How Does Lord Of The Flies Make Us Human

Humanity is a small and definitive group of characteristics that distinguish the actions and ways of living of humans from animals. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, the line between humans and animals is blurred; thus, the book accurately displays the characteristics and aspects that define humanity by showing that there are certain things that make humanity a construct that can be rebuilt or regained even after it is lost. There are certain aspects to a human being that make up the general basis of humanity. These aspects are present throughout William Golding’s Lord of the Flies where one of the main characters, Ralph, shows these characteristics that make us human. One of those aspects is the inherent ability to express outward feelings or emotion towards another person or group of people. Ralph shows this by expressing his fear for the beast in front of the rest of the boys (82). Another aspect of humanity is that humans have the distinct ability to hold themselves accountable for actions and recognize the

In Lord of the Flies, the boys stuck on the island lose almost all characteristics of humanity and begin to act like animals, so much so that they are referred to as savages, too: “The deaths of Piggy and Simon lay over… like a vapor. These painted savages would go further and further.” Savagery and humanity are two concepts that mean the opposite. The calling of the boys savages clearly shows that the boys on the island have lost their humanity. Although humanity is lost in the boys, it does come back when they are rescued: “...and infected by that emotion, the other little boys began to shake and sob, too” (202). Even after all that occurs on the island, the boys begin to show signs of humanity again. The outward emotion that “infects” the boys at the end is clear indicators that humanity is