William Golding's Theme
Golding 's Themes
Outline
Thesis: A running theme in William Golding 's works is that man is savage
at heart, always ultimately reverting back to an evil and primitive
nature.
I. The fall of man
A. Lord of the Flies
B. The Inheritors
C. Free Fall
D. Pincher Martin
II. Golding as a theologian
A. Lord of the Flies
B. The Inheritors
C. Pincher Martin
III. Man 's fear
A. Lord of the Flies
B. The Inheritors
C. Pincher Martin
IV. The island
Golding 's Themes
A running theme in William Golding 's works is that man is savage at heart, always ultimately reverting back to an evil and primitive nature. The cycle of man 's rise to power, or righteousness, and his inevitable fall from grace is an important point that Golding proves again and again in many of his works, often comparing man with characters from the Bible to give a more vivid picture of his descent. Golding symbolizes this fall in different manners, ranging from the illustration of the mentality of actual primitive man to the reflections of a corrupt seaman in purgatory. William Golding 's first book, Lord of the Flies, is the story of a group of boys of different backgrounds who are marooned on an unknown island when their plane crashes. As the boys try to organize and formulate a plan to get rescued, they begin to separate and as a result of the dissension a band of savage tribal hunters is formed. Eventually the "stranded boys in Lord of the Flies almost entirely shake off civilized behavior: (Riley 1: 119). When the confusion finally leads to a manhunt [for Ralph], the reader realizes that despite the strong sense of British character and civility that has been instilled in the youth throughout their lives, the boys have backpedaled and shown the underlying savage side existent
Outline
Thesis: A running theme in William Golding 's works is that man is savage
at heart, always ultimately reverting back to an evil and primitive
nature.
I. The fall of man
A. Lord of the Flies
B. The Inheritors
C. Free Fall
D. Pincher Martin
II. Golding as a theologian
A. Lord of the Flies
B. The Inheritors
C. Pincher Martin
III. Man 's fear
A. Lord of the Flies
B. The Inheritors
C. Pincher Martin
IV. The island
Golding 's Themes
A running theme in William Golding 's works is that man is savage at heart, always ultimately reverting back to an evil and primitive nature. The cycle of man 's rise to power, or righteousness, and his inevitable fall from grace is an important point that Golding proves again and again in many of his works, often comparing man with characters from the Bible to give a more vivid picture of his descent. Golding symbolizes this fall in different manners, ranging from the illustration of the mentality of actual primitive man to the reflections of a corrupt seaman in purgatory. William Golding 's first book, Lord of the Flies, is the story of a group of boys of different backgrounds who are marooned on an unknown island when their plane crashes. As the boys try to organize and formulate a plan to get rescued, they begin to separate and as a result of the dissension a band of savage tribal hunters is formed. Eventually the "stranded boys in Lord of the Flies almost entirely shake off civilized behavior: (Riley 1: 119). When the confusion finally leads to a manhunt [for Ralph], the reader realizes that despite the strong sense of British character and civility that has been instilled in the youth throughout their lives, the boys have backpedaled and shown the underlying savage side existent
Bibliography: Works/Themes/Characters/A view on Ralph/Religious items/ Symbology/Simbolism/ Shared links/General link page/ My essay/ © Juan Javier Herraiz Pujante E- Mail: juanhepu@alumni.uv.es