Lord of the Flies and the Crucible
Savagery, insanity and murder, one would never think that “innocent” children were capable of such appalling things, but maybe we are wrong. In both Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, and The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, both of these authors wrote about children acting as just that and many characters became very similar to each other. Each society had potential in being successful, but both had major flaws that key characters discovered and then used to tear the fragile fabric that the society was built on apart. The biggest flaw in both of the societies was that they were controlled by fear; it drove them to the point of no return in which they would have never reached under normal circumstances. When the source causing people to act is fear, anything is possible.
There are two characters, one from The Crucible and one form Lord of the Flies, who match up almost perfectly in the fact that they led and ruled emphatically, Jack and Abigail. Abigail, the oldest puritan girl, was caught along with all of the other girls dancing in the woods. Instead of just accepting their punishment, Abigail forced all of the other girls, putting fear into them, to lie about what they were caught doing. Jack didn’t force them but instead told the kids that he would protect them from beast, using it to gain followers. Although he promises protection, and pig meat, it doesn’t mean that his tribe is good. During one of the feast scenes the book says “...Jack painted and garlanded, sat there like an idol. There were piles of meat on green leaves near him, and fruit and coconut shells full of water.” (Golding 149) This shows how Jack is a dictator and how he controls all things that happen at his camp. This also makes Jack look Godly to all of the other boys and they know not to question his rule or judgment in fear that he would assail them. Both Jack and Abigail used fear to get the other kids to join them without question. By the end of both The Crucible and Lord of
There are two characters, one from The Crucible and one form Lord of the Flies, who match up almost perfectly in the fact that they led and ruled emphatically, Jack and Abigail. Abigail, the oldest puritan girl, was caught along with all of the other girls dancing in the woods. Instead of just accepting their punishment, Abigail forced all of the other girls, putting fear into them, to lie about what they were caught doing. Jack didn’t force them but instead told the kids that he would protect them from beast, using it to gain followers. Although he promises protection, and pig meat, it doesn’t mean that his tribe is good. During one of the feast scenes the book says “...Jack painted and garlanded, sat there like an idol. There were piles of meat on green leaves near him, and fruit and coconut shells full of water.” (Golding 149) This shows how Jack is a dictator and how he controls all things that happen at his camp. This also makes Jack look Godly to all of the other boys and they know not to question his rule or judgment in fear that he would assail them. Both Jack and Abigail used fear to get the other kids to join them without question. By the end of both The Crucible and Lord of
Cited: (Quotes) Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: Coward-McCann, 1962. Print