What Is The Role Of Fear In Lord Of The Flies

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While writing Lord of the Flies, William Golding explores many major thematic developments. Through the character Ralph, Golding discusses about how fear has an impact on the thinking process,the change of society due to environment and how people result to violence when talking does not work. In these themes, Ralph does not play a big role, but is indirectly affected by them. Throughout the novel, fear is clearly shown to affect the boys’ ability to make good choices. Once you let fear overcome your confidence and mental, it shuts down the potential to make smart choices. Most boys think that their safety and the abundance of meat that Jack provides surpasses the edible fruits and shelter that Ralph has supplied them. However, this decision that the boys make is mainly caused by their anxiety of the beast. Ralph has a fear, but it is unlike the rest of the boys. He has a fear that they will not be rescued because all of the boys are working against him instead of with him. This also describes the conflict of democracy against savagery. Ralph has a set mind of staying as a democracy and analyzing every single …show more content…

The comparison of a bird to a ticking clock can grasp the meaning for most of the book. The bird will be the sign of peace when all the boys agree to work and collaborate together. The ticking clock represents the time change and the evolution of the major characters. It also represents the idea of the system of democracy breaking down due to the state of environment that the boys were forced to adapt to and the fear that was attached from the crash landing of the plane. Ralph, in many cases, changes indirectly by the many themes that Golding wrote such as his sudden change from words to violence, civilization to becoming part of savagery and lastly, the slow change from a fearless character to one that fears of his