Lof: Sam and Eric Are Lacking Individual Identity. They Cannot Act Independently. Which People in Society Do They Typify? (Stereotypes)

Sam and Eric are lacking individual identity. They cannot act independently. Which people in society do they typify? (stereotypes)

Sam and Eric are described in the book, Lord of the Flies, as being a pair of twins who are close allies with Ralph. They were given the name “SamnEric” because the boys treat them as one person since they practically breathed and smiled together, and even finished each other’s sentences. They were once two individual people but once on the island, they became inseparable. They did everything together and didn’t go anywhere or decide on anything without the other’s consult. They were very civilized people in the beginning of the novel. They focused on being rescued rather than playing around. They obey Ralph’s orders as the leader and support Ralph as his followers because they feel Ralph will bring them security. However, they eventually gave in to join Jack’s tribe. When they are put under pressure and forced to do something, they will follow what the leader wants. They will only do what is asked of them and they wait for new orders to be given. They lose their loyalty to Ralph when they lose track of the fire and the opportunity to be rescued. Ralph was furious but they just laughed when they were alone. At that point, it shows the weakness of human nature and betrayal. When SamnEric are threatened into the tribe, they paint their faces like savages and they tell Jack where Ralph was hiding because they are intimidated of what might happen to them if they don’t.
SamnEric represent the members of society with good intentions in the beginning but who fall into evil because of fear or just to follow the crowd. Examples of this can be SamnEric can be symbolic with the military in today’s society. In one part of the story, SamnEric begin to fight. Piggy states that that never happened before and makes us realize that at that point all civilization is lost and things are out of hand. This represents war in today’s world. Sam represents the soldiers fighting on one side and Eric on the other. They are fighting on opposite sides. Just like soldiers will obey their commander, SamnEric will follow the orders of the leader in charge even though they feel the other side has a point (when they listen to Jack even though they see Ralph is right). The twins depend on each other just like how soldiers depend on each other to make their fighting worth it. But then the realization that war is wrong kicks in. We realize that instead of fighting, they should all just make world peace. There are many arguments on how it is wrong for people of the same side to fight against each other, but that is exactly what the boys are doing on the stranded island. SamnEric just go along with joining one side without seeing that the boys are all on the same side in the big picture- that is: stranded boys in desperate need of help. Just like how sometimes we don’t see the big picture in war- that is: humans fighting for the same purpose such as freedom. SamnEric are twins but more importantly loving brothers. Brothers do not turn on brothers but rather forgive and forget. All people are our brothers and sisters technically, and so we shouldn’t fight against each other. Because when we do, we create a war that is essentially faught on the same side for the same needs. In the novel, Piggy is disturbed because SamnEric, who are more than best friends and closer than ever, started to fight (which demonstrates one of the effects of the loss of society). But in a sense their fighting of brother against brother is the same as men fighting in a war because they are all brothers. It just shows the weakness of human nature - how when we are pressured, sometimes we choose to do the wrong things.