Author John Bradshaw once said, “Evil is a source of moral intelligence in the sense that we need to learn from our shadow, from our dark side, in order to be good”. The dark side can be a flaw in human nature, which could be seen out of one’s control. Each piece explores the dark side of human nature in different ways. Shakespeare’s Macbeth portrays hunger of power, which leads one to do immoral acts. Cormac McCarthy’s, The Road, illustrates the struggle for survival in a world that is coming to an end, which will unconditionally make one do anything for survival. Similarly to The Road, William Golding’s, Lord of the Flies portrays boys on an island in the Pacific struggling to create a developed society and civilized environment. Despite the different paths that create conflicts amongst each other, the struggle for survival, power, and civilization will bring out the flaws and dark side of human nature, which are demonstrated throughout three of these pieces.
Power is an abstraction that many want in their life, but it proves difficult to define or obtain. In these readings, the struggle for power brings out the flaws in human nature. Fight for power defines Shakespeare’s Macbeth. In addition, Shakespeare creatively exposes the weaknesses of human beings as the core foundation for this dreadful play. Additionally, Macbeth showcases the negativity in humanity. In the beginning of Act of one, the witches, interpreted as instruments of darkness and ghost, encircle the