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Lord of the flies characters analysis essay
Lord of the flies characters analysis essay
Characters and conflicts in Lord of the Flies
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Imagine flying on a plane and crash landing on an unknown island with a select group of people. How would humans deal as a result of this horrific situation? Is cruelty and violence the only solution when it comes down to it? In Lord of the Flies, William Golding explores the relationship between children in a similar conflict and shows how savagery takes over civilization. Lord of the Flies proves to show that the natural human instincts of cruelty and savagery will take over instead of logic and reasoning. William shows how Jack, the perpetrator in the book, uses cruelty and fear for social and political gain to ultimately take over, while on the other hand shows how Ralph falters and loses power without using cruelty and fear. In Lord of …show more content…
Ralph’s power at the beginning is secure but as the group succumbs to their savage instincts, Ralph’s influence declines as Jack’s rises. This is due mainly to the cruelty and violence that goes on in the story. This cruelty reveals that Ralph’s commitment to civilization and being rescued is so strong that he will not allow himself to change his morals and become cruel like the others. The cruelty in this novel also shows that Ralph is a very intelligent character. His intelligence can be proven because there was a point in the novel when he hunts a boar for the first time and he experiences the thrill of bloodlust. He also attends one of Jack’s feast where he is swept away by the frenzy and participates in the killing of Simon. This is a very tragic moment for Ralph because this is when he realizes the evil that lives within himself and every human being. It is the cruel acts that happen in this novel that reveals Ralph’s character of being intelligent and being able to think deeply about human experiences. He even weeps when getting saved because of his knowledge about the human capacity for …show more content…
The irony of the plane crashing to start the story, the environment of an unknown island and many other cruel acts function into the work as a whole because it really does set up the major plot in the story. Cruelty will bring out the worst in people and this phrase proves to be true when it comes to Jack. The killing of the pig and the obsession of blood lust drives Jack into savagery and reveals that he is not morally strong. The violence also shows that Jack is manipulative as he uses the fear of the beast to gain power. While cruelty transforms Jack, Ralph stays morally strong and represents civilization throughout the novel. Cruelty proves to shows that Ralph’s character is very intelligent as he is able to think deeply. Cruelty also reveals how strong morally he is and how he will not succumb to savagery like the majority of the boys do. Lord of the Flies by William Golding, just proves to show that the cruelness of our savage, beast like instincts will take over without the order, rule, and conduct that civilized societies have to
the novel, Lord Of The Flies by William Golding, the idea of cruelty is shown through many brutal actions that the characters find pleasurable.
Author William Golding uses Lord of the Flies to paint a picture of the internal evil of man through a variety of different mechanisms. Ralph, while being one of the most civilized boys on the island, still shows characteristics that would indicate an inherent evil. Henry also displays a darker personality, even as he practices innocent childhood activities in the sand. The island on which the story takes place holds evidence that man possesses inherent evil, seen in the way the boys corrupt and destroy the innocence and purity of the tropical oasis, and viewed in the symbolic manner in which the island's pristine exterior shields a darker inside. The use of a stick sharpened at both ends provides evidence of the savagery of the boys, and the dead parachutist shows that the boys are blinded by their internal evil and have become so villainous that they do not even recognize a human being. Golding shows throughout the novel that evil is the prevalent force within man, and that savagery takes precedence over even childhood innocence.
In Lord of the Flies by William Golding, Simon and Piggy are among a group of boys who become stranded on a deserted island. Left without any adults, the boys attempt to create an orderly society. However, as the novel progresses, the boys struggle to sustain civility. Slowly, Jack and his hunters begin to lose sight of being rescued and start to act more savagely, especially as fears about a beast on the island spread. As the conflict progresses, Jack and Ralph battle for power. The boys’ struggle with the physical obstacles of the island leads them to face a new unexpected challenge: human nature. One of the boys, Simon, soon discovers that the “beast” appears not to be something physical, but a flaw within all humans
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.
When order disappears, human nature converts to savagery. William Golding wrote The Lord of the Flies to prove evil exists in human. Golding shows direct and indirect characterization of Jack to demonstrate that true savagery exists.
Ralph shows that he has a better understanding of the boys than Jack. He knows that the boys need some sort of order on the island in order for them to survive. He starts a simple form of government and sets a few rules for them. Even though they don’t last very long, the fact that he tried to help the group is what makes him a better leader. Ralph’s wisdom and ability to look toward the future also has an advantage over Jack. He has a sense to keep his focus on getting off the island. When the fire goes out, Ralph gets upset because the chance to be rescued was gone as well. Ralph enforces his role of leadership as he gives the boys a sense of stability of an authority figure. He keeps the boys in pretty good order at the meeting by making a rule that they can only speak if they have the conch. Ralph knows that the littleuns are afraid and they need shelter to feel more secure. They work together for a while, but as the time goes on the smaller boys want to go play. They slowly lose all their help until Simon and Ralph are the only ones left to work on them. Ralph knows that this is a necessity and keeps bringing it up at the meetings. Jack, on the other hand, is doing nothing but causing chaos.
