Lord of the Flies Critical Essay Response

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In Theodore Dalrymple’s “Theodore Dalrymple Reflects on Human Depravity”, the author discusses how The Lord of the Flies by William Golding refers to the instinct in all humans through the characters of Ralph, Jack and Piggy, and serves as a reminder to us all of what we can and cannot control. Dalrymple discusses the “evil of man” which lurks in us all, the ruthless barbarian inclination to do whatever, whenever. The price of decency is eternal vigilance, according to Dalrymple, because there is an evil awaiting its opportunity to take over. The author also points out of the idea that evil is lurking proves how thin and fragile civilization (the only thing protecting us from barbarism) stands. Evil however, can get around civilization through the rise of power. Dalrymple writes how Jack represents the savage that has taken over humanity, while Ralph and Piggy are eventually isolated as the rationality and rule of law. This savagery has taken over before, in cases such as Hitler and the nazi party- with evil in policies obsessed with imaginary enemies and suppression of freedom. In T...

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