Lord of the Flies Essay

The heavily debated topic on people being “born evil” has been around for over decades. One can argue society corrupts us and brings evil upon us, but the other side pronounces everybody born evil and fully capable of possessing it from the start. Evil is all around us and inherently, residing in us too. Under certain circumstances evil is prominently shown such as in a group of marooned schoolboys on an island with no supervision. Through the pros and cons of an island lacking guidance, the boys will discover how powerful the evil inside them can truly be. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, the decline in civilization stems from the innate evil within all humans due to the children’s newfound savagery, demonstrating that humans are always conflicting with the evil they are capable of possessing. The boys’ savage new ways have conquered the tribe and are the inception of their decline in civilization. One example of how the savagery of the boys on the island has lead to a decline in their civilization is when Simon considers the ultimatum of them being the beast when he concludes, “‘What I mean is...maybe it’s only us’” (80). He proposes this theory during a meeting where everyone begins to laugh. Not too long after, Ralph senses, “The world, that understandable and lawful world, was slipping away” (82). Ralph senses their grip on the rational world they once knew has escaped from their reach. Without adults to set limits, there is no order on the island. The once innocent and civil boys with no worries of such a beast, have became one. The new savage civilization they take part in on the island has engulfed them, blinding them of their true values they originally held. Their new behavior leads to a corrupt civilization with only hunting and killing on their minds instead of more significant duties to attend to, such as keeping the fire alive as a rescue. The interest they take in hunting and killing is a prime illustration for the breakthrough of