Savagery In Lord Of The Flies Symbolism Essay

“‘Kill him! Kill him!’ All at once, Robert was screaming and struggling with the strength of frenzy. Jack had him by the hair and was brandishing his knife. Behind him was Roger, fighting to get close. The chant rose ritually, as the last moment of a dance or hunt. ‘Kill the pig! Cut his throat! Kill the pig! Bash him in!’ Ralph too was fighting to get near...Jack’s arm came down; the heaving circle cheered and made pig-dying noises. Then they lay quiet, panting, listening to Robert’s frightened snivels” (Golding 114). This quote, from the Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding, shapes symbolism, character development, mood, and theme of the story by creating suspense and displaying different sides of the characters’ personalities. One of the most distinct themes of the Lord of the Flies is savagery versus civilization. The group of boys, alone on this island, are forced to push themselves both mentally and physically to stay in order; or in some cases, go insane. This quote represents the specific theme of civilization versus savagery because the loss of a civilized mental state is clear as this group of boys nearly beat
Depending on the reader’s interpretation, the beast is a symbol of the dark side that all humans possess. Whether they turn to it, though, is entirely dependent on their connection with the environment, and in return how the environment treats them. This quote displays ‘the beast’ of all of the boys (besides Robert) and symbolizes the savagery in all of them, no matter how civil. Jack and Roger nearly beat Robert to death in the frenzy, imagining that Robert is a pig that they have been struggling to kill for days. They chant the words “‘Kill the pig! Cut his throat! Kill the pig! Bash him in!’” (Golding 114), as Robert screams and struggles to get away. Ralph displays how hard it is for the characters to hold onto their morals and stay