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Lord of the Flies

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Lord of the Flies

Introduction

When one looks at different human traits, there exists a darkness or primal force that

weakens even those who consider themselves civilized. Lord of the Flies by William Golding

depicts this by examining the complex traits of humanity when there are no societal limitations.

The novel focuses on young boys stuck on a secluded island during war. It examines difficult

situations that compel them to embrace and confront their innermost intuitions, fears, and

cravings. As they deal with the need to survive, the audience witnesses the emotional elements

during decision-making. The impact of different choices, the temptations stemming from power

and the thin line between savagery and civilization become vivid as the boys proceed. Using the

symbolic illustrations of Piggy, Jack, and Simon, the novel provides insight into human society

and nature. It unravels the fragile bonds that maintain decency in society and the darkness that

follows when the bonds break. The characters are vessels for assessing the intrinsic traits within

humanity, illustrating the constant struggle between savagery, civility, morality, and power and

the impacts of uncontrolled desires.

Piggy

Piggy is physically weak but smart. He plays a major role in the novel as a symbol of

civilization, reason, and intelligence as the boys become savages and become chaotic. As the

characters attempt to be orderly while on the island, Piggy declare the conch shell's significance

as a symbol of democracy and authority. He states, "I got the conch... I have the right to speak."

This shows his belief in democratic procedures and the rule of law. Even though being constantly

mock and marginalized by his peers, he comprehends the need for organization and structure to
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ensure they are functional. His affirmation of the conch shell as a sign of authority shows his

dedication to fairness and civilization. Another context is his constant emphasis on maintaining

the signal fire to better their chances of getting help. He states, "We can help them find us. If a

ship comes near the island, they may not notice us. So we must make smoke on top of the

mountain. We must make a fire." This demonstrates his logical thinking and pragmatism. He

comprehends the need to be rescued as the main priority and the significance of using the signal

fire to attract anyone. His focus on the realities of survival indicates his capacity to emphasize

well-being over personal ambitions, thus showing his orderliness and ability to reason. The last

context is when he allows his glasses to be used to start fires, thus indicating scientific reasoning

and knowledge. The quote, "His specs... use them as burning glasses!" indicates the glasses are

important for survival and illustrate Piggy's intellectual abilities. The audience sees Piggy's

importance, and as the boys use it to destroy things, it shows the corruption of reason and the

perils of being unreasonable. The glasses illustrate humanity's weakness with the potential to

corrupt knowledge to endanger humanity. Piggy symbolizes intelligence, reason, and fragility.

His dedication to democratic procedures, order, and the hunger for knowledge contradicts the

increasing savagery and chaos (Ghale, 2012). The literature uses the character to illustrate the

significance of rational thinking, social structures, and the impacts of discarding the foundations.

His fate illustrates the result of marginalizing logic and the effects of caving to the selfish traits

in humanity. Piggy allows the audience to comprehend the literature's themes of human nature

and the thin line between savagery and civilization.

Jack
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Jack is the leader of the hunters and symbolizes savagery and uncontrolled desires. He is

important in the novel since he embodies humans' primal instincts and inherent darkness. As the

characters are deserted on the island, Jack acts as an authoritative and charismatic person who

feigns support for creating a functional group. He states, "Bollocks to the rules! We're strong —

we hunt! If there's a beast, we'll hunt it down! We'll close in and beat and beat and beat—!" This

illustrates his later rejection of societal rules and his increasing thirst for violence and power. The

audience sees that he believes in obtaining power through brute force and his hatred for the

limitations posed by civilization. His readiness to ditch the rules and adhere to his primal hunting

instincts shows his desire for power and the seductive aspect of indulging barbaric desires. The

character's hunger for power increases resulting in him neglecting his duties. There is the quote,

"The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee... Piggy traveled through the air

sideways... his head opened, and stuff came out and turned red. Piggy's arms and legs twitched a

bit..." This brutal and graphic scene shows the character's savagery and readiness to be violent to

show his dominance. He kills Piggy, who symbolizes intellect and reason, and this shows how

unchecked power wins over rationality if not dealt with and how it erodes morality. It shows the

impacts of uncontrolled desires and the beast that awakens in people when they let their primal

instincts consume them. The last context is when Jack starts a tribe founded on coercion, fear,

and suppression. The quote, "He gave a wild whoop and leaped down to the pale sand... Then the

tribe surged after him, broke the ring, fell on the beast, screamed, struck, bit, tore... There were

no words, and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws," shows the savagery that

characterizes Jack's tribe once they are overwhelmed by their primal instincts. The audience sees

the disintegration of civilization and the start of a savage society motivated by violence and fear.