An assembly of young men are marooned on an island after their plane crashes. Without grown-up survivors, they make their own "micro-social order". Ralph is chosen "chief", and he orders asylum and fire. Jack, the leader of the choir, takes his young men and chases nourishment (wild pigs). A bitter competition heightens between Jack and Ralph as both need to be in control. The "hunters" come to be savage and primal, under Jack's standard, while Ralph tries to keep his assembly enlightened. The developing danger between them prompts a wicked and alarming peak. Lord of the Flies likewise investigates the dim side of humanity, the viciousness that underlies even the most acculturated human beings. Golding arranged this novel as a catastrophic satire of children trill stories, showing mankind's natural noxious nature. He gives the reader a series of events leading an assembly of adolescent men from ambition to tragedy as they attempt to survive their savage, unsupervised, separated environment until protected. Throughout the novel book lovers witness what Lord of the Flies educates about the reason for government and human nature.
Would you be able to resist savagery from being away from society? Could you resist the urging power to kill? How about being able to find food without killing or not to go full savage on other people, could you still do it? A normal person could say no to all of these. In the novel, “Lord of The Flies”, William Golding shows that without civilization, a person can turn into a savage by showing progressively how they went through the seven steps of savagery.
Throughout William Golding's novel Lord of the Flies there is an ever-present conflict between two characters. Ralph's character combines common sense with a strong desire for civilized life. Jack, however, is an antagonist with savage instincts, which he cannot control. Ralph's goals to achieve a team unit with organization are destroyed by Jack's actions and words that are openly displayed to the boys. The two leaders try to convince the boys that their way of survival is correct.
Some people are aware of their own evil, and know how to control themselves, while others have no idea. Whether or not one knows about their own evil, they can always see it in others. The book Lord of the Flies by William Golding shows how humans all have their own evil. Golding uses the symbols of the final fire, Castle Rock and the painted faces to illustrate that underneath the thin layer of veneer of civilization, man is a beast.
Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding, suggests that we’re born with the potential act of being evil and savage, all which is dictated by our decisions and instincts. Chaos and brutality come about when one fails to sacrifice and apply any effort while trying to attain pleasure. In a world run and ruled by rules and power, we’re all expected to be respectable and reputable, and be ready to sacrifice for a potential society ruling. This is why we act and do as we do; the society we live in forms and brands us to act and think like we do. This, though, doesn’t completely wipe us, including the brutality. Golding demonstrates this by putting a team of English boys alone on an island, with no parents or laws to enforce civilization. There
Ralph is becoming mentally insane like Jack towards the end of the book. Ralph is going crazy because of the fright of the beast. He helps Jack kill Simon when Simon came back and told them that there was not a beast and it was all in their imagination. Ralph was also involved in the killing of Piggy, Piggy was killed by a big rock that had been rolled off a cliff and hit his head. This is unlike Ralph to be acting
Humans use many different types of coping mechanisms when in tough situations and environments. William Golding’s, Lord of the Flies, demonstrates several of these and their ultimate outcomes. From the Lord of the Flies one can draw that the more cruel and savage a person is betters their likelihood of survival in a harsh environment or world. This is exemplified through Simon and his non-violent acts, Piggy who vacillates his morals, and Jack who fully embraces his own savagery.
Metaphorically, a snowball effect is a process that starts from an initial state of small significance and builds upon itself, becoming more serious, and also perhaps resulting in danger or disaster. William Golding’s allegorical novel, Lord of the Flies, is a quintessence for this figurative concept. The novel introduces the audience with a plane crash that forces a group of young males to struggle to survive on an uninhabited island. Many obstacles also erupt from themselves in forms of mentality during their stay. New discoveries are made regarding their general psychological characteristics, feelings, and behavioral traits. Numerous findings link to human nature’s hidden potential of savagery is limitless once it is unleashed.
...nd ego because he finds something that is not conventionally used as a contacting device and uses it to aid in sanity and survival. Also the idea of holding meetings and giving others a chance to express themselves is an adult like trait as well. All in all Ralph is a integral part of this haphazard society due to his perfect balance of ego and rationality and leadership skills, and may have possibly been the guiding figure in times of turmoil.