Are People Innately Savage, Civil, or Both? Do all humans have an animal side? Are some human naturally civilized? This is questioned a lot In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. In the novel, the boys change their human way of living. They slowly drift away from their human behavior and start acting more savage. Nonetheless, this relates to life in general and it is an example of humans being innately savage and innately civil. Humans are capable of being both civil and savage and they have the option of choosing one or the other.
Golding shows that the boys have both savage and civil traits when they first arrive at the island. Although, you might embrace one side more than the other both are present. In the novel, the boys arrive at the island and establish rules to be followed. They all agree that the rules are necessary to remain focused and maintain order.
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Moreover, this shows that the boys recognize and believe in civilization. The boys know that building a fire is a priority and they said, “A fire! Make a fire!”, when they were thinking of ways to escape off the island (Golding 38). While thinking of a fire, the boys started displaying their savage side. They have basic survival instincts and know what they must do to survive. Golding shows that the boys have civil traits by describing their ability to establish rules. At the same time, he also describes their savage side when they make a fire. With these examples, it is obvious that the boys rely on both their civil and savage ways. Golding shows in Lord of the Flies, how the environment with no structure or support influences the way the boys think which makes them