William Golding's Lord Of The Flies: Are Humans Good Or Evil?

Through William Golding’s use of symbolism in the novel Lord Of The Flies and Alan Strudler’s opinion in the article “Are Humans Good or Evil?”, one can see humans are naturally inclined towards bad behaviors. When the hunters go to “[kill] a pig,” they allow the “fire [to] go out,” which reveals the fire’s “irrelevance” to them (Golding 69). The “fire” represents civilization, where humans cooperate and have the motive to do righteous actions. However, when people are isolated from society, the true natures and behaviors of mankind become more apparent. The fire being put out after Jack’s hunters’ departure symbolizes the loss of civilization among the boys, who are forced to adapt and survive in nature. Moreover, the hunters “killed a pig” in triumph and

The violent action underscores their inclination toward bad behaviors, a direct consequence of social isolation which is detrimental to the entire group. Therefore, Jack’s group gradually turns into savages due to their diminishing interest in rescue and prioritization in hunting, a personal desire. In support, the article “Are Humans Good or Evil?” portrays a similar scene. If people know donating to Oxfam would “save lives,” people would still not donate because “death at a distance leaves [humans] unfazed,” making humans “in ways like murderers” (Strudler). Humans are naive to the death and hardships of others. When humans have an option to help another's life, they do not take it seriously because people do not understand the impact of their donation. A donation could bring food and joy to a starving person who needs help getting out of their situation. However, people do not understand the joy of the donation receivers, due to the absence of emotional connection with the people in