Power-Lust In William Golding's 'Lord Of The Flies'
Symbolic representation of power-lust in Golding’s “THE LORD OF FLIES”
SANA NISAR,
INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN
CATCH LINE
Introduction
William Golding
Modern age
Lord of the flies
Themes symbolic representation of power in lord of flies examples reference from text
conclusion reference list
“Lord of the flies” is the Modern novel written William Golding. Modern period consists of half a century, (1880-1930). Modern period broke away with previous literary and every day traditions and culture with a slogan “make it new”. Modernism is characterized by development, …show more content…
technology, education, nationalism, subjectivity, capitalism, newness of civilization, cultural clashes, democracy and lust of power.
The cause of modernism was this lust for power, which can be seen in many aspects. It can be divided in two main categories, lust for economic power, and lust for rule. This aspect of covetousness of power is very prominent is modern literary works. Though Golding’s lord of the flies inculcates all modern aspects including clash of civilization with savagery, fear of unknown, identity crises, survival issues and most important the corruption of power. Power is the ability to control and influence someone. Mainly power of two types are practiced, the democratic and the dictatorial. Former is the one which includes public in its working while later is one man rule. This struggle can be seen in history of the world as well. This idea of hunger of power is central
theme and reflected through symbolism. In lord of the flies idea of power is shown as the struggle for survival in a place where there is no law and rules. The boys Ralph, the protagonist and jack the antagonist yearn for power and control on other boys and automatically for the island. Actually Golding tries to explore the human nature that how men control their savage-self. How they behave when they are given a chance to practice the power without any check on them. The novel shows this tussle of power gain and boys reaction towards the suppression and wilderness of evil inside them. In novel lord of the flies, there is a major theme of power which influences the novel. The story begins when a plane crashes and boys are scattered on an unknown deserted island. And two boys piggy and ralph meet each other on the beach and we can see this having-power influence through Ralph’s behavior towards piggy. Then they decide to gather all the survived boys. The struggle of having power can be seen in reflection of major events happening in book: Ralph’s election as chief, jack’s dictatorship’ jack’s rebellion against ralph and then fire in the jungle. The tussle begins between Ralph as elected chief and jack as dictatorial leader. This power-chase game is illustrated through different symbols.
The main symbol in the start of book is Conch and Piggy finds that. He has seen it before and knows that it is used as a tool to produce loud voice. He gives this idea of using conch to call other boys scattered on island to Ralph. “I have seen one like this, on someone’s back wall. A conch he called it. He used to blow it….[p.16], “we can use this to call the others. Have a meeting…..” [Page 17]*. This gives it more purpose then just being an instrument to make loud voice. They use it to call others and boys do gather on their call. The power of conch can be seen well when Ralph is elected as chief, “and most obscurely, yet most powerfully, there was the conch, {T} …. Him with the shell. Ralph, Ralph, let him be the chief with the trumpet-thing” {page 16}*. Afterwards whoever holds conch in their meetings, speak and everyone accepts it. Hence this conch symbolizes law and order, a main characteristic of democracy, the power of public, the power for the public. Ralph directs the group of boys and asks for their help and coordination to get out of the island. Thus a kind of civilized society comes in existence which has laws and order. Piggy can be credited as the founder of civilized society because he gave the idea of using conch. This conch shell symbolizes civility and power of law and order. But when story moves forward, and power goes to Jack, the conch gradually loses its effect. In the end of novel democratic power system is overtaken by dictatorial rule with the breaking of conch shell, “[….] the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist.” In next few lines Jack says, [….] the conch is gone----.[…] “I’m chief”! ” [page 200]**. The shattered shell reflects the terminated democracy and broken civilization with its rationality. Moreover Jack’s words “conch is gone” determine that his dictatorship and inside-evil has prevailed. So in this sense conch was the nucleus holding democratic power and with its destruction, that power died.
