William Goldning’s Lord of the Flies is an allegorical novel where literary techniques are utilized to convey the main ideas and themes of the novel. Two important central themes of the novel includes loss of civilization and innocence which tie into the concept of innate human evil. Loss of civilization is simply the transition from civilization to savagery; order to chaos. The concept of loss of innocence is a key concept to innate human evil because childhood innocence is disrupted as the group hunted animals and even their own. Through the use of literary techniques these ideas are seen in the passage where Simon confronts the “Lord of the Flies.” The central concern of Lord of the Flies deals with the fall of civilization to the awakening of savagery.
The conflict seen in this theme is explored through the dissolution of the young boys’ well mannered behavior as they accustomed themselves to a wild, barbaric life in the jungle. The concept of innate human evil takes an important role in this theme because as the boys grew more savage the beast that they feared grew within themselves. This innate human evil is the beast that destroys civilization as savagery claimed its position. In the passage the “Lord of the flies” indicates the presence of the beast within the boys. ‘Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill!’ said the head/You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you? Close, close, close! I’m the reason why it’s no go? (Pg. 143).
The Essay on Are humans naturally good or evil?
... Evil is our inner beast that we choose to control or be controlled by. Jack from Lord of the Flies ... of our fear of the law. Us humans are born evil but obtain our inner sanity and change ... what society calls evil. Our instinct is to kill and survive but as society and civilization has evolved ... certain way. Cavemen are the original humans. They are early prehistoric humans. They behaved in a manner that ...
To make this point clear Goldning utilizes symbolism of the beast and anthropomorphism of the “Lord of the Flies.” The beast that frightens all the boys stands for the primal instinct of savagery that exists within all human beings while the “Lord of the Flies” is the bloody, severed pig’s head which represents the devil or a symbol of evil. To emphasize fear and evil Goldning seems to use a lot of repetition in this passage alone. For example the “Lord of the Flies” constantly warns “we shall do you? See? .” This is to make Simon quake with fear and show the intensity of the confrontation between them. As the boys on the island progress from well-behaved, orderly children longing for rescue to cruel, bloodthirsty hunters who have no desire to return to civilization, they naturally lose their innocence that they possessed earlier in the novel. But Golding does not portray this loss of innocence as something that is done to the children; rather, it results naturally from their increasing openness to the innate evil and savagery that has always existed within them. The forest where Simon wanders upon in earlier in the novel symbolizes this loss of innocence.
At first, it is a place of natural beauty and peace, but when Simon returns, he discovers the bloody sow’s head upon a stake in the middle of the forest. This use of imagery depicting ruin is seen in the passage. “Simon found he was looking into a vast mouth. There was blackness within, a blackness that spread” (pg.
144).
The bloody offering to the beast has disrupted the paradise that existed before; a clear representation of innate human evil disrupting childhood innocence. In the passage the confrontation with the “Lord of the Flies” shows destruction and evil as the beast seems in control. “There isn’t anyone to help you.
Only Me. And I’m the Beast” (pg. 143).
Lord of the Flies is a novel comprised of themes and ideas that revolve around innate human evil. William Goldning’s key purpose is to depict civilization as something that can easily fall apart and end society as we know it. Two important themes that revolve around this concept of innate human evil include loss of civilization and innocence.
The Essay on Good and Evil in Lord of the Flies and Animal Farm
Good and evil themes, in some form, exist in practically every piece of literature ever written. It is found in literature as old as the Bible to newer stories such as The Hunger Games. It is no surprise to find this same theme in Lord of the Flies by William Golding and Animal Farm by George Orwell. Golding and Orwell explore good and evil to show what effect morality, or the lack thereof, has on ...
In the passage these three ideas are summed up as the symbolism of evil is represented through a pig’s head. Through the use of literary techniques Goldning clearly depicts the inner beast in all of us, waiting to get loose as society crumbles. When left isolated with no hope people naturally revert to cruelty, savagery, and barbarism.
