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Nature of Good and Evil in Lord of the Flies

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Nature of Good and Evil in Lord of the Flies
“Lord of the Flies” - Good Versus Evil By Christian Hess. In the advancing ages of modern technology, few questions remain unanswered However, several mysteries still exist, which can not be rationalized or accurately determined with any certainty. One of those questions, is the eternally perpetual pondering of the human nature of mankind. The question remains, and is often analyzed, in attempt to determine if mankind is inherently good, or evil. This question is presented through symbolism in the 1954 novel by William Golding, "Lord of the Flies." The novel has been adapted into two films, one released in 1963 by director Peter Brook, and a second film released in 1990, by director Harry Hook. In whichever form of the story, many interpretations of this eternal question are examined. The story begins when a British plane crashes on the shores of a deserted island. The only survivors of the crash are a group of adolescent boys. Initially the story begins to form around a few major characters. Two young boys named "Ralph" and "Piggy" make the first connection. Ralph represents a fair leader amongst the group. He demonstrates the best intentions for the group, with a democratic approach to accomplishing the goals of the newly formed "tribe." Another example of democracy is displayed with the Conch shell. It is quickly decided that the conch shell would be used during assembly to signify the speaker of the group. If you had a need to voice an opinion, it would be necessary to be holding the Conch. It also was a symbol for the rules. If the conch is blown, an assembly would be called. In addition, it was a tool used to illustrate respect. The conch symbolized not only the respect of the rules, but respect of whomever was using it. "Piggy" is an overweight boy suffering from asthma. He represents the physically weak characteristics of man, unable to provide physical strength to excel over the other boys. Despite is physical shortcomings, he makes up for his


Bibliography: Reddy, Vikas. (2008, November 24). Are Human 's fundamentally evil?. Retrieved from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1221124/ are_humans_fundamentally_evil_in_nature.html?cat=9 Sharpe, A.B. (2009). Evil. Retrieved from http://oce.catholic.com/index.php? title=Evil Levant, Nancy. (2007, August 21). Good vs. evil. Retrieved from http:// www.renewamerica.com/columns/levant/070822
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