ESSAY: Good literature tells us about human nature. Discuss with reference to Lord of the Flies.
In his book Lord of the Flies, William Golding gives the reader an insight of their own humanity. He does this through a series of themes, characters and symbols. Golding bases the book on an island where some several boys are stranded. This island is a microcosm of the much larger world around us that is suffering from evil. The book is an allegory, about the destruction of civilization and the evil in humanity.
William Golding proves that humanity is being destroyed and that there is evil in society through the use of themes. One main theme in the novel is Civilised vs. Uncivilised. The boys on the island arrive in a civilised state but at the end of the novel, the boys had lost all sense of civilisation and have turned into a bunch of wild savages, hunting and killing. Kill the pig. Cut his Throat. Spill his blood. This simple yet powerful chant proves the savagery of the children and how, without civilisation, they will revert to their primal savage instincts. Primal instincts are the basis of human nature.
Furthermore, the importance of rules and laws are also an essential part of civilisation. Without them there would be chaos, tyranny and disorder. When Ralph loses his power and Piggy is killed, there is a complete and utter breakdown of law and order where Jack seized control and purges the rules. There is also chaos in the last chapter when Ralph is running from the rest of the boys at the end of the novel. When they meet the naval officer, they stare at him and he stares at them and the chaotic mess they have made. This mess that was founded through chaos and disorder had created the chaotic breakdown of the harmonious island Ralph had envisioned. The importance of rules and laws are one of the only things that had kept the boys on the island sane and civilised.
This can also be connected to the loss of innocence in all the boys on the island. Jacks repeated phrase We want meat is indicating his blood thirst and need to kill. Later in the novel the boys are becoming more savage and less innocent. Kill the pig. Cut his Throat. Spill his blood. At this point in time, the boys are all in frenzy and when Simon runs out to tell them who the real beast is, he is killed before he can utter a word. The boys had already lost their innocence the moment that they had become chaotic. Without civilisation and society, the boys have lost their innocence and their need to kill has extended so far that they would even kill each other.
Another technique Golding uses in Lord of the Flies is Symbolism. There are many symbols in Lord of the Flies, even the main characters are symbols. Piggy is a symbol for democracy and civilisation, Jack is a symbol for dictatorship and totalitarian rule, Roger represents the extreme human brutality and bloodlust, Ralph is a symbol for the hero and Simon is a symbol for truth, innocence and purity. Simons death has a somewhat biblical parallel to it. The violent way Simon was killed and the fact that he did not turn savage with the rest of the boys makes him a Jesus type character. The loss of innocence and truth is shown through the way how the sea takes Simons body. The line of his cheek silvered, Simons dead body moved out towards the open sea. This powerful image shows how peacefully Simons body is taken by the sea in contrast with his violent death. These different characters allude to different characters and personalities in civilisation.
In addition to symbolism, the conch is an important part of the island society. In Lord of the Flies the conch takes on a political role where one person speaks at a time and the rest listen. Ive got the conch The conch also is a symbol for power and authority. But when the boys start to become more savage, the conch loses its significance. The conch doesnt count on this end of the island. And when Piggy and the conch are destroyed, this signifies the demise of the boys sense of civilisation. At this point, they are true savages, reverting back to their primal selves.
In conclusion, William Golding does achieve a sense of humanity and human nature. He depicts this in a negative way as how there is evil, destruction and chaos in humanity. Golding uses themes, characterization and symbolic language to support his view of society. The several main characters represent different archetypes and symbols of leaders and objects like the conch symbolise the politics society need to be civilised. Golding uses the island as a microcosm for the world we live in. He makes the reader realise the destruction of civilisation and the evil in humanity. He gives an insight into what human nature really is like.
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