Lord of the Flies: A Grotesque View on Human Behavior
Savagery is Mankind’s Instinct When Taken Away from Consistency William Golding’s Lord of the Flies casts a pessimistic and grotesque view on human behaviour in the world. Through the novel the symbolism we see how quickly humanity can be changed. It shows the gradual downfall of democracy and the up roar of a power-hungry dictatorship, proving that; when man is strained from civilization it leads to savagery and loss of morals which results in inability to self-regulate. During Simon’s vision in the glade, the Lord of the flies approaches him and says;
There isn’t anyone to help you. Only me. And I’m the beast…
Fancy thinking the beast was something that could hunt and kill! ... You knew didn’t you? I’m part of you? Close, close, close! I’m the reason why it’s a no go? Why things are the way they are?”
(Golding 158)
In chapter five Simon has a hunch that the beast is really the boys themselves and the words spoken by the Lord of the flies confirms that hunch. The idea of the evil on the island being within the boys is control to the novels exploration of innate human savagery. Simon says “What I mean is… maybe it’s only in us” (96). The lord of the flies proclaims itself as the beast and admits to Simon that it does exist within all human beings. Simon is shocked and petrified by his new discovery so he tries to go back and communicate with the other boys but their bewildered savage attitude over whelms them to the point where they mistake Simon for the beast itself which result in them killing him. Overall these quotes represent the boys enhanced personality traits from good to evil. A little after the boy’s arrival on the island the boy’s outer appearance became more wild-like. Jack concealed from the sun, knelt by the pool and opened the two large leaves that he carried. One of them contained white clay, and the other red… he smeared on the clay… ‘For hunting. Like the war.
You know—dazzle paint. Like things trying to look like
There isn’t anyone to help you. Only me. And I’m the beast…
Fancy thinking the beast was something that could hunt and kill! ... You knew didn’t you? I’m part of you? Close, close, close! I’m the reason why it’s a no go? Why things are the way they are?”
(Golding 158)
In chapter five Simon has a hunch that the beast is really the boys themselves and the words spoken by the Lord of the flies confirms that hunch. The idea of the evil on the island being within the boys is control to the novels exploration of innate human savagery. Simon says “What I mean is… maybe it’s only in us” (96). The lord of the flies proclaims itself as the beast and admits to Simon that it does exist within all human beings. Simon is shocked and petrified by his new discovery so he tries to go back and communicate with the other boys but their bewildered savage attitude over whelms them to the point where they mistake Simon for the beast itself which result in them killing him. Overall these quotes represent the boys enhanced personality traits from good to evil. A little after the boy’s arrival on the island the boy’s outer appearance became more wild-like. Jack concealed from the sun, knelt by the pool and opened the two large leaves that he carried. One of them contained white clay, and the other red… he smeared on the clay… ‘For hunting. Like the war.
You know—dazzle paint. Like things trying to look like