Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely Lord of the Flies by William Golding, is a novel that is widely used in high schools across the world to improve reading comprehension skills. However, in addition the the book being used for comprehension, the story has a much deeper meaning and serves as a warning about the potential for evil within human nature. The story transpires during WWll and tells of a group of young boys stranded on an island after their plane crashed. Their time on the island seems pure and modest in the beginning, but William Golding soon after illustrates through the characters Jack and Ralph, how unchecked power can lead to the manifestation of evil. In the novel, the character of Jack represents the corrupting influence …show more content…
Ralph attempts to maintain order and civilization on the island, but his efforts are continually prevented by the savage impulses of the other survivors. Golding writes, "Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man's heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy." (Golding, 202). Ralph's defeat at the hands of Jack and his followers illustrates the uselessness of trying to control those who have abandoned their sense of morality and reason, as Jack and the other boys had already been corrupted by power and their inner evil, they are unable to be reasoned with any further. Ralph's Moral reasoning shows itself more when he becomes frustrated with jack about hunting the pig. “Don’t you want to be rescued? All you can talk about is pig, pig, pig!” (Golding, Ch4). Ralph being the voice of reason on the island, is focused on the importance of being rescued, however, Jack's greed and inner evil has corrupted him far enough so as he cares more about taking a life than saving his own. Ralphs voice of reason is a prominent part of his charecter through the story, but even the most powerful minds can still manifest evil as Golding suggests. Ralph and the other survivors slowly loose thier insanity and even go as far as killing simon after misaking him for “The Beast”. “I’m frightened. Of us. I want to go home. Oh God, I want to