The tribe contradicts the order and rationality Piggy stands for. The lack of speech and
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adaptation of animalistic traits shows the disintegration of humanity and the emergence of

savagery. In the novel, Jack shows the desire for power and the disintegration of societal norms

that follow once humans become dark. His disregard for rules and love for violence shows the

savagery that takes over when humans stop being civilized (Meuronen, 2013). Jack's character

shows the perils of uncontrolled desires, the destructive trait of power, and how the evil in all

humans is dangerous if left to grow. His transformation from being charismatic to an oppressor

shows the thin line between chaos and order and reminds the audience of the impacts of letting

humanity cave into primal intuitions.

Simon

Simon is gentle and illustrates goodness, spirituality, and the truth. In the novel, he

constantly goes to a remote place in the jungle and reflects on the island's mysteries as he seeks

solace. There is the quote, "He... thought of the beastie, the beastie or the snake-thing, and panted

and pushed his legs against the unending obscurity and was snatched back... Simon's head

wobbled," Which illustrates his inner struggle with the presence of a supposed threat named the

"snake-thing" or "beastie." It shows his willingness to deal with the darkness in him and

comprehend fear. The character's reaction and thoughts show his philosophical and spiritual

profoundness, making him unique from others who are vulnerable to superficial and immediate

fears. The next context is while hallucinating in the forest, he comes face-to-face with the "lord

of the Flies," A pig's head put on a stake that represents the darkness and evil within humanity.

The quote, "You knew, didn't you? I'm part of you? Close, close, close! I'm the reason why it's

no go? Why things are what they are?" suggests that there is evil and darkness in everyone. The

discussion illustrates his struggles with his ability to be evil and the comprehension that darkness
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is part of humanity. It also underlines the character's spiritual nature and need to know the truth

as he deals with the need to comprehend the different forces on the island. The last context is his

death, which happens during a ritual-like dance, thus showing the group's rejection of moral

values and loss of innocence. The quote, "The beast was on its knees in the center, its arms

folded over its face. It was crying out against the abominable noise, something about a body on

the hill," illustrates the character's lifeless body and the misinformation about his death. What

they call "the beast" is Simon, and he protests against the violence. The audience sees the tragedy

of his death and the collective ignorance and denial of others regarding the character's spirituality

and goodness. His death illustrates the disintegration of morality. The character symbolizes

goodness, spirituality, and the quest for truth (Alnajm, 2015). His interaction with the Lord of the

Flies and miserable demise underline the literature's assessment of the different traits of human

nature and the need for meaning in societies grappling with chaos and evil. The character shows

the significance of nurturing and identifying inherent moral and spiritual dimensions while

reminding the audience of the impacts of undermining or ignoring humanity's moral and spiritual

aspects.

Conclusion

To conclude, the novel uses the characters as symbols to provide insights into human

society and nature. Piggy embodies intelligence, reason, and the vulnerability of civilization.

Jack symbolizes the unchecked and uncontrolled desires and inherent evil in humanity. Simon

represents goodness, spirituality, and the quest for truth. The characters provide an understanding

of the thin line between savagery and civilization, the quest and temptation resulting from power,

and the impacts of uncontrolled desires. Piggy's dedication to democratic procedures and order,
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Jack's lust for power and transformation to savagery, and Simon's goodness, spirituality, and

quest for truth offer detailed perspectives on the complicated traits of humanity. How they

interact with others and the happenings on the island, show the struggle between savagery and

reason, the vulnerability of civilization, and the likelihood of being evil within everyone. As one

looks at the effects of Lord of the Flies, various considerations arise. How do the characters

illustrate other aspects of society and human nature? What can one learn from the interactions

and actions in the play when considering the balance between chaos and order? What does each

character's fate tell the audience about the effects of caving to primal instincts or adhering to

morality? Hence, the novel compels its audience to look at their abilities based on good and evil,

the thin line distinguishing savagery and civilization, and the struggle to be orderly in a society

that constantly looks like savages run it.

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References.

Alnajm, A. L. (2015). The main themes in Lord of the Flies. International Journal of English

and Literature, 6(6), 98-102.

Ghale, K. (2012). Tension between Order and Chaos: A Study of William Golding's Lord of the

Files in the Backdrop of Part WW II Era (Doctoral dissertation, Department of English).

Meuronen, J. (2013). Construction of otherness in William Golding's Lord of the Flies.