Inheritaly Evil Essay, Research Paper
Golding Puts Forth the Idea That Man is Inherently Evil
Essay written by Frank C. Nunez
The novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding used a group of British boys beached on a deserted island to illustrate the malicious nature in mankind. Lord of the Flies dealt with the changes the boys underwent as they gradually adapted to the secluded freedom from their society. William Golding?s basic philosophy that society was inherently evil could be espied in such instances as the death of Simon, the beast within the boys, and the way Ralph was fervently hunted.
Through the story Simon acted as the Christ Figure. The death of Simon symbolized the loss of religious reasoning. As the boys killed Simon they had let out their savage urges and acted in a cannibalistic manor. Even after the death of Simon Jack and his tribe did not feel any penitence to what they had done, killing to them had become second nature.The circle became a horseshoe. A thing was crawling out of the forest. It came darkly, uncertainly. The shrill screaming that rose before the beast was like a pain. The beast stumbled into the horseshoe.?Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!? (Golding 141).In this quote a figure had crawled out of the forest and the ring had opened to let it inside. Mistaken as the beast by the Jack?s tribe, Simon was beaten to death. After the group disbanded for shelter from the storm. The storm subsided and the tides moved in and out, Simon?s body was washed to sea. Here because of the storm, the darkness and fear the boys became hysterical. They acted savagely not knowing what they were doing. The boys did not take a second look to what their actions were. They had let their malicious urges control them. He cam-disguised. 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 had taken place with Simon. Jack or his tribe does not feel any remorse for the murder they had committed, whether they realized that or not. To Jack and his tribe what they had done was a pretentious accomplishment. A death could go by their eyes blindly.
One example in the book referring to William Goldong?s view to society was the beast. The beast which lied within the boys, represented the evil which dwelled inside humanity. William Golding believed that savagery was always in mankind, but need the proper situation tocome out and cause a transformation of even the most innocent of us. For the boys the fear of the unknown on the island caused the terror of the beast. That fear was allowed to grow because they could not fully accept the notion of a beast, nor could they let go of it. Their attempts to resolve their fears were too feeble to convince themselves. Soon the boys had whipped 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 was hesitant to kill the pig, and what other boy would not have been? This showed how when the boys had just landed on the island they could not let go of the rules society had 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 had taken it?s toll on the boys Jack and the others before long had bloodlust. They had killed a pig and were proud of that. Jack and the other boys shortly carved the challenging hunt. The freedom of the island had allowed them to further develop the darker side of their personalities which had always been within them.
Once the boys were 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 had been lost, but the island had other effects on the boys as well. The hunting of Ralph also symbolized the lose or 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 had brains, wits, and cunning much more challenging than a pig. At the beginning of this new merciless tribe, Jack and the other boys had killed a sow. They had cut it?s head of and stuck it on a stick. A stick sharpened at both ends. To the boys this was a scarifies to the beast. If the boys did not feel and believe they had to please the beast they would not have any reason to kill Ralph, for he was not a threat to them. The islands surrounding had caused them not only to lose reasoning but religious beliefs as well. Now the boys hunted for Ralph. He was next scarifies to their new found god figure.
Lord of the Flies was an exciting adventure into the nether region of the mind. Simon?s demise, the beast within the boys, and the way Ralph was fervently hunted were all examples of William Golding?s philosophy, that society was inherently evil. A well thought novel that depicted the evils of human nature. Lord of the Flies showed that the evil residing within everyone could be unleashed. It proved the dark side of human nature could be as vicious and as terrifying as the unknown it itself, and even the most innocent of us are vulnerable to it.
Work Cited
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: The Berkley Publishing Group, 1954.