The Morality of Lord of the Flies

William Golding wrote of his novel "Lord of the Flies" that the theme was an attempt to explore how the defects society are based largely on human nature rather than the structure of civilization. Golding used "Lord of the Flies" to allegorically explain that the architecture of a society depends on the morality of the individual rather than a social or political construction, regardless of its inherent merit or esteem.

Golding very carefully and cleverly used children as characters portraying the human race. Traditionally, children are seen as immature and dismissible; they are commonly seen as almost less than human because of their underdeveloped physique and mental capacity. While traditionalists may see it as a poor example, Golding counters that children are fundamentally more representative of human nature. Rather than being oversaturated with societal norms and tendencies like adults, children are fundamental in their desires and thought processes. The children find themselves stranded on an island, isolated from society and civilization. It is an island sufficient for their survival; there is an abundance of fruit and nuts for their consumption, and they are free from predation. And it is in this absence of fear for survival that their Freudian "Id" responses of desire begin to manifest themselves; the children begin wanting to hunt, wanting to exclude the weak, and wanting power.

Golding first dramatizes the children's Id response in the first election. When faced with choosing a leader from amongst themselves, the children choose the strongest, tallest, and most beautiful: Ralph. They impulsively do what humans do everyday; they wanted to pick the most beautiful and powerful as a means to strengthen themselves....

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...p because they wanted to feel the power that exclusion brings. From the moment Jack was cast into the minority, his desire for power began to manifest itself. His thirst for blood drove him to slaughter the pregnant sow; his desire to kill overpowered his common sense--killing the sow meant killing future generations.

Isolated on an island, the boys sought to mimic civilization by creating a democracy with a representative say for all. But as time passed and society drew further and further away, they began to overcome their societal norms and desire began to cloud their conscious. Their desire for meat and strength and power overcame their sensibility and they became a reckless machine, indiscriminate and destructive in their actions, and civilization was in ruins.

Works Cited.

Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: Berkley Publishing Group, 1954.