In William Golding�s Lord of the Flies, the theme of good versus evil is established. A group of British boys are stranded on a marooned island after a plane crash. Each of the boys in the novel has his own personality, which demonstrates good or evil, thus distinguishing the theme. Through the actions of the boys, Golding suggests that evil usually prevails.
The evil in Lord of the Flies is first introduced in a meeting that Ralph is holding. One of the littluns informs everyone of a snake-like beast thing. Of course no one believes him, but a little bit of fear is left in all of the boys. This same meeting foreshadows even more evil that is about to come. �A chief! A chief!� �I ought to be a chief.�(Golding 22) The words of Jack indicate that he is angry due to the fact that he is not elected chief. Of course, he is not elected chief because he is a bully and not many of the kids like him.
We are even more thoroughly introduced to the evil that is to come when Robert gets attacked during a game that the boys play due to their excitement of the last hunt. In another hunt, the boys become even more excited because they actually make a kill. �There were lashings of blood,� �you should have seen it.�(Golding 69) Jack�s words here indicate the change he goes through. Shortly after all of this has taken place, Simon discovers the Lord of the Flies in the woods. �Fancy thinking the beast was something you could hunt and kill?� (Golding 143). The words of the pig�s head allow Simon to finally figure out that the evil on the island is actually the fear within the boys. In the attempt to relay this information to the other boys, Simon is killed. At this point, Jack takes his own tribe to another part of the island. The evil then extends fully. Ralph and Piggy go to Jack�s tribe in order to regain some order. Piggy gets killed and Ralph gets chased through the jungle. The rotted head then gets described as being as white as the conch ever was. This statement makes the comparison of the pig�s head to the conch as being uncontrollable evil versus order.
Three main characters represent the goodness and order. Ralph, Piggy, and Simon all do their part in maintaining order on the island. The conch shell is the most symbolic element of order. It is used to keep everyone under control, mainly at meetings. Ralph is elected leader, due to the fact that he displays leadership and everyone likes him, and intends to keep everything straight. Throughout the entire novel, Piggy stands by Ralph in his quest for control and order. Piggy is probably the most intellectual of the group. He tries to do what he thinks an adult would do in the same situation. Simon represents hope on the island. No matter what happens, he always reassures Ralph and the other boys that they will be rescued safely.
In the end, even thought the boys are all taken off the island, the evil prevails. Simon and Piggy, the two boys who greatly represent the good, are killed. The murder of the two boys secures the victory of evil over good. |