Another metaphor for power is Piggy’s glasses, as they are only tool for lighting a signal fire. Ralph comes with this idea of using Piggy’s glasses so the power ultimately goes in his hand because Piggy is following Ralph. This makes Ralph superior over Jack who later lurks for this power. Jack steals Piggy’s glasses and thus this power comes in his hands. Jack shows off his superiority over democratic power of Ralph by killing Piggy. We can see it in other context as well, as Piggy symbolizes reason and logic, so stealing of his specs might be interpreted as making his vision/mind blind or vogue. In other words act of stealing Piggy’s glasses reflects termination of the power of reason and logic which is mandatory for power of members of the public, “they didn’t come for conch. They came for something else. Ralph--- what am I going to do?”[t]….he was a chief now in truth…………from his left hand dangled piggy’s broken glasses” {page 186} ***. Jack’s only purpose of stealing Piggy’s specs is to cook pork but consequences of this act is blindness of Piggy and in the form of loss of hope of his lot to attract a rescue ship by lighting a signal fire. Other things like food and dancing, celebration of hunt also shows tussle of these two groups in sense of economic power. Eating pork and dancing and making noise goes on the side of luxurious life. But actually it shows decay of nature and resources. It’s the pork which attracts the most of the boys to Jack’s group because their appetite for meat becomes their weakness. Thus Ralph again loses power and control over boys. He wants them to focus the tasks he has assigned but boys prefer to work for Jack, as in return he gives them pork to eat.
The more significant symbol of dictatorial as well as evil/dark power is “hunt” played by Jack and his lot to which he calls as “his tribe”. When for the first time, Jack sees a sow in jungle while exploring island, his eyes blinked to see that sow. this instinct to hunt in Jack shows his inclination towards evil power and dark side of this world. He doesn’t care about others but his own wild desires. So to keep control over boys he creates fear of beast” unknown” in them. He lives for hunting the animals of island and leaves a part of hunt for the nonexistent beast to make boys to follow him. This significance given to beast by Jack shows rise of his dictatorship, kept alive by making boys his subject while making them scared of beast. “And about the beast. When we will kill we will leave some kill for it. Then it won’t bother us, may be”. [146]****.Thus Jack controls others mind by making them sure safe of beast by his hunt. Then they hunt, and Jack leaves sow’s head on the spear in the middle of the forest. This head of pig shows Jack’s barbaric attitude and cruelty and his evil side. “This head is for the beast. It’s a gift”. This lust of power and controls grows more in the Jack and provokes in other boys, the littluns and the bigguns. Such provocation of love for power results in the death of two human beings, Simon and the Piggy. We can see it with reference of Roger because in chapter 4, he follows Henry to the shore where Henry plays and Roger keeps disturbing him and throws stone him while hiding in palm trees. When it comes to Piggy’s murder though the murderer is Roger but still responsibilities goes to Jack. It’s because Roger follows his instructions as other boys do. while Roger is about to hit piggy, Jack doesn’t stop him.;[T]high overhead, Roger, …….leaned all his weight on the lever.[T]…the rock struck the piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; [T]…Piggy’s arms and legs twitched a bit, like a pig’s after it has been killed”.{page 200}. After Piggy’s death, when Jack realizes that Ralph has no one on his side and his power is gone as well.so jack declares himself again as “I am chief” {page 200}, and tries to kill Ralph and chases him in jungle as Ralph is an animal. “viciously , with full intention , he {jack} hurled his spear on ralph.[T]……..Ralph turned and ran” {page 200-201}*****.So in the end of novel, we come across Jack’s open dictatorship and hunger of power, that he knows Ralph has nothing now but still he wants to kill him. Only to satisfy his inner self and to quench his thirst of power, Jack is ready to kill his opponent or anybody else. This barbaric dictatorial practice is seen in other examples as well .For examples Jack orders Roger to make enter Sam and Eric in his tribe forcefully by torturing both of them. This trick is successful as well because both twins’ Sam and Eric join Jack’s tribe only because of fear and pain caused by Roger. The hangman’s horror clung round him [Roger]. The chief said no more to him but looked down at Samneric. “You go to join the tribe.” {Page 201}******. Another instance of this covetousness of power can be seen in actions of Henry, the littlun. He goes on shore and tries to make small sea creature his subjects by giving them order and controlling their movement. He poked about with a bit of stick [...] and tried to control the motions of the scavengers. He made little runnels that the tide filled and tried to crowd them with creatures. He became absorbed beyond mere happiness as he felt himself exercising control over living things. He talked to them, urging them, ordering them. Driven back by the tide, his footprints became bays in which they were trapped and gave him the illusion of mastery. {Page 66}*******.From this perspective we can clearly see that everyone desires to have power over anything, even on animals. No matters whether subjects are willing or not but in order to survive they have to allow “the chief” to do whatever he want, with them and have to obey him. This covetousness of practicing power is in everyone whether a child or an adult. To sum up, we can say that there are different symbols which illustrate social –power relations in Golding’s lord of the flies. The conch shell is the symbol of democratic power, in hands of Ralph later destroyed by Jack. Piggy’s glasses are another symbol of power, which Ralph uses to lit rescue fire-signal while broadening his vision with the help of logic and reason in quest of survival. But Jack’s steals piggy’s specs for only purpose of roasting pork without any intention of social welfare or helping others. Hunting and creation of beast by Jack reflects his one man rule. If there were not these two things, Jack’s lot will be a different group. Hanging of pig’s head in forest shows Jack’s wild, unrestraint evil self. So this is how being a “chief” for Ralph and Jack is different. All above mentioned symbols are important entities reflecting different impacts of a single power, both in Ralph and Jack’s hands. Thus Golding has described modern era dilemma of appetite of power through these symbols in social, economic and political aspects.
CATALOUGE
References from the text, THE LORD OF FLIES * CHAPTER 1, THE SOUND OF THE SHELL
** CHAPTER 11, CASTLE ROCK.
*** CHAPTER 10, THE SHELL AND THE GLASSES
**** CHAPTER 8, GIFT FOR THE DARKNESS
*****CHAPTER 10, THE SHELL AND THE GLASSES
****** CHAPTER 11, CASTLE ROCK
******* CHAPTER 4, PAINTED FACES AND LOG HAIR
SANA NISAR,
INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN
CATCH LINE
Introduction
William Golding
Modern age
Lord of the flies
Themes symbolic representation of power in lord of flies examples reference from text
conclusion reference list
“Lord of the flies” is the Modern novel written William Golding. Modern period consists of half a century, (1880-1930). Modern period broke away with previous literary and every day traditions and culture with a slogan “make it new”. Modernism is characterized by development, …show more content…
technology, education, nationalism, subjectivity, capitalism, newness of civilization, cultural clashes, democracy and lust of power.
The cause of modernism was this lust for power, which can be seen in many aspects. It can be divided in two main categories, lust for economic power, and lust for rule. This aspect of covetousness of power is very prominent is modern literary works. Though Golding’s lord of the flies inculcates all modern aspects including clash of civilization with savagery, fear of unknown, identity crises, survival issues and most important the corruption of power. Power is the ability to control and influence someone. Mainly power of two types are practiced, the democratic and the dictatorial. Former is the one which includes public in its working while later is one man rule. This struggle can be seen in history of the world as well. This idea of hunger of power is central
theme and reflected through symbolism. In lord of the flies idea of power is shown as the struggle for survival in a place where there is no law and rules. The boys Ralph, the protagonist and jack the antagonist yearn for power and control on other boys and automatically for the island. Actually Golding tries to explore the human nature that how men control their savage-self. How they behave when they are given a chance to practice the power without any check on them. The novel shows this tussle of power gain and boys reaction towards the suppression and wilderness of evil inside them. In novel lord of the flies, there is a major theme of power which influences the novel. The story begins when a plane crashes and boys are scattered on an unknown deserted island. And two boys piggy and ralph meet each other on the beach and we can see this having-power influence through Ralph’s behavior towards piggy. Then they decide to gather all the survived boys. The struggle of having power can be seen in reflection of major events happening in book: Ralph’s election as chief, jack’s dictatorship’ jack’s rebellion against ralph and then fire in the jungle. The tussle begins between Ralph as elected chief and jack as dictatorial leader. This power-chase game is illustrated through different symbols.
