Anarchy and Morality: A Study on Lord of the Flies

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Recommended: Overall message in lord of the flies about human nature

In Lord of the flies, William Golding illustrates the themes, the true nature of human behaviour is brought into light when a society is left to function without law; and the theme when society falls, people’s morals will change. These themes develop through the story with his use of the symbols of fire and the character Jack in order to show this allegory, The struggle for dominance. The character Jack and the symbol of fire show how the theme of, the true nature of human behaviour Is brought into light when a society is to function without law. “Look at that! Call that a signal fire? That's a cooking fire. Now you’ll eat and there will be no smoke”(178). This quotation shows how the symbol of fire had symbolized food at this moment. Jack …show more content…

This theme is very apparent with Jack, as he changes dramatically. “If we have a signal fire going they’ll come and take us”(42).Jack had changed his perspective on wanting to get off the island. Jack had prioritized food and tribal rituals rather than law and rescue. Jack and Ralph were complete opposites, as Jack wanted to change and to be wild with painted masks while Ralph wanted to keep order and be clean. Ralph wanted to keep the fire going, and Jack wanted to kill and cook pigs. The use of the fire’s power is a representation boy’s state of mind and priorities. It can be used for destruction, safety, food, or rescue. “The double function of the fire, certainly one was to send up a beckoning column of smoke; but the other was to be a hearth now and a comfort until they slept”(162). The boys were shown to be afraid of the beast and felt safer with a fire going. In the beginning, they thought it was pointless but with time they grew afraid and lost hope. The island brought change too many, as no one would have killed another survivor on the first day. The two themes shown in the book are similar in that they lose something whether it be law or morals. The allegory is shown in the story of the struggle between Ralph and Jack for dominance, but it could also be the struggle between society and savagery. The symbol of fire and the character Jack show how the two things are pushed

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