Theme essay
Man's innate evil
The novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding illustrates how civilization is merely a facade to mask society's underlying instinct of evil. With set rules and regulations of how one must act ethical behavior, is oftentimes only a forced intrusion of civilization, rather than a natural expression of human individuality. When left to their own devices, people will become ferocious, rabid and barbaric. William Golding's basic philosophy that society was inherently evil could be espied in such instances as the death of Simon, the beast within the boys, and the way Ralph was fervently hunted.
Through the story Simon acted as the Christ Figure. The death of Simon symbolized the loss of religious reasoning. As the boys killed Simon they had let out their savage urges and acted in a cannibalistic manor. Even after the death of Simon Jack and his tribe did not feel any penitence to what they had done, killing to them had become second nature.
Lord of the Flies
English: Cottages, The Green, Marlborough William ...
Lord of the FliesThe circle became a horseshoe. A thing was crawling out of the forest. It came darkly, uncertainly. The shrill screaming that rose before the beast was like a pain. The beast stumbled into the horseshoe."Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!".In this quote a figure had crawled out of the forest and the ring had opened to let it inside. Mistaken as the beast by the Jack's tribe, Simon was beaten to death. After the group disbanded for shelter from the storm. The storm subsided and the tides moved in and out, Simon's body was washed to sea. Here because of the storm, the darkness and fear the boys became hysterical. They acted savagely not knowing what they were doing. The boys did not take a second look to what their actions...