Lord of the Flies As An Allegory
If read from the surface level, Lord of the Flies can be interpreted as a novel about the struggle to survive on a deserted island and the effects it has on its residents. When the reader looks in depth, they see an allegorical novel that has an underlying meaning and is filled with symbolism throughout the book. In Lord of the Flies, William Golding writes the novel as an allegory of the Cold War and the Bible by including characters and objects that directly represent events and people involved.
Golding also wrote Lord of the Flies as an allegory to the Bible. Golding uses imagery to describe the island in Lord of the Flies as “a great platform of pink granite thrust up uncompromisingly through the forest and terrace and sand and lagoon […] The palms that [….] stood made a green roof covered on the underside with a quivering tangle of reflections from the lagoon” (6-7). The island relates to the description of the Garden of Eden in the second book of Genesis. Golding compares the two by demonstrating the appealing scenery on both the island and the garden. Golding also correlates Ralph with baptism and Adam and Eve. In chapter one, “The Sound of the Shell”, the first thing Ralph did was take off his clothes and bathe in the lagoon. When Ralph takes off his clothes and is not embarrassed in front of Piggy, it is the same way Adam and Eve were not ashamed to be naked in the Garden of Eden. The act of Ralph bathing can be a display of baptism. During the act of baptism, the religious leader will dunk the person receiving baptism underwater to cleanse them of sin and surrender their life to God. Another parallel Golding creates in the novel is Simon as Jesus. Unlike the other boys on the island, Simon is innately righteous and never drifts from mortality. He has a spiritual understanding of truth that others do not, much like Jesus in the Bible. Simon is sacrificed while trying to save the others when he runs into the chanting group of boys to tell them that the beast on the island was just a dead parachutist. This is similar to the way Jesus died as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity.
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Religious allegory:
Lord of the Flies is expressed as a religious allegory with the aid of the island`s illustration of Eden, Simon as a Christ figure, and inherent evil at some stage in the novel. Genesis is a frequently known e-book of the Bible that is regularly alluded to. This is made evident by way of Golding`s assessment of the island in the Garden of Eden in Genesis. ‘Reflection is a frequent trait of Jesus Christ and can be located in Simon`s agenda. Simon would often walk alone in the wasteland and live in a vine cavern in order to contemplate the morality of the group. This is reminiscent of Jesus leaving his disciples to take a seat in the wild and discuss with God. Jesus is also recognized to be especially type and compassionate closer to children, plenty like Simon. While the other older boys are arguing, Simon appears to be the sole boy searching after the ’littluns'; the youngsters are cozy following Simon out into the forest and he helps them gather fruit from the high branches. Simon`s compassionate authority closer to the young people is similar to that of Jesus Christ, accordingly making him a Christ figure. Unfortunately, crucifixion is a frequent Christ figure condition. Although Simon is not without delay crucified, he is murdered in a sacrificial manner by his former pals as he is attempting to share his ethical revelation. The persona of Simon is a biblical reference to Jesus Christ. He was kind, innocent, truthful, and a pure soul. He is the sole one who finds that evil is now not in the region's interior. When he comprehend the fact of the Beast, he wanted to tell anyone but was once killed with the aid of the savageries group. His demise represents the giving up of goodness and it indicates his sacrifice for the different boys. Also, the picture of the Beast represents the presence of Satan on the island. That has distracted the boys from goodness and made them savages. Piggy represents technological know-how and intellect. Simon represents socialism of humanism that is concerned with the benefits of all and working honestly.
All in all, Golding writes The Lord of the Flies as an allegory by using characters and objects to resemble the characteristics and behaviors in the Cold War and the Bible. Golding’s purpose in using an allegory is to create a sense of connection and arouse different emotions in the reader.
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Essay on Religious Allegory in ‘Lord of the Flies’.
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