Lord of the Flies Thesis
Golding's book "Lord of the Flies" offers a pessimistic outlook that seems to show that man is inherently tied to society, and without it, we would likely return to savagery. I found a fascinating website about the book. Check this out:
Object/Character Represents
Piggy (and Glasses) Clear-sightedness, intelligence. Their state represents the status of social order.
Ralph, The Conch Democracy, Order
Simon Pure Goodness, "Christ Figure"
Roger Evil, Satan
Jack Savagery, Anarchy
The Island A microcosm representing the world
The "Scar" Man's destruction, destructive forces
The Beast The evil residing within everyone, the dark side of human nature.
Lord of the Flies The Devil, great danger or evil
William Golding presented numerous themes and basic ideas that give the reader something to think about. One of the most basic and obvious themes is that society holds everyone together, and without these conditions, our ideals, values, and the basics of right and wrong are lost. Without society's rigid rules, anarchy and savagery can come to light.
Golding is also showing that morals come directly from our surroundings, and if there is no civilization around us, we will lose these values.
Other secondary themes include the following:
* People will abuse power when it's not earned.
* When given a chance, people often single out another to degrade to improve their own security.
* You can only cover up inner savagery so long before it breaks out, given the right situation.
* It's better to examine the consequences of a decision before you make it than to discover them afterward.
* The fear of the unknown can be a powerful force, which can turn you to either insight or hysteria.
Bottom line is: I don't think Lord of the Flies proves that evil is inherent in every man and must conciously controlled. I think it demonstrates that man is absolutely capable of evil and without a moral knowledge base, evil will
Object/Character Represents
Piggy (and Glasses) Clear-sightedness, intelligence. Their state represents the status of social order.
Ralph, The Conch Democracy, Order
Simon Pure Goodness, "Christ Figure"
Roger Evil, Satan
Jack Savagery, Anarchy
The Island A microcosm representing the world
The "Scar" Man's destruction, destructive forces
The Beast The evil residing within everyone, the dark side of human nature.
Lord of the Flies The Devil, great danger or evil
William Golding presented numerous themes and basic ideas that give the reader something to think about. One of the most basic and obvious themes is that society holds everyone together, and without these conditions, our ideals, values, and the basics of right and wrong are lost. Without society's rigid rules, anarchy and savagery can come to light.
Golding is also showing that morals come directly from our surroundings, and if there is no civilization around us, we will lose these values.
Other secondary themes include the following:
* People will abuse power when it's not earned.
* When given a chance, people often single out another to degrade to improve their own security.
* You can only cover up inner savagery so long before it breaks out, given the right situation.
* It's better to examine the consequences of a decision before you make it than to discover them afterward.
* The fear of the unknown can be a powerful force, which can turn you to either insight or hysteria.
Bottom line is: I don't think Lord of the Flies proves that evil is inherent in every man and must conciously controlled. I think it demonstrates that man is absolutely capable of evil and without a moral knowledge base, evil will