Archetype In Lord Of The Flies By William Golding

In literature, an archetype is a prevalent character or action that seems to represent a universal characteristic, trait, or pattern of human nature. Derived from Carl Jung’s theories of the unconscious mind, The Oxford English Dictionary defines an archetype as “a primitive mental image inherited from the earliest human ancestors, and supposed to be present in the collective unconscious.” William Golding’s Lord of The Flies is an excellent example of modern literature that exhibits and establishes this archetypal thinking. During which seems to be the Cold War an airplane carrying British schoolboys is shot down onto an unexplored island, at first the boys find themselves lacking adult supervision, but soon discover that freedom is theirs

Thus, as long as the fire exists on the top of the mountain, the boys will continue to preserve hope. However, as long as the beastie is atop the mountain, their hope will discontinue. Although the beastie takes a physical form, it serves as a metaphor for the fear of the unknown. By allowing the fire to burn out, the boys lose hope of rescue and surrender themselves to the forces of the unknown, which include their own behavior. Golding again employs the archetypal fire when the boys call for an assembly later. During this meeting, Jack breaks off into his separate tribe. After Jack departs from the original group to form his own tribe, Piggy attempts to restore hope by proposing that fire does not have to be necessarily atop the mountain but instead could burn on the beach. Ralph, still possessing an adverse mindset, contemplates the situation but soon comes to a conclusion that because the beast is guarding the original fire, the boys will be unable to create a new fire. Ralph, then says, “Of course the smoke won't show so much, not be seen so far away. But we needn't go near, near the--”(181). For Ralph, their collective fear of the beastie forces them to relocate their fire to a place that diminishes their hope for rescue.

After the boys behead the sow Simon discovers the pig head in the forest, and his reaction to its appearance causes him to legitimize the reality of the head as a beast. Simon then finds himself having a conversion with the newly-discovered head. Simon contemplates the offering, “A gift for the beast. Might not the beast come for it? The head, he thought, appeared to agree with him. Run away, said the head silently, go back to the others”(192). The archetype forest symbolizes a place of evil presence. Simon finds himself conversing aloud with the spirit of the beast. The beastie is a product of the forest where evil can lead individuals away from finding hope. Later, the boys debate whether they should care for the rescue fire or join Jack’s feast. Simon remains engaged with the pig’s