Lord of the Flies - Civilization vs Savagery
William Golding’s experience in World War II had an overwhelming effect on his view of humanity and the evils of which it was capable. After the war, Golding resumed teaching and wrote his first novel, Lord of the Flies.
Lord Of The Flies tells us the story of a handful of young schoolboys who had been marooned on an island as the plane that they were travelling, on to escape the war was shot down. The only survivors were the passengers, British schoolchildren between the ages of six and thirteen. It revolves around how the children cope without the structure of authority, civilization and the watchful eye of grown ups.
Though the novel is fictional, its exploration of the idea of human evil is at least partly based on Golding’s experience with the real life violence and destruction of World War II. Free from the rules and structures of civilization and society, the boys on the island in Lord of the Flies descend into savagery. As the boys divide into groups, some behave peacefully and work together to maintain order and achieve common goals (Ralph, Piggy and Simon), while others rebel and seek only disorder and violence (Jack, Roger). In his description of the island, Golding on a allegorical level may be showing how the island could represent the world and the struggle between civilizing instinct and that of baser, more animal instincts and mindset of the boys, could depict the political ideologies and propagandas of certain countries or people.
The most important theme of Lord of the Flies is the conflict between human urges towards savagery and the rule of civilization that is there to contain these animal instincts in the novel. This conflict is dramatized by the clash between Ralph and Jack, who respectively represent civilization and savagery. The differing ideologies are expressed by each boy's different attitudes towards authority and order. While Ralph uses his authority to establish rules, protect the good of the group, and enforce the moral and
Lord Of The Flies tells us the story of a handful of young schoolboys who had been marooned on an island as the plane that they were travelling, on to escape the war was shot down. The only survivors were the passengers, British schoolchildren between the ages of six and thirteen. It revolves around how the children cope without the structure of authority, civilization and the watchful eye of grown ups.
Though the novel is fictional, its exploration of the idea of human evil is at least partly based on Golding’s experience with the real life violence and destruction of World War II. Free from the rules and structures of civilization and society, the boys on the island in Lord of the Flies descend into savagery. As the boys divide into groups, some behave peacefully and work together to maintain order and achieve common goals (Ralph, Piggy and Simon), while others rebel and seek only disorder and violence (Jack, Roger). In his description of the island, Golding on a allegorical level may be showing how the island could represent the world and the struggle between civilizing instinct and that of baser, more animal instincts and mindset of the boys, could depict the political ideologies and propagandas of certain countries or people.
The most important theme of Lord of the Flies is the conflict between human urges towards savagery and the rule of civilization that is there to contain these animal instincts in the novel. This conflict is dramatized by the clash between Ralph and Jack, who respectively represent civilization and savagery. The differing ideologies are expressed by each boy's different attitudes towards authority and order. While Ralph uses his authority to establish rules, protect the good of the group, and enforce the moral and