Evil: A noun meaning profound immortality, wickedness and depravity. It’s just a simple four letter word, full of darkness. There is a little bit of evil in everyone, varying in degree and severity, but it’s up to you whether you let it show or not
According to Mr. Golding, evil is intrinsic in human beings. That means that evil is an instinct to humans, a part of them. Many people can deny that fact, however it is suppressed inside of humans and will come out in extreme situations or after traumatic experiences as a self-defense mechanism. However, what is evil? What defines evil? What can we compare evil to? Evil, to some people, are the acts that are against a certain religion, culture, society, etc. Many times, Again, evil is personified, and the most common evil known today that is personified is Satan, also known as Lucifer or the Devil.
That includes the "goody two shoes" people, they have Evil Intents and thoughts, but they work well at suppressing it.
But evil isn’t something personified, if not, it is human nature. In “The Lord of the Flies”, all the boys are stuck on the island and are all in the same situation. However, the boys enjoy mocking Piggy because he is physically inferior. In the human mind, placing someone below themselves increases their self-confidence so that they feel superior and better about themselves. In many cases this appears in bullying. There are examples such as, “’You’re taking too much,’ said Jack Merridew. ‘Shut up, Fatty.’ Laughter arose. ‘He’s not Fatty,’ cried Ralph, ‘his real name’s Piggy!’… a storm of laughter arose…” and “’His specs – use them as burning glasses!’ Piggy was surrounded before he could back away. ‘Here – let me go!’… ‘My specs!’ howled Piggy. ‘Give me my specs!’” In both these instances, the boys took advantage of his physical disadvantage due to his asthma and mocking him for his body image.
Evil could also be portrayed as self-preservation and survival. Although Simon’s death is a blur and is hard to comprehend, the boys attacked Simon, thinking that he was the beast and also using the excuse that it was a mistake and that they did not know as an excuse to get carried away by the game and simply attacked him for pleasure. Anyhow, isn’t murder considered evil? If this isn’t murder, what is this? And is this terrible act, or so to speak, evil?
In other books like Battle Royale and the Hunger Games, Humans have defined and showed their evil psychological side as it has been released in the terms of a kill or be killed situation, or just for the fun of it as other people termed it, either it was issues with home, or hate for society
Mr. Golding is saying that evil is intrinsic, but since human society thinks that they are so civilized, humans think that evil is extrinsic. But under the right circumstances, survival and self-preservation surface, something that “civilized humans” consider as savage, barbaric, and evil.
In other words, Evil is Intrinsic, but learning how to suppress that evil is Extrinsic need for humans.
And as I looked into some reports, some of the parents of famous serial killers were not very civil and trying to compress.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
We in the twentieth century would be much more hard-pressed to define evil than would people of either Chaucer's or Dante's time. Medieval Christians would have a source for it -- Satan -- and if could easily devise a series of ecclesiastical checklists to test its presence and its power. In our secular world, evil has come down to something that hurts people for no explicable reason: the bombing of the Federal Building in Oklahoma City, the burning of black churches in the South. We have taken evil out of the hands of Satan, and placed it in the hands of man. In doing so, we have made it less absolute, and in many ways less real.…
- 467 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
Everyone is evil—but being immoral is in the eye of the beholder. Not every person will consider the same things evil. So in reality evil has many different faces and it seems to be more powerful than good. For example one person may think that tattoos are evil and others use tattoos to express their beliefs. The choices made are also a great influence in the outcome accomplished. In the novel “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” Flannery O’Connor explores the nature of evil.…
- 1088 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
From reading my book The Fate of Ten by Pittacus Lore I think I know a little bit more about the answer to the question of how people become evil. “I’m shocked by how normal he seems, a young guy sitting on the beach, staring glumly at a girl he likes. Where did it all go so wrong?” At this part in my book it is having a flashback to a scene from the villain's past. At this moment he seems so normal that it is odd how sinister he became. The book is questioning how people become evil too.…
- 944 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
The word “Evil” carries with it a weight condemned by almost every culture, religion and person around the world. Where it is universally understood that when evil pertains to something it directly means that it is malevolent and immoral. When evil corresponds to the actions of another human, so much to the point where the human is considered evil and wicked, we then have an individual who possesses a strong moral evil and lust for the corruption of humanity. I strongly believe that the most vile, wicked, and immoral person to ever live throughout history is Vlad Dracula (or) Vlad the Impaler.…
- 1109 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
In all humans, evil exists. At some point we have to release it, and want to release it. For example, on the island Jack and Robert showed their evil while beating Wilfred, or even Robert who was hurt while the boys received pleasure out of his beating. Roger states, "He's going to beat Wilfred, I don't know why, he didn't say," (pg.159) as he giggles. Another example is when Robert is beaten by the boys for no reason in frenzy where he is the pig. They chant in chapter seven, "Kill the pig! Cut his throat! Kill the pig! Bash him in!" (pg. 114). These examples clearly show that the…
- 5357 Words
- 22 Pages
Good Essays -
