implies attraction that is illustrated by a type of love in this passage, yet the hate stems from their propensity to gain absolute …show more content…
His glasses provide the boys with their only source of fire. Thus, the glasses are used to create the only source of heat needed to cook wild boar or to create smoke from the mountain in the hopes of being rescued. Piggy’s role as the rational scapegoat is reinforced by these facts. Similarly, Piggy pays attention to the deeply worried littluns’ and calms them by recounting to them simple stories about his childhood home. He also provides encouragement to Ralph when Ralph expresses self-doubt on numerous occasions. Piggy shows the greatest spiritual fortitude because despite being teased mercilessly by Jack and becoming the ultimate scapegoat of the tribe, he continues to boost morale and uplift the spirits of others. Although Piggy never harms anyone and only provides wise and helpful suggestions, his presence is a metaphysical or psychological burden to all the boys. He lumbers when he walks, he cannot breathe easily due to his asthma, he frequently pulls up his drooping socks, and he is forever cleaning his specs. Out of necessity, the scapegoat must always be socially marginal in some way, an ‘expendable’ victim. Piggy is precisely that, he is simply different from all the other boys. He is also the novel’s paramount scapegoat and its most dramatic sacrificial victim; his own name literally speaks his fate, he is a pig for the slaughter. Nietzsche would say that Piggy’s sacrifice was essential for the group. This claim
Girard begins his argument by noting how Nietzsche was the first philosopher to discover the same truth that Girard mentions repeatedly throughout …show more content…
The moment that the announcement for a vote is declared, and Jack and Ralph stand side by side in a circle of voting boys, a mimetic rivalry is established. Considering that the boys are as they say are, of good British breeding, there is an allusion to the idea that they would do a fantastic job collaborating to manage their efforts to survive, but this is not the case. In fact, the level of degeneracy to which they ultimately surrender to is shocking. Even though Jack and Ralph share the goal of survival, because each sought ultimate leadership, their lack of conformity leads to violence. This to say that they are driven by Nietzsche’s concept of the Will to Power, which is the drive for autonomy from, and dominance over, all other wills. Perhaps one of the most illustrative quotes for the tension between the boy’s mimetic desire and their Will to Power is as follows, “[Ralph and Jack] looked at each other, baffled, in love and hate” (56). The word desire implies attraction that is illustrated by a type of love in this passage, yet the hate stems from their propensity to gain absolute …show more content…
His glasses provide the boys with their only source of fire. Thus, the glasses are used to create the only source of heat needed to cook wild boar or to create smoke from the mountain in the hopes of being rescued. Piggy’s role as the rational scapegoat is reinforced by these facts. Similarly, Piggy pays attention to the deeply worried littluns’ and calms them by recounting to them simple stories about his childhood home. He also provides encouragement to Ralph when Ralph expresses self-doubt on numerous occasions. Piggy shows the greatest spiritual fortitude because despite being teased mercilessly by Jack and becoming the ultimate scapegoat of the tribe, he continues to boost morale and uplift the spirits of others. Although Piggy never harms anyone and only provides wise and helpful suggestions, his presence is a metaphysical or psychological burden to all the boys. He lumbers when he walks, he cannot breathe easily due to his asthma, he frequently pulls up his drooping socks, and he is forever cleaning his specs. Out of necessity, the scapegoat must always be socially marginal in some way, an ‘expendable’ victim. Piggy is precisely that, he is simply different from all the other boys. He is also the novel’s paramount scapegoat and its most dramatic sacrificial victim; his own name literally speaks his fate, he is a pig for the slaughter. Nietzsche would say that Piggy’s sacrifice was essential for the group. This claim