Lord of the Flies comparison with DNA
‘Although set in different periods, Lord of the Flies and DNA present similar ideas about good and evil’. How far do you agree with this view?
One of the central themes in both William Golding’s ‘Lord of the Flies’ and Dennis Kelly’s ‘DNA’ is good and evil; both texts collectively offering a plethora of theories and ideas about the morals of humans and how they influence their actions. In ‘Lord of the Flies’ a group of British schoolboys are stranded on an island. Far away from the influence of adults, Golding creates a pseudo-civilisation in which he examines the actions of human beings and conveys his ideas of good and evil to the reader. Conversely, ‘DNA’ focuses on a group of twenty- first century teens, (still among a society) where their actions face physical consequences, who attempt to cover up a crime committed by their peers. Kelly, like Golding, addresses the universal morals of humanity, yet seems to be more questioning than axiomatic and certain about the nature of man and whether humans can be explicitly categorised into ‘good’ and ‘evil’. Both texts present the idea that there is both good and evil in the world. Golding demonstrates a clear segregation between characters that are ‘good’ and characters that are ‘evil’ and Kelly voices the opinion that the majority of humans have both of these traits installed in them. Although set in different time periods, the texts explore the fundamental ideas of ‘good’ and ‘evil’ in children and youths and whether this is fatalistically inherited or whether we act in the way we do as a result of situationism.
When discussing the effect of time periods on Golding and Kelly’s presentation of good and evil it is important to understand the historical context of the texts and how society and events at the time influenced the writing of both authors. ‘Lord of the Flies’ was first published in 1954. Both World War One and Two had recently shocked humanity by revealing the darkness that lurks in the heart of man, and
One of the central themes in both William Golding’s ‘Lord of the Flies’ and Dennis Kelly’s ‘DNA’ is good and evil; both texts collectively offering a plethora of theories and ideas about the morals of humans and how they influence their actions. In ‘Lord of the Flies’ a group of British schoolboys are stranded on an island. Far away from the influence of adults, Golding creates a pseudo-civilisation in which he examines the actions of human beings and conveys his ideas of good and evil to the reader. Conversely, ‘DNA’ focuses on a group of twenty- first century teens, (still among a society) where their actions face physical consequences, who attempt to cover up a crime committed by their peers. Kelly, like Golding, addresses the universal morals of humanity, yet seems to be more questioning than axiomatic and certain about the nature of man and whether humans can be explicitly categorised into ‘good’ and ‘evil’. Both texts present the idea that there is both good and evil in the world. Golding demonstrates a clear segregation between characters that are ‘good’ and characters that are ‘evil’ and Kelly voices the opinion that the majority of humans have both of these traits installed in them. Although set in different time periods, the texts explore the fundamental ideas of ‘good’ and ‘evil’ in children and youths and whether this is fatalistically inherited or whether we act in the way we do as a result of situationism.
When discussing the effect of time periods on Golding and Kelly’s presentation of good and evil it is important to understand the historical context of the texts and how society and events at the time influenced the writing of both authors. ‘Lord of the Flies’ was first published in 1954. Both World War One and Two had recently shocked humanity by revealing the darkness that lurks in the heart of man, and