Lord of the Flies Literary Essay Loss of innocence is when a person loses all those characters that adheres a person to their childhood, and is that time when a person is unaware of the cruel and evil world. Loss o innocence is a part of the human progression and for that; it is something human beings cannot escape from. Many authors convey loss of innocence as an allegory or main theme in novels: to further develop the plot, characters and to present significance of symbols. A brilliant example of an author who effectively utilizes the theme loss of innocence in his novel Lord of the Flies is William Golding. Golding uses characters, murders and symbols to illustrate the theme, of loss of innocence throughout the novel. Golding uses characteristics
…show more content…
The killing of the pig is another murder which enhances the theme, loss of innocence in the novel: by indicating the first ever action which signifies that Jack and his hunters have know lost their innocence. This event is very significant because this killing brings the young boys to a realization that they are powerful enough to end a life. As well, brings with it the desire to further kill without guilt or regret. This is important when Jack and the Hunters start chanting “kill the pig, cut her throat, Spill her blood”(72). This chant indicates that the hunters have left behind all their innocence when they brutally kill the pig, without any respect for the living animal. Hence this shows the lack of respect and value the have for what they just killed, because the boys are celebrating the death of the pig and even mocking its pain. They mock the death and pain by creating games and chants about it. This clarifies that the boys no longer have that compassion and respect left within them; the killing of the pig bring that savage transformation of theirs forward. Similarly,Simon’s death contributes to loss of innocence because this is the very first time the boys kill another just like them. They also commit an act that is referred to as murder in a civilized society, and something that people are punished and shunned for. The boys killed Simon and allowed his “dead body [to] move out towards the open sea” (Golding 170). The next day during a conversation between Piggy and Ralph, Ralph states “that was Simon […] that was murder” (172). The boys have now lost all of their innocence, because they have killed a human, a boy just similar to them. Not just any savage boy, but a boy who is pure and very much personified as Jesus himself. Simon, the one that same to ease their fears of the beast, a boy carrying the truth; but unfortunately ends up dead at the hands of
The killing of the pig is another murder which enhances the theme, loss of innocence in the novel: by indicating the first ever action which signifies that Jack and his hunters have know lost their innocence. This event is very significant because this killing brings the young boys to a realization that they are powerful enough to end a life. As well, brings with it the desire to further kill without guilt or regret. This is important when Jack and the Hunters start chanting “kill the pig, cut her throat, Spill her blood”(72). This chant indicates that the hunters have left behind all their innocence when they brutally kill the pig, without any respect for the living animal. Hence this shows the lack of respect and value the have for what they just killed, because the boys are celebrating the death of the pig and even mocking its pain. They mock the death and pain by creating games and chants about it. This clarifies that the boys no longer have that compassion and respect left within them; the killing of the pig bring that savage transformation of theirs forward. Similarly,Simon’s death contributes to loss of innocence because this is the very first time the boys kill another just like them. They also commit an act that is referred to as murder in a civilized society, and something that people are punished and shunned for. The boys killed Simon and allowed his “dead body [to] move out towards the open sea” (Golding 170). The next day during a conversation between Piggy and Ralph, Ralph states “that was Simon […] that was murder” (172). The boys have now lost all of their innocence, because they have killed a human, a boy just similar to them. Not just any savage boy, but a boy who is pure and very much personified as Jesus himself. Simon, the one that same to ease their fears of the beast, a boy carrying the truth; but unfortunately ends up dead at the hands of