The exploration of human nature is a common theme in William Golding's novel, Lord of the Flies. The book takes readers on a journey of self-discovery through the eyes of young boys who are stranded on an island without any form of adult supervision. As the story progresses, the boys begin to develop in unexpected ways, revealing their true nature. Golding argues that the defects of society can be traced back to the defects of human nature. The development of the boys on the island progressively moves from an attempt to be a "civilized" society to one that is more "savage" by nature. Under civilized conditions, people are expected to follow rules and adhere to social norms; this helps subdue primal urges such as violence, greed, and selfishness. …show more content…
Starting with Jacks first kill and later obsession with hunting pigs. “‘I cut the pig’s throat,’ said Jack, proudly, and yet twitched as he said it.” (Page 58). This is a point in the story where Jack hasn’t fully committed to being a savage, still clinging on to that little bit of humanity. He still wants rules and order but a loud part of himself is screaming to act primal, and as we see later in the story he listens to that loud voice. He consistently breaks the rules and insists he should be chief when the majority decide Ralph will lead. He even goes as far as to establish his own tribe and denounce Ralph’s leadership. “‘I’m not going to play any longer. Not with you.’...... ‘I’m not going to be a part of Ralph’s lot—’” (Page 113). Jack thinks being on this island is a game, he isn’t taking it seriously and it's putting the other boys’ lives in danger. People are starting to get hurt and Jack doesn’t seem to be phased by it, so much so that when Simon and Piggy are killed, he doesn’t bat an eye. “The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist.” (Page 163). The death of Piggy and the destruction of the conch shell represent the final breakdown of civilization on the island. The boys have completely become savage, and their behavior is no longer restrained by the rules of
The little ‘uns also failed to help build huts. All Ralph did was stand by and let them do it. Ralph was even ready to give up his power all because Jack was breaking the rules. “‘I ought to give up being chief. Hear ‘em”’ (93).
When the boys first arrived on the island Ralph had the original idea of voting for a chief. All of the boys voted for Ralph for chief. Jack turned on Ralph because he did not believe Ralph was the right person to be chief. Jack thought he was a much better leader so he named himself chief and had the goal of getting everyone to leave Ralph's tribe and join his. Ralph does give orders to the boys but they are given to keep the boys safe.
Therefore, Jack makes them hunters. From then on, Jack is focused on hunting and killing. Moreover, Jack shows himself slowly turning into a savage by hunting throughout the book. At first, he was reluctant with his first killing. “ He raised his arm in the air.
He affirms that his beliefs encourage law, order, and the greater good. Even so, many boys oppose his ideas, prioritizing chaos, hunting, and irrational decision-making (Golding 31-32). As a result, in a dispute with Jack, the leader of the rival tribe, Ralph says, "Which is better, law and rescue, or hunting and breaking things up?" (200). Ralph also attempts to explain the problems of ideologies, like how Jack and Piggy have divergent ideas about running the group.
Human Behavior and Fear Safa Multani Fear is an unpleasant caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain or a threat.(Mariams Webster). Fear is a thing we all hold inside of us, we are all scared of something or someone it's just human nature. In Lord of the Flies, William Golding uses a unique way of showing how fear affects human behavior, he used the boys on the island to show how fear affects the behavior of humans and how the boy's manner and mentality changed over time. From when the boys first came on the island they are actions were normal then later on as the boys started gaining the fear of the beast they started doing abnormal actions they took certain steps because of the fear in them that had been planted by the beast in this case. One of the main reasons fear is spread through the boys is the beast, though we find out the beast is nothing but their imagination.
This progressively gets worse but this is where you see what a lack of rules with Ralph has done. Furthermore, Jack did build his own fort and a no rules club. When he left there were many people who went with him for the hunting and meat. This left Ralphs group to be able to change things as well. "Now we can really decide what's what."
And the conch doesn’t count at this end of the island.” (150). With this, Golding shows that even though Ralph tried to keep peace and create prosperity for the group, his style of leadership ultimately lost to Jack’s more aggressive and chaotic displays of power. After this change took place, the conch wasn’t done with its symbolism just yet. As Ralph’s group clashes with the rest of the boys once more it is finally destroyed after a rock is sent hurtling down the cliff, shattering the shell and taking Piggy along with it.