What is Evil? Though it is defined in the dictionary as “profoundly immoral and malevolent,” or “profound immorality, wickedness, and depravity, especially when regarded as a supernatural force,” what is it really? Who decides whether or not someone or something is evil? Evil is defined differently for everyone. When wrestling with the idea of good and evil, some focus on the motivation behind an evil thought or behavior, while others consider the kinds of environments that nurture evil. Some are adamant that people are not evil, yet their actions sometimes are. Others embrace the idea that good and evil coexist, and that you can’t embody one without the presence of the other. While opinions differ about…
- 1760 Words
- 8 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Throughout human history, people have shown through many ways that they possess the ability to exude pure evil (or some form of it). There are a few exceptions to this vile display, however it is nearly impossible to deny that everyone possesses it. I believe that humans are bad because they attempt/commit acts of murder and violence (and in some severe cases genocide) and are obsessed with power and self-improvement.…
- 896 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
What defines something or someone of being evil; how is one truly considered evil? Evil has been defined by so many things. According to Dictionary.com, evil is something that is morally wrong or bad. Evil is also as wicked and or immoral part of someone or something. Common elements of evil are selfishness, ignorance, or neglect. Someone can be evil by doing an immoral act, like murder. Mao Zedong can be considered as an evil person. He has done many immoral actions throughout his life time. In “Lord of the Flies,” Jack can be connected to Mao Zedong. Jack has made some decisions when he has gotten on the island that is morally wrong and bad.…
- 615 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
It is impossible to deny the existence of evil in the world as human beings experience pain and suffering every day. It is generally accepted that there are two different types of evil: natural and moral. Moral evil is caused by human beings and occurs when humans inflict suffering on other people, animals or the environment. Natural evil is not caused by humans and occurs naturally in the world, such as earthquakes, droughts and cancer. It is apparent that not all evils can be easily separated into these categories as humans can contribute to natural evils such like cancer, although cancer is a naturally occurring disease, humans often do things which bring it about.…
- 1756 Words
- 8 Pages
Better Essays -
Good and evil are polar opposites, yet one cannot exist without the other. To understand this intricate relationship, one must have a clear understanding on what exactly good and evil are. These two are not always so black and white, but good can be defined as acting agreeably with societical and personal values. Evil can be defined as going against those values. However, as societies and humans differ, so do their moral codes. What is seen as good in one society or time may be seen as evil in another. Two more factors to consider are intentions and actions. They are two separate entities. Actions are seen, and judged, by everyone else, but intentions are known only by the doer. This is why there is no clear-cut line between good and evil.…
- 1002 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
Everyone, no matter what age remembers their childhood and the “bad guys”, no matter what book, movie, or game there was an antagonist. There must be one, it’s a part of writing and storytelling, at the creation of woman and man, God made the Snake to trick Eve into eating the forbidden fruit of the tree. Most of the time, their name had the word “evil” in it, they were the antagonist for the good heroine to beat up and save the girl at the end of their story. However, the word “evil” has been generalized over the years, after being plastered on so many characters for so long. From the change of times, the situation that causes the word to be introduced into the conversation has changed also. We’ve gone through so many wars, genocides, and…
- 1116 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
With good being terms of excellent, high quality, right, well-behaved, or even righteous. And Evil being in terms of morally wrong or bad, misbehaved, characterized by misfortune, and even bad conduct, we ask ourselves what constitutes good and evil.…
- 618 Words
- 3 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
Is Man inherently good or evil? This is a question that many philosophers, psychologists, and scientists have questioned for centuries. We have learned from Webster that good is morally excellent, virtuous, and pious. He also states that evil is the total opposite. Evil is morally wrong or bad and immorally wicked. I believe that man is inherently evil simply because when a baby is born the nature of evil is already in existence. This only indicates that humans don’t have to be taught to do wrong. (As human beings we have the most extraordinary capacity for evil, but we as a people also have an…
- 349 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
An example of weak minds leading to evil is mob mentality, people just go along with the crowd not thinking for themselves. In “The Roots of Evil” Sharon Begley says: “In such horrors, the participants were what psychologists call “righteous conformists,” convinced of the justice of their cause and content to go along with the crowd” (Begley 9). It is common for people with weak minds to think that since everyone is doing some evil act it makes it ok, but it does not. People who have weak minds are more likely to commit evil acts because they have been taught to do so. As Sharon Bagley says in “The Roots of Evil”: “But hatred, violence and ideology exert powerful effects on weak minds” (Begley 12). People who have weak minds are more likely to commit evil acts and be tempted by evil because of their lack of…
- 672 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Consequently, this quote explains why people become evil. There are many reasons that will be answered in this paper. Children who experience hardships at a young age will most likely be exposed to the behavior of a maniac, or a psychopath depending on the extremity. They feel that they cannot trust anyone and also believe others deserve to undergo their pain. Making others suffer the same treatment they received can also give them a sense of relief because of the anger they have built towards a certain conflict. Someone in this…
- 553 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays