Savagery In Lord Of The Flies Essay
In Lord of the Flies, Golding discusses the complex relationships between society, morality and human nature. He examines two central concepts in Lord of the Flies: the nature of evil and civilisation vs. savagery, and both are intrinsically linked with each other. Within the topic of the nature of evil, Golding develops various ideas, the most important of which is that human nature is innately evil. This idea is closely related to the conflict of civilisation vs. savagery (or good vs. evil). Golding implies that the condition of society (i.e. the balance between civilisation and savagery) is very dependent on how much moral integrity its inhabitants have (i.e. the capacity of its inhabitants to embrace their natural instincts of evil). In
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Lord of the Flies, Golding examines and explains these two intertwined concepts through the use of character, setting, and various language techniques such as allegory, symbolism and imagery.
Golding explores the concept of the human nature being innately evil through symbolism, and Biblical allegory and allusion. The beast is a powerful symbol of the natural evil within the human spirit. The true meaning of the “beastie” is explained during Simon’s hallucination: ‘“Fancy thinking the beast was something you could kill!” said the head. ... “You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you? Close, close, close! I’m the reason why it’s no go? Why things are the way they are?”’ This quote is from the Lord of the Flies, and it finally reveals who the beast really is. It is not an evilly-intended external force; it is the primal savagery within the boys themselves. Lord of the Flies is also a Biblical allegory, with many scenes in the novel draw parallels with scenes from the Bible, and this is definitely one of them. In the context of the Bible, therefore, Simon, one of the only characters who seem to possess an innate natural goodness rather than evil, is very similar to Jesus, and the Lord of the Flies recalls the Devil. In fact, the “Lord of the Flies” is actually a literal translation of Beelzebub, an alternative name to Satan. The Bible is
again alluded to, when Jack recalls killing his first pig: “His mind was crowded with memories; memories of the knowledge that had come to them when they closed in on the struggling pig, knowledge that they had outwitted a living thing, imposed their will upon it, taken away its life like a long satisfying drink.” This is a reference to the Christian concept of Original Sin: the words “knowledge that had come to them” indicates that their ancestors had done this before, that killing and savagery is now embedded in the human psyche. The last simile also emphasises the joy and triumph that Jack feels from killing, implying that not only is human nature innately evil, but that we also get satisfaction and pleasure from being savage. Through these examples, we can see that Golding develops the theme of the innate evil of human nature through powerful symbolism of the beast and the sow’s head, Biblical allegory and allusion, and imagery.
Another central concern is the conflict between civilisation and savagery. Lord of the Flies is an allegorical novel on many levels, and Golding has developed this abstract theme within the concrete image of the island, which is a microcosm of the real world. The two main characters in the novel, Ralph and Jack, personify the qualities of civilisation and savagery respectively. The differing ideologies are portrayed through the boys’ differing attitudes to power, rules and law and order. The constant angry dialogue between the two gives the reader an insight as to their different viewpoints: ‘“Because rules are the only thing we got!” But Jack was shouting against him. “Bollocks to the rules! We’re strong—we hunt!”’ The exclamation marks and short, emphatic statements highlight their differing attitudes towards law and order. While Ralph uses his authority to establish proper rules, protect the good of the group and enforce the moral and social codes of the proper English society the boys were raised in, Jack values strength, violence, and the ability to hunt. Later on in the novel, Jack’s power over the other boys has increased, emphasised in the following quote: “Power lay in the brown swell of his forearms: authority sat on his shoulders and chattered in his ear like an ape.” The personification of authority and simile emphasises the primitive nature of Jack’s power, and refers to the beast, suggesting that Jack uses fear to rule the boys. This idea is further emphasised by the following simile: “Jack sat there, painted and garlanded, like an idol. ” Idols are often associated with far-off, unknown communities and strange, non-Christian beliefs—the boys’ initial ideas of savagery. This emphasis on the primitive nature of Jack’s power underlines the difference between him and Ralph, the democratically elected chief. Through symbolism, allegorical characters and imagery, Golding has portrayed the basic conflict between civilisation and savagery.
Golding also uses the symbolism of the conch shell and the signal fire to reflect what the balance is between civilisation and savagery on the island and in its inhabitants. “Civilisation barometers”, these objects accentuate the boys’ struggle to remain civilised and not give in to their innate human evil. The conch shell is the main symbol of order and democracy, and in the beginning, is an actual vessel of democratic power: “I’ll give the conch to the next person to speak. He can hold it when he’s speaking.” This quote from Ralph shows his childish innocence and depicts the children trying to be “grown-ups”. The boys share Ralph’s belief in following rules, and having democracy and order, still clinging onto their civilised, moral, “proper English schoolboy” upbringing. However, by the end of the novel, the boys have completely lost their innocence and given into their innate barbaric nature, symbolised through the death of Piggy and the smashing of the conch, caused by Roger. “Piggy [was] still holding out the talisman, the fragile, shining beauty of the shell. The storm of sound beat at them, an incantation of hatred. High overhead, Roger, with a sense of delirious abandonment, leaned all his weight on the lever. ... The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist.” The imagery preceding the main event draws the reader into the story, and the contrast between the first two sentences heightens the tension. The hyperbole and short, direct sentence structure of “the conch exploded into a thousand fragments and ceased to exist” emphasises the significance of this event within the entire novel—the destruction of the conch and Piggy’s death signals the end of civilisation and democracy on the island, and savagery and violence are now completely free to reign. Golding uses dramatic visualization to describe Piggy’s death in gruesome detail: “His head opened and stuff came out and turned red. Piggy’s arms and legs twitched a bit, like a pig’s after it has been killed. Then the sea breathed again in a long, slow sigh, the water boiled white and pink over the rock; and when it went, sucking back again, the body of Piggy was gone.” The impersonal, matter-of-fact tone of the third person narrator underlines the inevitability of Piggy’s death, and highlights the boys’ heartless cruelty towards one of their own. By using such a direct, straightforward tone, Golding implies that because of humanity’s innate evilness, savagery would always end up triumphing over morality, democracy and order. Golding develops the symbol of the conch shell representing civilisation, democracy and law and order, and its eventual demise, through the use of dialogue, tone and imagery.
Golding also uses the signal fire as an important symbol of how much the boys have succumbed to their primal savage instincts. At the beginning of the novel, when everyone is eager to get rescued and the lessons of civility are still fresh in their minds, the signal fire is kept burning brightly: “Life became a race with the fire ... To keep a clean flag of flame flying on the mountain was the immediate end and no one looked further.” The hyperbole and alliteration in this quote depict how enthusiastic and committed the boys are to keeping the fire and the smoke going, at this stage in the novel, which shows their desire to be rescued and to return to civilisation. Later on, when the ship comes and goes, Golding describes the state of the signal fire in a very different way: ‘At last the words of the chant floated up to them, across the bowl of blackened wood and ashes. “Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood.”’ The image of the signal fire that this metaphor creates is one of hopelessness and despair. Ashes, soot and the colour black are all associated with loss and misery: their lost chance to be rescued, their misery over that lost chance, and the loss of the boys’ moral integrity to obey Ralph’s orders and do the right thing. The importance of the boys’ decision, between hunting and rescue, is highlighted through the italicising of the chant and the violent imperative language, foreshadowing the ultimate descent into barbarity that the boys will take in the future. When the boys lose interest in morality, rules and order, and become more accepting of their innate cruelty, the signal fire is low or completely out. In this way, through the use of imagery, Golding develops the symbol of the signal fire as an indicator of the balance between civilisation and savagery on the island.
The conflict between civilisation and savagery can also be seen in Golding’s description of the setting throughout the novel. As mentioned before, Lord of the Flies is a Biblical allegory, and the island is symbolic of the Garden of Eden: the perfect paradise, before man came and corrupted it with his sin and evilness. Golding develops this idea through contrasting imagery of the setting. In the first chapter: “It [the water] was clear to the bottom and bright with the efflorescence of tropical weed and coral. A school of tiny, glistening fish flicked hither and thither.” This vivid imagery and emotive language paints a beautiful picture, and the clarity of the water, brightness of the colours and presence of life indicates the perfection of the island. There is nothing evil, nothing violent, and the island is untouched in its natural, harmonious state. However, as the novel progresses, the imagery of the boys’ surroundings begins to get darker, as their souls open up to the idea of evil and savagery. “the vast stretches of water, the high sea beyond, unknown indigo of indefinite possibility; heard silently the sough and whisper from the reef” The adjectives and word choice in this quote evoke different emotions to the previous example: fear of the unknown is starting to set in, dissent is growing among the boys, and they are ever more open to the instincts of killing and violence. “Then the clouds opened and let down the rain like a waterfall. The water bounded from the mountain-top, tore leaves and branches from the trees, poured like a cold shower over the struggling heap in the sand.” This quote is from the end of the novel, just after the boys have killed Simon, their first act of murder. The darkness of this dramatic image created by harsh, unpleasant similes emphasises the horrific significance of this act, and what it means for the rest of the boys. Even Piggy and Ralph, the two boys who symbolise civilisation and morality, have participated in this ultimate act of evil, which is also reminiscent of the Crucifixion of Jesus. Golding uses emotive language and imagery, in combination with Biblical allusion and allegory, to compare the state of the island before and after the boys have arrived and polluted this previous paradise with their innate evil and savagery.
Lord of the Flies is a very complex and deep novel, but its central concerns are the innate evil of human nature, and how it affects the timeless conflict between civilisation and savagery. Golding develops these two themes through the use of allegory, symbolism and imagery, as well as using characters and setting to give these abstract ideas a more concrete image.
Lord of the Flies, Golding examines and explains these two intertwined concepts through the use of character, setting, and various language techniques such as allegory, symbolism and imagery.
Golding explores the concept of the human nature being innately evil through symbolism, and Biblical allegory and allusion. The beast is a powerful symbol of the natural evil within the human spirit. The true meaning of the “beastie” is explained during Simon’s hallucination: ‘“Fancy thinking the beast was something you could kill!” said the head. ... “You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you? Close, close, close! I’m the reason why it’s no go? Why things are the way they are?”’ This quote is from the Lord of the Flies, and it finally reveals who the beast really is. It is not an evilly-intended external force; it is the primal savagery within the boys themselves. Lord of the Flies is also a Biblical allegory, with many scenes in the novel draw parallels with scenes from the Bible, and this is definitely one of them. In the context of the Bible, therefore, Simon, one of the only characters who seem to possess an innate natural goodness rather than evil, is very similar to Jesus, and the Lord of the Flies recalls the Devil. In fact, the “Lord of the Flies” is actually a literal translation of Beelzebub, an alternative name to Satan. The Bible is
again alluded to, when Jack recalls killing his first pig: “His mind was crowded with memories; memories of the knowledge that had come to them when they closed in on the struggling pig, knowledge that they had outwitted a living thing, imposed their will upon it, taken away its life like a long satisfying drink.” This is a reference to the Christian concept of Original Sin: the words “knowledge that had come to them” indicates that their ancestors had done this before, that killing and savagery is now embedded in the human psyche. The last simile also emphasises the joy and triumph that Jack feels from killing, implying that not only is human nature innately evil, but that we also get satisfaction and pleasure from being savage. Through these examples, we can see that Golding develops the theme of the innate evil of human nature through powerful symbolism of the beast and the sow’s head, Biblical allegory and allusion, and imagery.
Another central concern is the conflict between civilisation and savagery. Lord of the Flies is an allegorical novel on many levels, and Golding has developed this abstract theme within the concrete image of the island, which is a microcosm of the real world. The two main characters in the novel, Ralph and Jack, personify the qualities of civilisation and savagery respectively. The differing ideologies are portrayed through the boys’ differing attitudes to power, rules and law and order. The constant angry dialogue between the two gives the reader an insight as to their different viewpoints: ‘“Because rules are the only thing we got!” But Jack was shouting against him. “Bollocks to the rules! We’re strong—we hunt!”’ The exclamation marks and short, emphatic statements highlight their differing attitudes towards law and order. While Ralph uses his authority to establish proper rules, protect the good of the group and enforce the moral and social codes of the proper English society the boys were raised in, Jack values strength, violence, and the ability to hunt. Later on in the novel, Jack’s power over the other boys has increased, emphasised in the following quote: “Power lay in the brown swell of his forearms: authority sat on his shoulders and chattered in his ear like an ape.” The personification of authority and simile emphasises the primitive nature of Jack’s power, and refers to the beast, suggesting that Jack uses fear to rule the boys. This idea is further emphasised by the following simile: “Jack sat there, painted and garlanded, like an idol. ” Idols are often associated with far-off, unknown communities and strange, non-Christian beliefs—the boys’ initial ideas of savagery. This emphasis on the primitive nature of Jack’s power underlines the difference between him and Ralph, the democratically elected chief. Through symbolism, allegorical characters and imagery, Golding has portrayed the basic conflict between civilisation and savagery.
