Humanity In Lord Of The Flies

Published in 1954, William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, tells the journey of a group of schoolboys marooned on an island, who begin thinking it will be a fun adventure, but slowly descend into chaos. The novel parallels the ongoing World War II and references the belief, at the time, that British people are superior. It showcases the innocence, maturity, and inner evilness of humans, proving humans are not as two-dimensional as shown in Coral Island, the inspiration for Golding’s writing. People invariably have a sense of integrity, a naiveness that is shocked upon witnessing something wrong and easily amused or joyed. Ralph serves as a metaphor for this quality because, although doing his best to make morally correct decisions, he frequently

Jack Merridew shows this, as he is quickest to begin his descent into mad savagery and evil. However, this urge for authority lies within all the boys, since they follow Jack on his quest for power. As the book progresses, it becomes clear that Golding uses the boys to illustrate that humans are very complex creatures and are capable of a spectrum of actions and feelings. Although some people believe that humans and animals are no different, humans are differentiated from other creatures, not by intelligence or strength, but by the complexity of their nature. Humans instinctively have a pure integrity, an easily influenced and swayed naïveté. Ralph portrays this sense of innocence, his easily influenced feelings expressing this side of humanity. After finally giving hunting a chance, Ralph finally understands how liberating it is to hurt a living animal, and to have control over whether it lives or dies. He has been against hunting all along, but he changes his mind and “sunned himself in [the boys] new respect, feeling “that hunting was good after all.” Ralph quickly goes from disapproving of hunting to “fighting to get near, to get a handful of that brown, vulnerable flesh.” He feels that “the desire to squeeze and hurt was over-mastering” (Golding

Golding uses symbolism to represent these different characteristics of human nature, innocence and maturity, as well as the innate savagery of humans. An innocence that is easily swayed and joyed, a maturity that has a sense of entitlement, and an inherent evil that lies within all humans. Ralph symbolises this trait, as he makes morally right decisions to the best of his ability but often is at a loss of what to do, showing childlike confusion. Golding uses the character Piggy to show a more mature and thoughtful side of humanity, since the characteristic that differentiates humans from animals is not intelligence but complex behaviours. Despite this trait of sensibility in some people, humans still have a deep and savage desire for power and control. Jack shows this, as he is quickest to begin his descent into primal savagery and evil. All of this shows that the boys, Ralph, who has a nature that ties back to naivete, Piggy who is the mature voice of reason, and Jack, whose immoral nature represents inner savagery, all are used as symbols of the different sides of human instinct. Humans are different from other animals not by intelligence or strength, but by the complexity of their nature and their contrasting behaviours and