Notwithstanding the difficult conditions and the lure toward savagery on the island, Ralph's persistent commitment to civility, cooperation, and reason exemplifies his intrinsic nobility as both a leader and a person. Ralph repeatedly showcases his fundamental integrity as a leader and the simplicity of a person throughout the novel by going against Jack and his adherents' viciousness. He endeavors to preserve the group's dignity and focuses on constructing an equitable and direct democratic civilization on the island that acknowledges the liberties and opinions of everybody. Ralph remains receptive to understanding whatever Piggy and Simon want to input in decision-making and continuously pursues rules to enhance the circumstances on the island for the group's betterment. Especially whenever he makes mistakes, he indicates a genuine willingness to realize, and he continuously searches for alternative approaches to complications and misunderstandings.
(91). Ralph believes that rules are the key to maintaining order and building a society. In contrast, Jack disregards the rules and believes that an island is a place for indulgences and an escape from society’s boundaries. Ralph consistently pushes for order yet the impulses of the boys take over and push them toward chaos. After the boys roll over the rock intending to kill Piggy they end up “explod[ing] [the conch] into a thousand white fragments and cease to exist”(181).
In Lord of the Flies the boys battle between the conflict of savagery and civilization. Lord of the Flies is a novel written by William Golding. It is about a group of young boys who end up abandoned on an island without adult supervision. They must confront their own fears, desires and struggles while trying to establish an orderly society. In the novel Golding explores many themes including, the desire for power, the loss of innocence and the conflict between civilization and savagery.
`Are you accusing—?’”(51). Jack's mind is descending into darkness, it is hyper-fixated on one thing, meat. This is the first time we see Jack’s lust for blood evolve. He now has the intention and perhaps the instinct to kill. After the first successful hunt, the hunters came back to the beach and started to exclaim to everyone how they killed the pig, seeming perhaps quite happy: “‘There were lashings of blood,’ said Jack, laughing”(69)
From dinosaurs, to smart phones, to everything the future may hold, mankind has been around through all of it, providing so much of what everyone knows and loves today, almost providing all of it, but the way we treat and react to everything we love, and treat behave around everything is what is known as “human nature,” meaning the way everyone acts, feels, or behaves. It’s something all humans share, but it can be more obvious in others, or reveal itself more during stressful, joyful, or angering times. It all depends on the person in which it’s occurring. Like in the book, Lord of the Flies or the play, Julius Caesar. It is very obvious the human nature of these characters are not very… great.
However, this controlling and manipulative side of him has shone through. As the story progresses and we see Jack more, you can start to see the change in him over time. In the third chapter, there are many examples of him being compared to animals, which describes that his hostile side is coming out. The text states, “Then dog-like, uncomfortably on all fours yet unheedily his discomfort, he stole forward five yards and stopped”(48). From this sentence, it is obvious we see his almost savage-like technique when hunting.
Lord of the Flies was written around the time World War II had just ended and Golding had a fresh new perspective on human personality and actions. Golding’s new point of view is similar to the Thomas Hobbes’s philosophies stating that people aren’t naturally ethical and will throw their morals away when given the chance to benefit themselves. Furthermore, the novel demonstrates his newfound knowledge by emphasizing Jack as a character and his internal struggle for power over Ralph and the others in the tribe. And, by expressing Jack’s struggle to rule with an iron fist in Lord of the Flies, Golding adds meaning to his work; making the novel about more than a group of boys stranded on an island.
Piggy represents civilization and society, and the conch represents law and order. The sudden loss of goodness brings about the end of what has been a gradual decay of logic, which turns its decline into a rapid and brutal one. Although Piggy’s demise represents the end of logic, the loss of logic is ultimately brought about by the death of Simon. Before Simon’s murder, there is a chance that logic and order could prevail, as seen by Ralph’s actions to keep order in his own group. With Ralph’s support, Piggy suggests that they “‘build it [the fire] just here between the bathing pool and the platform’”