For what reasons do people change, and in what way? The book “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding explains how people, specifically children, can change into savages because of how human nature really is. Golding shows how humans can change by using multiple characters to emphasize their civilization to savagery. The character that has changed the most throughout the story is Jack Merridew. He went from a leader who thinks civilization is important, to a complete savage at the end of the story. In the beginning of the story, Jack Merridew is a civilized leader of a choir group. For example, Jack’s movements shows how he is a civilized person who can not kill like a savage: “They knew very well why [Jack] hadn’t [killed the pig]: because …show more content…
of the enormity of the knife descending and cutting into living flesh; because of the unbearable blood” (31). The quote above shows how Jack is still a civilized person, who can not kill a pig. Since he could not bear to have the idea of killing another lifeform, it demonstrates how there is still civilized human being within him. In addition, Jack also expresses about what he thinks a civilized society should have: “We’ve got to have rules and obey them. After all, we’re not savages” (42). When Jack had said those words, he articulates his opinion of how a civilized society should have rules, and how it should be followed. By explaining how a civilized society should have rules to obey, it shows how Jack is still humanized and not yet a savage. As shown from the evidences above, it clearly shows how Jack is still a civilized human being. As the children are stranded on the island for some more time, Jack starts leaning towards savagery.
For instance, Jack expressed how ecstatic he is on his first kill along with being illustrated like a savage: “Jack, his face smeared with clays, reached the top first and hailed Ralph excitedly with lifted spear. ‘Look! We’ve killed a pig…’” (69). Being how Jack is in the middle of the story, it implies how Jack is beginning to abandon civilization and instead leaning towards savagery. With his face covered with clay in order to blend in, and how delighted he was with his first kill, it clearly proves how Jack is slowly becoming barbaric. Not only does Jack slowly initiates his inner savage, he begins to go against what he thought was right: “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—!” (91). In the beginning of the story, Jack clearly expressed that there should be rules in a civilized society, yet now he went against what he had previously said. When Jack indicated how he considered that rules are unimportant, it evidently shows how he is developing into a savage. By portraying himself looking like a savage, and acting like one, it proves how Jack is gradually growing into a
savage. Near the end of the story, Jack has become a complete savage. For example, Jack was described as an evil and barbaric person: “He’s going to beat Wilfred.” ‘What for?’ “Robert shook his head doubtfully. ‘I don’t know. He didn’t say, He got angry and made us tie Wilfred up. He’s been” —he giggled excitedly— “he’s been tied for hours, waiting—” (159). As seen from the conversation above between two other boys, Jack is shown as a ruthless human being. With Jack’s intentions like this, it clearly justifies how he has become a complete savage, who enjoys hurting others. Unlike in the beginning of the story where Jack could not even kill the pig because of the horrendous sight of blood, he now kills easily: “Viciously, with full intention, he hurled his spear at Ralph. The point tore the skin and flesh over Ralph’s ribs…” (181). As shown from the quote, Jack did not even hesitate to kill Ralph, but instead does it with full intention, which shows how inhumane he has become. By stabbing Ralph really badly, it shows how Jack has become a brutal person, who does terrible acts. For these reasons, it confirms how atrocious of a human being Jack has transformed into.
When Ralph blows the conch, Jack is introduced to the reader for the first time. He is represented as an audacious and selfish boy who likes to order others around when he says "I ought to be chief, because I'm chapter chorister and head boy"(Goldberg p.22). It also confirms his hunger for power and wanting control over everything. His choleric and petulant personality can be seen when he says "Shut up, Fatty."(p.23), also revealing that he is rude and inconsiderate of others. Despite his obnoxious personality, his conscious of civilization keeps him from killing the first pig they see. He even recommends that the boys should have rules to keep things in order.
There are signs and symbols in both novels that show the beginning of barbarism and brutality. In Lord of the Flies, the boys portray inhumane characteristics in painting their faces. Jack, being the archetypal savage, paints his face the symbolic colors of red and black. "For example, when Jack first paints his face to his satisfaction, he suddenly becomes a new, savage person. "He began to dance and his laughter became a bloodthirsty snarling." (Al-Saidi, “Savagery and the Heart of Darkness in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies”). Jack’s transformation into a savage character results in his animalistic behavior. Likewise, Gene’s downfall into a wicked state results in his change of character. He ultimately acts as an archetype of brutality and jealousy. Similarly, “the scornful force of his tone turned the word into a curse” (Knowles) showing that once peaceful words have turned into barbarian, savage-like ones. Overall, the boys barbarian actions resulted in the degeneration of man and the archetypal character of a savage.
During the novel, the reader becomes increasingly aware of Jack’s dominating and violent tendencies. Specific actions taken are when Jack suggests using one of the younger children as a substitute pig, ties up Wilfred, and hunts Ralph. Things begin to get out of hand when the group’s game turns into a cruel beating. Not long afterwards, Jack suggests that the group
Ralph, the first character introduced to the audience, is probably the most likable character in the entire story. Although he does not ponder such deeply like Piggy, is not as spiritual like Simon, or as energetic as Jack, there is something in him that attracts the audience. Ralph serves as the protagonist of the story. He is described as being a playful, innocent child in the beginning, but towards the end he matures significantly. In the first chapter where he takes his clothes off and goes swimming like any child would do, he seems to be Adam in the Garden of Eden, a child left to play with the nature.
Simon, sitting between the twins and Piggy, wiped his mouth and shoved his piece of meat over the rocks to Piggy, who grabbed it. The twins giggled and Simon lowered his face in shame.
The Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a peculiar story about boys stranded on an island, and the plot and characters relate to many prevailing events and problems. A specific problem that is currently occurring is the mutual hatred and enmity between North Korea and South Korea. This is a current event, but the North and South’s hostility has been ongoing since 1945, when Korea was split into North and South, Communist and Capitalist. When the 38th parallel(Border between North and South Korea) was created, Kim Il-Sung ruled the North, and Syngman Rhee ruled the South. As of now, a power hungry dictator, Kim Jong-un rules the north, and an optimistic president who wants to see change was recently elected in the South, named Moon Jae-in. In Golding’s book, Ralph is a character who aimed to keep everyone alive and to stay together. Jack on the other hand, wanted to have fun and hunt, and although he also wanted to be rescued, he made no effort to help. In this sense, North Korea is a clear representation of the character Jack and his quest for power, and opposingly, South Korea is a representation of Ralph and his strive for order, democracy, and civilization.
Importance of Leadership Leadership is something that stands out in people. In a group, people tend to look for the strongest person to follow. However, the strongest person may not be the best choice to follow. In Lord of the Flies by William Golding, Ralph and Jack each have leadership qualities. Jack is probably the stronger of the two; however, Ralph is a better leader.
On the other hand, Golding tries to show the evil within man through Jack. Jack is a character in which he almost symbolizes cruel political leaders, such as Castro, Hussein, Hitler, etc. He is the leader of the hunters, the first time they find a pig, Jack stops, and couldn't kill the pig. That revealed how Jack was civilized, yet later on he would kill the pig without hesitation. "'We've got to have rules and obey them. After all, we're not savages. We're English, and the English are best at everything.
Lord of the Flies is a novel written by William Golding in 1954 about a group of young British boys who have been stranded alone together on an island with no adults. During the novel the diverse group of boys struggle to create structure within a society that they constructed by themselves. Golding uses many unique literary devices including characterization, imagery, symbolism and many more. The three main characters, Ralph, Piggy, and Jack are each representative of the three main literary devices, ethos, logos, and pathos. Beyond the characterization the novel stands out because of Golding’s dramatic use of objective symbolism, throughout the novel he uses symbols like the conch, fire, and Piggy’s glasses to represent how power has evolved and to show how civilized or uncivilized the boys are acting. It is almost inarguable that the entire novel is one big allegory in itself, the way that Golding portrays the development of savagery among the boys is a clear representation of how society was changing during the time the novel was published. Golding is writing during
Much of history’s most renown literature have real-world connections hidden in them, although they may be taxing uncover. William Golding’s classic, Lord of the Flies, is no exception. In this work of art, Golding uses the three main characters, Piggy, Jack, and Ralph, to symbolize various aspects of human nature through their behaviors, actions, and responses.
My Essay is about Ralph and and his Motivation’s and did he contribute to the tragedy in any way. Also about if he prevented any of the deaths and what would I have done differently in his situation. I defend Ralph’s actions as leader, He had tried his best but everyone fell apart. Did Ralph contribute to the tragedies? Ralph had tried his best but he was struggling at handling the problems on the island, He was unaware of the boy’s and what was going on. He had tried to contribute to all of the tragedies but there was too much going on around him it was just hard. What was wrong with Ralph too was that jack ignores everything and try’s to do his own thing the whole time instead of working together with everyone. All Jack wants is his way or his way to him there is no other way. So yes Ralph had try to contribute to the tragedies but Jack and other boys had just did what they wanted to do instead of doing what they should have done. So Ralph had really struggled dealing with everybody. In my opinion Ralph was doing a good job, Yes he kind of gave up for a little b...
Golding's stress on the negative results of brutality might be perused as a reasonable support of civilization. In the early parts of the novel, he proposes that one of the paramount capacities of socialized public opinion is to give an outlet to the savage driving forces that dwell inside every person. Jack's starting longing to slaughter pigs to show his fort...
Lord of the Flies: Final Essay Exam. Are the defects of society traced back to the defects of human nature? The defects of society, and how it relates to the defects of human nature, can be explained with the savagery that drives the defects of society and the same savagery that drives the defects of human nature. In this story, Lord of the Flies, Golding shows the id, ego, and superego within the characters in the book. Golding represents the id with Jack, whereas the id says “I want, and I want it now,” and Jack constantly wants and needs power, and wants his way in every situation.
Jack says,“Ralph is like Piggy. He says things like Piggy. He isn't a proper chief”(Golding 159). Ralph is obviously jealous, and also thinks that being smart is near to nothing in comparison to strength and ability to hunt when it comes to anything. Jack also says,"Come on! Follow me!"(Golding 20). This little quote shows that Jack is acting like the main leader and he thinks everything he wants is the best for the tribe. Jack states, "And you shut up! Who are you, anyway? Sitting there telling people what to do. You can't hunt, you can't sing—"(Golding 91). This again shows that Jack thinks the best quality to have is hunting and even singing is important to Jack. Singing is important to Jack because he was the leader of the choir. Being controlling and forceful. Anybody would list controlling and forceful as characteristics for a
People are privileged to live in an advanced stage of development known as civilization. In a civilization, one’s life is bound by rules that are meant to tame its savage natures. A humans possesses better qualities because the laws that we must follow instill order and stability within society. This observation, made by William Golding, dictates itself as one of the most important themes of Lord of the Flies. The novel demonstrates the great need for civilization ion in life because without it, people revert back to animalistic natures.