Lord of the Flies
The idea of establishing an ideal state where everyone can live in peace goes back to Plato and his Republic wherein he envisages an ideal state. Thereafter the notion was touched upon by many others in literature.
Among them being Sir Thomas More’s Utopia, which depicts an ideal state in nowhere and has been a prototype of many modern Utopias. But by the passage of time this notion of Utopia got subverted, the ideal state gave way tothe horror and nightmare of dystopia.
In my paper I intend to trace both the Utopian and dystopian elements in William Golding’s novel Lord of the flies.
This text tells the story of the journey of a group of innocent children, victims of a plane crash, and their struggle for survival in a deserted island which is nothing short of a heavenly abode. At this juncture peaceful co-existence is expected. And it starts out like that, initially, they start applying rules and regulations, calling assemblies and electing a leader in order to prevent chaos and disorder.
However, as time passes the children turn into deadly beasts, trying to kill each other. By the end it becomes evident that Utopia is not something practical; it is just a theoretical notion, something to just write and dream about.
Lord of the Flies was extremely successful and is considered as one of the great works of literature of the twentieth century. It is an allegory of the intrinsic cruelty of man, based on Golding 's own wartime experiences. It reflected very aptly the post-war disillusionment with human nature.
This novel can be analysed in various perspectives as it deals profoundly and honestly with people who are under pressure and also because of the author’s sympathetic and intense vision of the problems that modern man faces in his lifetime.
His portrayal of human beings and the nuances of their behaviour are very much grounded. He knows the varied reactions of different types of people when they come under similar conditions, and the internal tension
Among them being Sir Thomas More’s Utopia, which depicts an ideal state in nowhere and has been a prototype of many modern Utopias. But by the passage of time this notion of Utopia got subverted, the ideal state gave way tothe horror and nightmare of dystopia.
In my paper I intend to trace both the Utopian and dystopian elements in William Golding’s novel Lord of the flies.
This text tells the story of the journey of a group of innocent children, victims of a plane crash, and their struggle for survival in a deserted island which is nothing short of a heavenly abode. At this juncture peaceful co-existence is expected. And it starts out like that, initially, they start applying rules and regulations, calling assemblies and electing a leader in order to prevent chaos and disorder.
However, as time passes the children turn into deadly beasts, trying to kill each other. By the end it becomes evident that Utopia is not something practical; it is just a theoretical notion, something to just write and dream about.
Lord of the Flies was extremely successful and is considered as one of the great works of literature of the twentieth century. It is an allegory of the intrinsic cruelty of man, based on Golding 's own wartime experiences. It reflected very aptly the post-war disillusionment with human nature.
This novel can be analysed in various perspectives as it deals profoundly and honestly with people who are under pressure and also because of the author’s sympathetic and intense vision of the problems that modern man faces in his lifetime.
His portrayal of human beings and the nuances of their behaviour are very much grounded. He knows the varied reactions of different types of people when they come under similar conditions, and the internal tension
Cited: 1. Sanderes, Androw. The Short Oxford History of English Literature.Seifte, Betsy. et. al. English Literature. New York: Mc Grow – Hill, 1985, 594. 2. Epstein, E. L. Notes on William Golding 's Lord of the Flies. New York: G.P. Putnam 's Sons, 1970, P 189. 3 4. Calandra, Denis. M. Golding 's Lord of the Flies. New York: Cliffs Notes, 1964, P 63. 6. Golding ,William. Lord of the Flies. Penguin Books, 1954, P 7. 7. Golding ,William. Lord of the Flies. Penguin Books, 1954, P 16 8 13. Golding ,William. Lord of the Flies. Penguin Books, 1954, P 76. 16. Nelson, William. William Golding 's Lord of the Flies: A Source Book. New York: The Odyssey Press, Inc., 1963, P 146.