The main symbol in the start of book is Conch and Piggy finds that. He has seen it before and knows that it is used as a tool to produce loud voice. He gives this idea of using conch to call other boys scattered on island to Ralph. “I have seen one like this, on someone’s back wall. A conch he called it. He used to blow it….[p.16], “we can use this to call the others. Have a meeting…..” [Page 17]*. This gives it more purpose then just being an instrument to make loud voice. They use it to call others and boys do gather on their call. The power of conch can be seen well when Ralph is elected as chief, “and most obscurely, yet most powerfully, there was the conch, {T} …. Him with the shell. Ralph, Ralph, let him be the chief with the trumpet-thing” {page 16}*. Afterwards whoever holds conch in their meetings, speak and everyone accepts it. Hence this conch symbolizes law and order, a main characteristic of democracy, the power of public, the power for the public. Ralph directs the group of boys and asks for their help and coordination to get out of the island. Thus a kind of civilized society comes in existence which has laws and order. Piggy can be credited as the founder of civilized society because he gave the idea of using conch. This conch shell symbolizes civility and power of law and order. But when story moves forward, and power goes to Jack, the conch gradually loses its effect. In the end of novel democratic power system is overtaken by dictatorial rule with the breaking of conch shell, “[….] the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist.” In next few lines Jack says, [….] the conch is gone----.[…] “I’m chief”! ” [page 200]**. The shattered shell reflects the terminated democracy and broken civilization with its rationality. Moreover Jack’s words “conch is gone” determine that his dictatorship and inside-evil has prevailed. So in this sense conch was the nucleus holding democratic power and with its destruction, that power died.
Another metaphor for power is Piggy’s glasses, as they are only tool for lighting a signal fire. Ralph comes with this idea of using Piggy’s glasses so the power ultimately goes in his hand because Piggy is following Ralph. This makes Ralph superior over Jack who later lurks for this power. Jack steals Piggy’s glasses and thus this power comes in his hands. Jack shows off his superiority over democratic power of Ralph by killing Piggy. We can see it in other context as well, as Piggy symbolizes reason and logic, so stealing of his specs might be interpreted as making his vision/mind blind or vogue. In other words act of stealing Piggy’s glasses reflects termination of the power of reason and logic which is mandatory for power of members of the public, “they didn’t come for conch. They came for something else. Ralph--- what am I going to do?”[t]….he was a chief now in truth…………from his left hand dangled piggy’s broken glasses” {page 186} ***. Jack’s only purpose of stealing Piggy’s specs is to cook pork but consequences of this act is blindness of Piggy and in the form of loss of hope of his lot to attract a rescue ship by lighting a signal fire. Other things like food and dancing, celebration of hunt also shows tussle of these two groups in sense of economic power. Eating pork and dancing and making noise goes on the side of luxurious life. But actually it shows decay of nature and resources. It’s the pork which attracts the most of the boys to Jack’s group because their appetite for meat becomes their weakness. Thus Ralph again loses power and control over boys. He wants them to focus the tasks he has assigned but boys prefer to work for Jack, as in return he gives them pork to eat.
