Primal State Quotes

In William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies the author investigates how people react to situations that are unfamiliar to them. The concept of the novel, which follows a group of boys’ deserted on an island, serves as a fertile ground for navigating unfamiliar circumstances. Throughout the novel, Golding conveys his belief that when individuals are faced to confront unknown situations, they are more prone to reverent to a basic and savage state, exposing the fragility of human nature.

When confronted with the unfamiliar, an individual may be more prone to regressing to a primal and savage state. In Lord of the Flies, Golding uses the boys' regression to a primal and savage state to highlight the ways in which unknown circumstances can challenge

The absence of such norms can cause individuals to revert to a primal state, exposing the constraints of human nature in such situations. In William Golding's Lord of the Flies, the absence of these norms creates an environment in which "the rules are the only thing we've got" (Golding 99), and the boys are forced to confront the unfamiliar and navigate the challenges of survival on their own. Without the guidance of societal boundaries, the boy's behaviour becomes growing more unstable and evolves into a state of primal savagery. Golding's portrayal of the boys' descent into chaos and violence highlights the fragility of human nature in the absence of established norms. As the boys struggle to survive on the island, they become increasingly isolated and cut off from the outside world, leading to a breakdown in their moral and social values. This is evident in their treatment of one another, as they begin to dehumanize their fellow humans and commit acts of violence that are unthinkable in a civilized society. The boys' descent into savagery underscores the importance of societal norms in maintaining order and regulating human behavior. The absence of such structures can lead to a deterioration of moral and social norms, and a breakdown in behavior that is otherwise deemed civilized. The “memory of the dance that none of them had attended shook all four boys convulsively” (Golding 175), serves as a message of the dangers that may arise when individuals are forced to navigate unfamiliar and challenging circumstances without the guidance of societal norms. It reminds us that human nature is not inherently savage, but rather, that the structure and guidance of societal norms are integral in preserving our humanity and preventing our regression to a primal