Freud's Theory in 'Lord of the Flies': Id, Ego, Superego

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Sigmund Freud developed a theory that he believed the human mind had three different parts; the Id, the Ego, and the Superego. The Id is the primitive behavior driven by instant gratification. The Ego is more responsible for understanding reality and acts inappropriate at the correct time and place. The Superego is responsible for your standards and defines what is right and wrong. Knowing this information, characters from the novel, Lord of the Flies, identify as the Id, the Ego, and the Superego. Jack is the Id, Ralph is the Ego, and Piggy is the Superego. Jack is best related to as the Id because f his childish and barbaric actions toward nature and the other children. The Id could be desires for things such as food, shelter, warmth, clothing, …show more content…

Ralph helps Piggy create rules for the civilization to keep them from savagery. Ralph is almost realistic and mature as Superego, but he succumbs to the childish savagery and Id at times but recedes back to the Ego. “Ralph found himself taking giant strides among the ashes, heard other creatures crying out and leaping and dared the impossible on the dark slope” (Golding 123). Ralph is determined not to let himself be overwhelmed with the exhilaration and the excitement he sees the others get from hunting but he finds himself wrapped up in it. Ralph sets the civilization up like a democracy and that characteristic is the Ego represented through him. The Superego in the novel is Piggy. The Superego is civilized, sophisticated, and respectable, just as Piggy is. Despite the derogatory actions toward Piggy, he never loses his sense of standards and obedience to society.” Then he laughed so strangely that they were hushed, looking at the flash of his spectacles in astonishment” (Golding 43-44). Piggy used his glasses to create a fire for the benefit of all of the children even though they doubted him and antagonized him. Piggy used his glasses to start the fire which shows the knowledge he has that can help the

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