Golding also uses the symbolism of the conch shell and the signal fire to reflect what the balance is between civilisation and savagery on the island and in its inhabitants. “Civilisation barometers”, these objects accentuate the boys’ struggle to remain civilised and not give in to their innate human evil. The conch shell is the main symbol of order and democracy, and in the beginning, is an actual vessel of democratic power: “I’ll give the conch to the next person to speak. He can hold it when he’s speaking.” This quote from Ralph shows his childish innocence and depicts the children trying to be “grown-ups”. The boys share Ralph’s belief in following rules, and having democracy and order, still clinging onto their civilised, moral, “proper English schoolboy” upbringing. However, by the end of the novel, the boys have completely lost their innocence and given into their innate barbaric nature, symbolised through the death of Piggy and the smashing of the conch, caused by Roger. “Piggy [was] still holding out the talisman, the fragile, shining beauty of the shell. The storm of sound beat at them, an incantation of hatred. High overhead, Roger, with a sense of delirious abandonment, leaned all his weight on the lever. ... The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist.” The imagery preceding the main event draws the reader into the story, and the contrast between the first two sentences heightens the tension. The hyperbole and short, direct sentence structure of “the conch exploded into a thousand fragments and ceased to exist” emphasises the significance of this event within the entire novel—the destruction of the conch and Piggy’s death signals the end of civilisation and democracy on the island, and savagery and violence are now completely free to reign. Golding uses dramatic visualization to describe Piggy’s death in gruesome detail: “His head opened and stuff came out and turned red. Piggy’s arms and legs twitched a bit, like a pig’s after it has been killed. Then the sea breathed again in a long, slow sigh, the water boiled white and pink over the rock; and when it went, sucking back again, the body of Piggy was gone.” The impersonal, matter-of-fact tone of the third person narrator underlines the inevitability of Piggy’s death, and highlights the boys’ heartless cruelty towards one of their own. By using such a direct, straightforward tone, Golding implies that because of humanity’s innate evilness, savagery would always end up triumphing over morality, democracy and order. Golding develops the symbol of the conch shell representing civilisation, democracy and law and order, and its eventual demise, through the use of dialogue, tone and imagery.
Golding also uses the signal fire as an important symbol of how much the boys have succumbed to their primal savage instincts. At the beginning of the novel, when everyone is eager to get rescued and the lessons of civility are still fresh in their minds, the signal fire is kept burning brightly: “Life became a race with the fire ... To keep a clean flag of flame flying on the mountain was the immediate end and no one looked further.” The hyperbole and alliteration in this quote depict how enthusiastic and committed the boys are to keeping the fire and the smoke going, at this stage in the novel, which shows their desire to be rescued and to return to civilisation. Later on, when the ship comes and goes, Golding describes the state of the signal fire in a very different way: ‘At last the words of the chant floated up to them, across the bowl of blackened wood and ashes. “Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood.”’ The image of the signal fire that this metaphor creates is one of hopelessness and despair. Ashes, soot and the colour black are all associated with loss and misery: their lost chance to be rescued, their misery over that lost chance, and the loss of the boys’ moral integrity to obey Ralph’s orders and do the right thing. The importance of the boys’ decision, between hunting and rescue, is highlighted through the italicising of the chant and the violent imperative language, foreshadowing the ultimate descent into barbarity that the boys will take in the future. When the boys lose interest in morality, rules and order, and become more accepting of their innate cruelty, the signal fire is low or completely out. In this way, through the use of imagery, Golding develops the symbol of the signal fire as an indicator of the balance between civilisation and savagery on the island.
The conflict between civilisation and savagery can also be seen in Golding’s description of the setting throughout the novel. As mentioned before, Lord of the Flies is a Biblical allegory, and the island is symbolic of the Garden of Eden: the perfect paradise, before man came and corrupted it with his sin and evilness. Golding develops this idea through contrasting imagery of the setting. In the first chapter: “It [the water] was clear to the bottom and bright with the efflorescence of tropical weed and coral. A school of tiny, glistening fish flicked hither and thither.” This vivid imagery and emotive language paints a beautiful picture, and the clarity of the water, brightness of the colours and presence of life indicates the perfection of the island. There is nothing evil, nothing violent, and the island is untouched in its natural, harmonious state. However, as the novel progresses, the imagery of the boys’ surroundings begins to get darker, as their souls open up to the idea of evil and savagery. “the vast stretches of water, the high sea beyond, unknown indigo of indefinite possibility; heard silently the sough and whisper from the reef” The adjectives and word choice in this quote evoke different emotions to the previous example: fear of the unknown is starting to set in, dissent is growing among the boys, and they are ever more open to the instincts of killing and violence. “Then the clouds opened and let down the rain like a waterfall. The water bounded from the mountain-top, tore leaves and branches from the trees, poured like a cold shower over the struggling heap in the sand.” This quote is from the end of the novel, just after the boys have killed Simon, their first act of murder. The darkness of this dramatic image created by harsh, unpleasant similes emphasises the horrific significance of this act, and what it means for the rest of the boys. Even Piggy and Ralph, the two boys who symbolise civilisation and morality, have participated in this ultimate act of evil, which is also reminiscent of the Crucifixion of Jesus. Golding uses emotive language and imagery, in combination with Biblical allusion and allegory, to compare the state of the island before and after the boys have arrived and polluted this previous paradise with their innate evil and savagery.
Lord of the Flies is a very complex and deep novel, but its central concerns are the innate evil of human nature, and how it affects the timeless conflict between civilisation and savagery. Golding develops these two themes through the use of allegory, symbolism and imagery, as well as using characters and setting to give these abstract ideas a more concrete image.