Human Nature In Lord Of The Flies Research Paper

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un Mrs. Jackson English 10 Honors Period 3 April 6th, 2024 Humanity’s True Evilness Since the creation of the world, animals and humans alike have shared one common core trait: the innate need to survive. The ability to adapt, learn, and progress separates those who survive from those who do not. Centuries of urbanization and technological advancements have toned down this primal instinct, but it still lies within every human being. Society now has rules and regulations to prevent total anarchy and keep civilization ethical. However, in The Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding, civilization and its expectations fade away, and as a group of young boys struggle to figure out how to survive on a deserted island, their true evil human …show more content…

This inherent evilness can be seen in numerous works of literature other than Lord of the Flies, such as Animal Farm, written by George Orwell, and in the natural survival instinct each human possesses. To begin with, Golding presents human nature as naturally destructive and wicked through the characters Roger and Ralph. During a reenactment of the pig hunt, with Maurice acting as the pig, Ralph becomes overwhelmed with “the desire to squeeze and hurt” (Golding 115). This feeling was not only felt by Ralph, but by all the boys on the island. However, this was especially concerning because Ralph had previously been one of the few level-headed members on the island. This action taken by Ralph shows that not even the best of the group could avoid succumbing to their evil nature. The boys were so evil, in fact, that they even seriously injured Maurice because they were so enthralled in their bloodlust that they forgot to control themselves. Despite this, some may say Goldings's claim is inaccurate because of the environmental role in the boys' actions, which is believed to have caused them to act maliciously. However, this statement is …show more content…

This blatant selfish act shows humanity’s evilness and the internal belief to look out for yourself, even at the cost of others. When discussing the revision of the animals’ constitution, Napoleon says, “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” (Orwell 134). At Animal Farm, the pigs consistently change things to benefit them. By changing this amendment to the animals' constitution, they place themselves on a higher social level, which solely benefits them. They then later use this amendment change to justify their further selfish actions, such as extra food, nicer shelters, and excused manual labor. Meanwhile, the other animals on the farm suffer. Selfishness lies inside every human, and as a result, humans cannot be naturally good. To conclude, humans are inherently evil in the pursuit of their own betterment or survival. The need to be the best or have the most power is a trait inside every human. Societal rules and our surroundings control this evilness and help us strive for moral actions, but without these things, humans succumb to their villainous