Human Nature in Lord of the Flies Essay

Lord of the Flies

William Golding , the author of Lord of the Flies, says, The theme is an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature. The moral is that the shape of a society must depend on the ethical nature of the individual and not on any political system however apparently logical or respectable. All of the characters in the book changed over the course of the book because of the society they had to adapt to. They came from a nice society of Great Britain, but now these English boys have to adapt to a new kind of society. All of the characters changed over the course of the book, but the ones who adapted the most are Piggy and Roger. Piggy and Roger adapted to their new society the most because of the new society the boys had to be in.

Piggy at the beginning of the book is more of a follower, Ralphs lutetium you might say. He really cant do anything for himself. Here we can use this conch shell and people around the island will here it and come to us. We could use it as a way to get people together for a meeting. Here you blow it I cant really do it. Piggy thought of the ideas but let Ralph go ahead and do them. He follows around Ralph and does what he says. Piggy represents the scientific and intellectual aspects of civilization. Piggy is the most intelligent, rational boy in the group, and his glasses represent the power of science and intellectual endeavor in society. This symbolic significance is clear from the start of the novel, when the boys use the lenses from Piggys glasses to focus the sunlight and start a fire. Without Piggy in this new society they would not have any fire.

Roger at the beginning or the book is also a follower to Jack, you could say he is Jacks lutetium. Roger represents the brute force in society. Roger is a sadistic, cruel older boy who brutalizes the littluns. Roger gathered a handful of stones and began to throw them. Yet there was a space round Henry, perhaps six yards in diameter, into which he dare not throw. Here, invisible yet strong, was the taboo of the old life. Round the squatting child was the protection of parents and school and policemen and the law. This quotation shows us the mental workings behind the beginnings of that enthusiasm. Roger feels the urge to torment Henry, the littlun, by pelting him with stones, but the ruins of socially forced standards of behavior are still too strong for him to give in completely to his savage urges. At this point, Roger still feels constrained by parents, school, policemen and the law, the figures and institutions that enforce societys principles. Before long, Roger and most of the other boys lose their respect for these forces, violence, torture, and murder break out as the savage nature replaces the instinct for civilization among the group.

Piggy and Roger are totally different people, but because of the society they live in, they really dont get alone. Because of the fire started by Piggys glasses, they decided that Jack and Roger and their crew would watch the fire so that people can see the smoke and rescue them. Because of how intense Jack and Roger were into hunting they forgot to watch the fire and it went out. When Ralph called a meeting, Piggy started to yell and complain and tell Roger and Jack that they are irresponsible so Roger slaps him across the face. That was the start of something to come back to haunt people in the late run.

As the book progresses, Piggy adapts to the new society. He realizes he is the brain of the place. He starts to tell people what to do rather then do what people tell him to do. Just like society people want to listen to the smart people because they know what to do. Piggy knows he is the smart one on the island and if people want to live on this island they will listen to him and do what he says. Piggys glasses also change as the book progresses. Further into the book people start to want and urge Piggys glasses and will go to any extreme to get them. Just like in society, if people want something that they know will help them survive or just live better they will probably want to have it and will get it any way possible.

Roger and Jack decide they need those glasses because they need to start a fire and they need them because to them they are very powerful and they need them. So they go to the other camp and steal the glasses. These boys are like robbers in a way because robbers in society will come and rob your house of valuable possessions and leave you helpless. Jack and Roger steal the glasses and go use them to make fire leaving Ralph and Piggy helpless like families when they get robbed. Piggy and Ralph are so helpless that Piggy tries to go get them back. Roger, who represents brutality and bloodlust at their most extreme, hurls a bolder at Piggy. We can go back in the book when Roger is throwing little stones at the littluns but was not hitting them but throwing them around them. That was Roger at a low part of his brutality and bloodlust. Now later in the book his brutality and bloodlust has increased dramatically he is now throwing boulders at people and this bolder hits Piggy and kills him. So in the end brutality and bloodlust kills science and intellects, which is what happens in society all the time.

Roger isnt done there. Roger and Jack try and chase and kill Ralph. They chase him out of his camp and all around the island. This is brutality and bloodlust chasing and trying to kill the leadership in society. This happens in society sometimes. For example when people assassin the President of the United States is a way brutality kills leadership. Ralph gets to the beach and sees people who rescue him and find out what Jack and Roger are trying to do. This is just like in society that brutality and bloodlust dont always win. In fact they usually never win. Criminals are a great example of this, they try and break the law but they usually get caught.

I think that Roger and Piggy both represent society in totally different ways. Roger is the brutal force in society who doesnt care what happens to people and you see that throughout the novel. Piggy is the scientific and intellectual aspect of society, which society forgets about and sometimes really doesnt pay attention to, but in the end you really cant live without. This book shows how going from one society to a whole new setting can change people a lot to create a whole new society that they are not use to. In this novel, Piggy and Roger display this the most.