Samneric Allegory

In the novel by the Lord of the Flies Golding creates a setting in which a group of boys happen to be involved in a plane crash during what would be WWIII. These boys, fearful of the jungle and the things lurking inside, band together in hopes to survive. The characters, Sam and Eric help the novel develop its theme of “man’s capacity for good and evil” through ways such as the twins’ loss of identity, allegory as human nature and symbol being the fire. Samneric have undergone many circumstances in which at times required them to do things for their own benefit. Jumping from one side to another, they rely on the strength provided by Jack and Ralph’s group to thus profit even if it the goal of benefitting is short term.

Throughout the novel,

Like his beliefs, society can be shaped by the individual’s ethical nature in which this case Samneric has succumbed to the dark, much like the other boys who follow Jack’s path of tyranny. Samneric hence become “savages like the rest: [as] Piggy was dead, and the conch was smashed to powder”, and although they are not completely devoted to one side, they will ultimately choose the one that will currently help their situation at that moment (Golding 186). As Ralph’s plan of keeping the smoke alive to later rescue the boys did not become immediate, Samneric thus agree to belong in Jack’s tribe for not only the fear of being killed if on Ralph’s but for protection and food. Another example would be their source of sympathy or compassion for their disloyalty towards Ralph. As the twins are on guard, Ralph asks for help in which, “[m]emory of their new and shameful loyalty came to them. Eric was silent but Sam tried to do his duty” (Golding 187). Both feel remorse for having left Ralph after everything that has happened such as Piggy dying, Simon dying and Ralph’s authority was taken away. To settle their uneasiness, they try to appease their wrongs by attempting to save his life. This then takes a surprising turn of events when Samneric later reveal Ralph’s hiding spot for the sake of being safe from harm. Although they do not follow one

By illustrating the differences of their growth from civilized to moreso savage and the switches they make from Jack and Ralph’s tribes, Samneric portray just how good and evil can consume an individual in dire circumstances. When faced with a situation most unfavorable, the individual will be forced to either make a good or bad decision that ultimately affects the society they live in. In other cases, how an individual’s ethics and moral codes differ can play a major role to the amount of stress or evil they can handle. Overall, Samneric play a position as the followers for either Jack or Ralph’s side to eventually benefit themselves in the long