The more significant symbol of dictatorial as well as evil/dark power is “hunt” played by Jack and his lot to which he calls as “his tribe”. When for the first time, Jack sees a sow in jungle while exploring island, his eyes blinked to see that sow. this instinct to hunt in Jack shows his inclination towards evil power and dark side of this world. He doesn’t care about others but his own wild desires. So to keep control over boys he creates fear of beast” unknown” in them. He lives for hunting the animals of island and leaves a part of hunt for the nonexistent beast to make boys to follow him. This significance given to beast by Jack shows rise of his dictatorship, kept alive by making boys his subject while making them scared of beast. “And about the beast. When we will kill we will leave some kill for it. Then it won’t bother us, may be”. [146]****.Thus Jack controls others mind by making them sure safe of beast by his hunt. Then they hunt, and Jack leaves sow’s head on the spear in the middle of the forest. This head of pig shows Jack’s barbaric attitude and cruelty and his evil side. “This head is for the beast. It’s a gift”. This lust of power and controls grows more in the Jack and provokes in other boys, the littluns and the bigguns. Such provocation of love for power results in the death of two human beings, Simon and the Piggy. We can see it with reference of Roger because in chapter 4, he follows Henry to the shore where Henry plays and Roger keeps disturbing him and throws stone him while hiding in palm trees. When it comes to Piggy’s murder though the murderer is Roger but still responsibilities goes to Jack. It’s because Roger follows his instructions as other boys do. while Roger is about to hit piggy, Jack doesn’t stop him.;[T]high overhead, Roger, …….leaned all his weight on the lever.[T]…the rock struck the piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; [T]…Piggy’s arms and legs twitched a bit, like a pig’s after it has been killed”.{page 200}. After Piggy’s death, when Jack realizes that Ralph has no one on his side and his power is gone as well.so jack declares himself again as “I am chief” {page 200}, and tries to kill Ralph and chases him in jungle as Ralph is an animal. “viciously , with full intention , he {jack} hurled his spear on ralph.[T]……..Ralph turned and ran” {page 200-201}*****.So in the end of novel, we come across Jack’s open dictatorship and hunger of power, that he knows Ralph has nothing now but still he wants to kill him. Only to satisfy his inner self and to quench his thirst of power, Jack is ready to kill his opponent or anybody else. This barbaric dictatorial practice is seen in other examples as well .For examples Jack orders Roger to make enter Sam and Eric in his tribe forcefully by torturing both of them. This trick is successful as well because both twins’ Sam and Eric join Jack’s tribe only because of fear and pain caused by Roger. The hangman’s horror clung round him [Roger]. The chief said no more to him but looked down at Samneric. “You go to join the tribe.” {Page 201}******. Another instance of this covetousness of power can be seen in actions of Henry, the littlun. He goes on shore and tries to make small sea creature his subjects by giving them order and controlling their movement. He poked about with a bit of stick [...] and tried to control the motions of the scavengers. He made little runnels that the tide filled and tried to crowd them with creatures. He became absorbed beyond mere happiness as he felt himself exercising control over living things. He talked to them, urging them, ordering them. Driven back by the tide, his footprints became bays in which they were trapped and gave him the illusion of mastery. {Page 66}*******.From this perspective we can clearly see that everyone desires to have power over anything, even on animals. No matters whether subjects are willing or not but in order to survive they have to allow “the chief” to do whatever he want, with them and have to obey him. This covetousness of practicing power is in everyone whether a child or an adult. To sum up, we can say that there are different symbols which illustrate social –power relations in Golding’s lord of the flies. The conch shell is the symbol of democratic power, in hands of Ralph later destroyed by Jack. Piggy’s glasses are another symbol of power, which Ralph uses to lit rescue fire-signal while broadening his vision with the help of logic and reason in quest of survival. But Jack’s steals piggy’s specs for only purpose of roasting pork without any intention of social welfare or helping others. Hunting and creation of beast by Jack reflects his one man rule. If there were not these two things, Jack’s lot will be a different group. Hanging of pig’s head in forest shows Jack’s wild, unrestraint evil self. So this is how being a “chief” for Ralph and Jack is different. All above mentioned symbols are important entities reflecting different impacts of a single power, both in Ralph and Jack’s hands. Thus Golding has described modern era dilemma of appetite of power through these symbols in social, economic and political aspects.
CATALOUGE
References from the text, THE LORD OF FLIES * CHAPTER 1, THE SOUND OF THE SHELL
** CHAPTER 11, CASTLE ROCK.
*** CHAPTER 10, THE SHELL AND THE GLASSES
**** CHAPTER 8, GIFT FOR THE DARKNESS
*****CHAPTER 10, THE SHELL AND THE GLASSES
****** CHAPTER 11, CASTLE ROCK
******* CHAPTER 4, PAINTED FACES AND LOG HAIR