Understanding Corruption and Savagery’s Relationship

“Corrupt” is defined as causing someone and or something to become immoral, dishonest, or dehumanized. In Lord of the Flies by William Golding and “I Only Came To Use the Phone” by Gabriel Garcia, corruption of authority is a theme reinforcing the main idea that humans instinctually understand that savagery is necessary for survival. Throughout both stories the reader gets a substantial perception of the immorality and dishonesty as the animalistic patterns that humans instinctually have represent what the authors are intending to display. The authors, Golding and Garcia, depict the message that when the characters holding the power are corrupt, then all of those around the power will be corrupted as the characters like all humans will instinctually become savage. The authors reinforce this theme by describing the details of the characters, setting, and objects around the corrupted authority in a pessimistic manner.

The reader of Lord of the Flies realizes immediately that power must be laid in the right hands keep the group of inexperienced and vulnerable young boys alive. The first sign of power is the conch. “A deep, harsh note boomed under the palms spread through the intricacies of the forest, and echoed back from the pink granite of the mountain,”(Golding 17). Ralph blows the conch in hopes it will gather the young boys together. In this instance the power of the conch works very efficiently. As the plot progresses the conch loses its ability to centralize the boys. When the antagonistic character, Jack, breaks off from the group and unites his own savage, and uncivilized boys the conch’s power is totally disregarded. “The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin too knee; the conch exploded into a thousand white fragme...

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... the reader realizes that the matron and Herculina are corrupt where the matron tries to convince Maria to give her pleasures for a letter to Saturno, and where Herculina is noted to murdering two individuals. The authority in the story is corrupt which leads Maria into becoming immoral and participating in the offers the matron has offered her, which leads predominantly to her downfall. Therefore both authors Garcia and Golding intend to portray the message that when the authorities with power are corrupt, then all of those around the authority will be corrupted, by examining how the characters demonstrate a pack mentality and all understand that humans instinctually will become savage to survive. The authors reinforce this message as characters, the setting, and objects in the corrupted authority is affecting are described in a pessimistic and immoral manner.