Lord of the Flies
Humans have traits that differ from animals. Some possess the iniquity to turn savage and some of us have the integrity needed to stay civil. In William Goldings novel, Lord of the Flies, a group of young British boys land on a deserted island trying to behave in a proper matter. These young boys try to remain civil by making rules and tasks for each other. Once these regulations get broken they soon turn into savages and begin to demolish the island and themselves. One of these children learned from this experience and he is called Ralph. Ralph is the only one who gains knowledge about the darkness of human nature in mans heart.
Many youthful boys crash on a deserted island. The boys find each other fairly quickly when a conch was blown by Ralph. It was their very first meeting. The boys wanted to make an elite society. The most vital thing was deciding who would be chief. A lot of them wanted Ralph to be the chief simply because he had the conch. Golding portrayed that many wanted Ralph as the leader because some said Let him be the chief with the trumpet-thing (30). Another boy named Jack also wanted to become the chief because he was the chapter chorister. They had a vote and Ralph won, becoming the chief on the island. This shows the boys attempting to establish a democracy. The conch soon became a symbol of authority. Whoever had it was supposed to speak at meetings without interruptions. The boys decided on rules and tasks for everyone to be a part of like keeping clean water in the coconut shells and to build huts as shelters. The boys have categorized themselves into groups like the hunters, the littluns and the biguns. All the boys want to do on the island is have an enjoyable time. This is shown in the following passage:
This is our island. Its a good island. Until the grown-ups come to fetch us well have fun. (45)
These small children, desire for a tropical paradise as they wait upon adults to arrive.
The boys wanted to make a functioning society based on their knowledge while having the most wondrous time possible.
As the boys selfishness arose on the island, they are unable to create a functioning society. They start doing diminutive things like not using the coconut shells to carry drinking water, not watching the fire, speaking without the holding the conch at meetings and how there was a desire to hunt. They all wanted meat from the hunters, although there were numerous fruits on the island. Golding implies how the boys were acting like animals by their dancing and chanting of Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood! (187). Simon was in his thicket when he spotted the Lord of the Flies. As he was returning to the island, the boys saw Simon as they danced wildly, thought he was the beast and murdered him with their sharpened spears. Even Ralph had participated in this incident. Soon everyone decided to follow Jack as he had promised them meat and protection, but soon became a vicious leader. Jack had become a cruel dictator. The people in his tribe were under a tyranny. This is shown in the following section:
Jack glanced back at Ralph and then at the twins. Grab them! No one moved. Jack shouted angrily. I said grab them! The painted group moved around Samneric nervously and unhandidly. Once more the silvery laughter scattered. Samneric protested out of the heart of civilization. oh, I say! -honestly! Their spears were taken from them. Tie them up! Ralph cried out hopelessly against the black and green mask, Jack! Go on. Tie them. (220)
Jack was the one in command. Everyone always obeyed his rules because they were very terrified of him. He carried a lot of control on the island. When Ralph and Piggy tried to compromise with Jack, no one would listen. They did not want to pay attention. Roger pushed a rock on Piggy as he died with the conch broke into millions of pieces and his body washed into the ocean. Authority had left the island. Civilization was gone, as there was nothing to control the young savage boys. Piggy was Ralphs only true friend left as everyone else had betrayed him. Ralph, the only symbol of serenity on the island was betrayed.
Everything changed on the island. Everyone had turned into savages. No one seemed to care about the safety of others. Ralph was the only one left from his tribe. Everyone was on Jacks group. Ralph quickly found out about plans to slaughter him, as his fear grew. The next day there was a hunt for Ralph. Ralph clearly terrifies the boys who have turned into savages. Ralphs fear is shown in the following passage:
The pointed end of a stick appeared. In panic Ralph thrust his own stick through the crack and struck with all his might. (238-239)
This shows that Ralph is very fearful of being caught by the barbarous members of Jacks tribe.
When Jacks tribe could not find him they set the entire island on fire in an attempt to smoke him out. A ship saw the island on fire and came to see what was happening. Ralph was saved. Ralph then began to weep, for purity and the hatred that ones soul carries. After all the tragic events that happened, on the island Ralph learned how dark ones heart can truly be, although Simon also learned when the Lord of the Flies spoke to him. Golding portrays the Lord of the Flies as a very frightening monster when it told Simon I am the beast. Fancy thinking the beast was something that could hunt and kill. You knew, didnt you? Im part of you? (177). Simon identified that the beast lived in each one of the boys on the island, but died before he could tell anyone. Ralph survived to determine that the beast was within all the boys on the island. He was the only one who survived to discover the truth about the cruelness within all mans hearts. Ralph was the only one who knew Satan was present on the island by the terror he witnessed.
Therefore, Ralph was the only one who recognized the truth about human nature on the island. He understood that evil lurked in everyones heart. Little did the boys know they would end up obliterating what they had established. The boys quickly turned into monstrous savages. Golding portrayed how innocent people can become cold hearted and vicious very hastily. This novel, Lord of the Flies shows how pure souls can disintegrate in an abrupt periods of time.
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