Sympathy For The Devil's Allure Of Evil

Evil and its allure

This essay will argue that evil and its uncanny ability to change people is explored in depth in both William Golding's novel "Lord of the Flies" and Mick Jagger's song "Sympathy for the Devil" through the themes of evil and its allure, symbolism, and power struggle.

The theme of evil and its allure is a prevalent and complex theme in both "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding and "Sympathy for the Devil" by Mick Jagger. In "Lord of the Flies," Golding portrays the boys' downward spiral into savagery and violence as a result of their inability to resist their dark impulses, some stronger than others. One of the characters, Jack, becomes increasingly obsessed with hunting and the thrill of killing. He even The line

As Jagger sings, "Pleased to meet you, hope you guess my name. But what's puzzling you is the nature of my game," (Jagger 10) Jagger suggests that the devil's allure lies in his exceptional ability to manipulate and deceive. Both pieces emphasize the allure of evil and how it can change and bring out the absolute worst in people. As Golding writes, "The mask was a thing on its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-consciousness," (Golding 64) he emphasizes the allure of evil and how it can allow individuals to break free from the constraints of society and morality without consequence. Similarly, Jagger's line, "I shouted out, 'Who killed the Kennedys?' When after all, it was you and me," (Jagger 19) suggests that the devil's appeal lies in his ability to tempt

In "Lord of the Flies" the boys' struggle for power and leadership ultimately leads to chaos, violence, and ultimately the demise of 2 [3 if the boy with the mulberry birthmark counts] of the boys as the others give in to their savage impulses. The character of Jack represents the ruthlessly determined pursuit of power and control, while the character of Ralph symbolizes the struggle to maintain order and morality while also struggling with savage impulses. Jack's character is constantly going against authority saying things like “I ought to be chief because I'm chapter chorister and head boy” (Golding 22). While Ralph is seemingly in an endless effort to try and keep the boys on task and doing things that will benefit them. Ralph tries to establish order early on by using the conch and doing things like “Ralph pursed his lips and squirmed in the hatchet face. Then he bent down and took the shell gently, in his hands. [...] 'I'll give the conch to the next person to speak. He can hold it when he's speaking” (Golding 16). These two characters clash heads right up until the end of the novel. Just as evil has the power to take over the boys in Lord of the Flies, in "Sympathy for the Devil," Jagger portrays the devil as a figure of immense power who tempts and deceives humans into committing evil acts. The line "who killed the Kennedys?"