Greed Lord Of The Flies Analysis

Long ago, Buddha professed, "Desire is the root cause of all evil." While desires themselves are unavoidable, rules and society prevent them from completely consuming and manipulating people. When some boys land on an island in Lord of the Flies by William Golding, far away from the organized system of society, they rally together to create their own civilization. However, they struggle to maintain order as their cravings attract them away from productivity. Innocent people, such as these boys, act against their consciences when they give in to their temptations, as shown by Jack's addiction to hunting, Ralph's constant desire to join the boys and be included, and Samneric's choice to defect to Jack's tribe.
A thirst for blood and flesh eats

When rumors cause chaos on the island, Ralph, as the appointed leader, is obliged to join an expedition to find a supposed beast. As the boys try to find dinner during the journey, he manages to spear a boar. Golding describes Ralph's need for acknowledgement, writing, "he sunned himself in their new respect and felt that hunting was good after all"(113). Killing is morally incorrect, yet Ralph is thrilled to have used it to capture the others' respect. Caught up in the moment, all he cares about is the boys' acceptance of him. When he denies the immorality of hunting, he makes it evident to the reader that he will go to any lengths to maintain the others' respect. Later, conditions on the island worsen, and many boys defect to Jack's new tribe, structured similarly to a dictatorship. One stormy evening, even Ralph flees to the base of the tribe, eager for not only food and shelter, but also the comfort of a group. Ralph once again demonstrates his need to be in a group when he is described as being "glad to take a place in this demented but partly secure society"(153). Ralph understands that Jack's tribe is built upon several immoral principles, even calling it demented, yet he stays. Because he wants so badly to be a part of a group, he disregards his morality, and blindly follows the others' actions, regardless of their correctness. Ralph's conscience is among the strongest of the

Their hesitance also immediately highlights their good character, but they have difficulty resisting the idea of not having to work for food. As they yield and go to Jack's tribe, they are controlled solely by their wants, not their ethics. After this evening, the rift in the island solidifies and Ralph becomes an outcast, with Samneric uncertainly staying with him. When Ralph goes to confront Jack at Castle Rock, Jack orders his followers to seize and torture Samneric, who surrender without much resistance. Soon after, speaking to Ralph in secret, they show their willingness to sacrifice their morality in exchange for less trouble and difficulty, stating, "' –they made us. They hurt us –'"(188). Some may argue that the twins succumbed to the pain, but that is a form of giving in to desire, since they were enticed by the potential end of physical torture. The two believe that a lack of torment would be better and more important than standing up for what is right. Nevertheless, because the two were willing to fight and stay with Ralph much longer than others, they still are good people, who simply were torn between the right course of action and the simpler