Lord Of The Flies Identity Analysis

The Death of Society,
Violence, and Loss of Identity in Lord of the Flies
By William Golding

Ben Smith
ENG 2DG
Mr. Risk
December 6, 2012

Violence and Loss of Identity in Lord of the Flies Ben Smith

The novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding is about a group of boys who are stranded on an island. At first, the boys establish order, but as the novel progresses this order deteriorates and the boys become very uncivilized. Golding uses the development of characters to show that humans, when lacking a formal identity and accountability for their actions, will act in a manner of violence, and from this a dangerous environment can develop. Golding demonstrates
On the first pig hunt, Jack has the opportunity to kill his first pig, but he hesitates and it escapes unharmed. He hesitates because of the “enormity of the knife... cutting into living flesh”(31) . At this time he is unchanged and still has a very strong connection with his old society which forced upon him a civil identity. His inability to spill the pig’s blood is a sign that the constraints that civilization put on him are still restraining his actions. After Jack applies the mask to himself, however, his destructive actions appear. Golding describes the mask as “a thing on its own, behind which Jack hid.”(64) . The mask removes responsibility from Jack, allowing him to do more aggressive things. Moments after killing a sow quite excitedly and covering his hands in its blood, he “giggled and flicked them” (135) toward Roger. The action of him enjoying the misfortune of an animal is one that the Jack who first landed on the island would never have done. His violence towards pigs is not completely for survival now, as he is hunting for the joy of taking the life of an animal. When he leaves the main group, and designates himself as Chief in his own, he reaches the peak of his violence. Now his appearance is altered and the name “Jack” is not used anymore. His identity is completely covered and this gives him the freedom to do
He immediately shows vicious tendencies when he is throwing rocks near Henry, but “ there was a space round Henry...into which he dare not throw”(62) . This space is described as the “taboo of the old life.” (62). Roger still possesses the civilized identity that society forced upon him, and this stops him from throwing rocks directly at Henry. There is a direct link between the escalated violence of Jack and that of Roger. When Jack becomes Chief of his new tribe, Roger becomes increasingly vicious. When Ralph and Piggy try to their differences between Jack’s tribe, “Roger, with a sense of delirious abandonment, [leans] all his weight on the lever” (180) and kills Piggy. The restraints that his former society put on him are no longer determining his actions. He knows that leaning on the lever will kill Piggy, and continues with the intent of a true savage. When confronting Sam and Eric, Roger desires to hurt and punish them, but he “edged past the chief, only just avoiding pushing him with his shoulder.” (182) Roger, although not showing his desire, yearns to be in a position where he can commit violent acts with no repercussions, and the idea of committing mutiny and overpowering the Chief is one that is intriguing to him, but society still restrains him from doing such a thing. He then moves towards Sam and Eric as “one wielding nameless authority”. (182) Roger has power because he is