The novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding uses a group of British boys beached on a deserted island to illustrate the malicious nature in mankind. Lord of the Flies deals with the changes the boys undergo as they gradually adapt to the secluded freedom from their society. William Golding�s basic philosophy is that society is inherently evil is shown to be espied in such instances as the death of Simon, the beast within the boys, and the way Ralph is fervently hunted.
Throughout the story Simon acts as the Christ Figure. The death of Simon symbolizes the loss of religious reasoning. As the boys kill Simon they have let out their savage urges and act in a savage manor. Even after the death of Simon, Jack and his tribe felt no penitence to what they had done; killing to them had become second nature. The circle becomes a horseshoe. A thing was crawling out of the forest. It comes darkly, uncertainly. The shrill screaming that rises before the beast was like a pain. The beast stumbles into the horseshoe.�Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!� (Golding 141). In this quote a figure crawls out of the forest and the ring opens to let it inside. Mistaken as the beast by the Jack�s tribe, Simon is beaten to death. After the group disbands for shelter from the storm. The storm subsides and the tide moves in and out, Simon�s body is washed to sea. Here because of the storm, the darkness and fear, the boys become hysterical. They act savagely not knowing what they were doing. The boys do not take a second look to what their actions are. They let their malicious urges control them. �He may come again even though we gave him the head of our kill to eat. So watch; and be careful� (Golding 148). Here Jack is warning his tribe about the beast. Not caring or taking any notice to what has taken place with Simon. Neither Jack nor his tribe feels any remorse for the murder they have committed, whether they realize that or not. To Jack and his tribe what they have done was a pretentious accomplishment. A death will go by their eyes blindly.
One example in the book referring to William Golding�s view to society is the beast. The beast that lies within the boys represents the evil that dwell inside humanity. William Golding believes that savagery is always in mankind, but in need of the proper situation to come out and cause a transformation of even the most innocent. For the boys the fear of the unknown on the island causes the terror of the beast. That fear is allowed to grow because they will not fully accept the notion of a beast, nor will they let go of it. Their attempts to resolve their fears were too feeble to convince themselves. Soon the boys whip themselves into hysteria. �He raised his arm in the air. There came a pause, a hatitus, the pig continued to scream and the creepers to jerk, and the blade continued to flash at the end of a bony arm. The pause was only enough for them to understand what an enormity the downward stroke would be. Then the piglet tore loose of the creepers and scurried into the undergrowth. They were left looking at each other and the place of terror�(Golding 27). In this quote Jack is hesitant to kill the pig, and what other boy would not have been? This shows how the boys landed on the island, they will not let go of the rules society has taught them. �Look! We�ve killed a pig-we stole up on them -we got in a circle� (Golding 63). Once the island�s surroundings have taken it�s toll on the boys Jack and the others find their bloodlust. They kill a pig and are proud of that. Jack and the other boys shortly carve the challenging hunt. The freedom of the island has allowed them to further develop the darker side of their personalities, which have always been within them.
Once the boys are accustomed to the hunt of pigs, they began craving a more challenging hunt. �Viciously, with full intention, he hurdled his spear at Ralph. The point tore the skin and flesh over Ralph�s ribs, then sheared off and fell in the water�(Golding 167). This signifies the transformation from civilized British boys to savages. The lose of civilization let them kill with no grief. Their emotions and feelings of remorse have been lost, but the island has other effects on the boys as well. The hunting of Ralph also symbolizes the lose of religion.
�Roger sharpened a stick at both ends�(Golding 175). The mysterious words of Samneric could be heard. For the new formed savage tribe, Ralph was a thrill to hunt. He has brains, wits, and cunning much more challenging than a pig. At the beginning of this new merciless tribe, Jack and the other boys kill a sow. They cut its head off and stuck it on a stick. A stick sharpened at both ends foreshadows what may happen to Ralph. To the boys this is a sacrifice to the beast. If the boys do not feel and believe they had to please the beast, they would have a reason to kill Ralph, for he is not a threat to them. The islands surrounding caused them not only to lose reasoning but religious beliefs as well. Now the boys hunt for Ralph. He is their next sacrifice to their newfound god figure.
Lord of the Flies is an exciting adventure into the nether region of the mind. Simon�s demise, the beast within the boys, and the way Ralph is fervently hunted are all examples of William Golding�s philosophy, that society is inherently evil. A well thought novel that depicts the evils of human nature. Lord of the Flies shows that the evil residing within everyone can be unleashed. It proves the dark side of human nature can be as vicious and as terrifying as the unknown it itself, and even the most innocent may be vulnerable to it. |
