“What are we? Humans? Or animals? Or savages?' (Golding). William Golding believes that a person cannot be entirely good. When it comes down to it, without consequences humankind's desires is attainable. Indeed, humankind is civil, but civility and savagery are just a state of mind. Society demands peace but there is always a temptation for savage behavior. Plus, humankind constantly desires something, whether it is power, wealth, or resources. William Golding uses the allegory in Lord of the Flies, to portray humankind's illness; highlights their lust for power and their pull towards savagery.
Authority is the right to give orders, make decisions and enforce obedience, and power is the ability to direct or influence the behaviors of others over the course of events. Ralph and Jack are symbols of what a combination of authority and power can represent. Jack was able to steal Ralph’s power and authority, which leads the book to change the course of events. Jack said, “We’ll hunt. I’m going to be chief”(Golding 133). Dictators such as Jack uses getting the beast, feeding them food and providing them with fun as leverage to gain power. William Golding believes the antagonist Jack will pursue others for loyalty in order to rise in power.
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Rules are made to keep people in check and that introduces the public to, civility. Civilization has an organization; humans make systems and laws for people to follow in order to stop chaos from happening. People create justice systems, leaders, the supreme court and this all prevents society from becoming barbaric. Ralph and Piggy are able to elaborate on a plan to keep everyone safe. They are children on an island alone with no adults, meaning no one to control them or to tell them right from wrong. This leads to tragic events such as the killing of Simon and Piggy. In chapter 2 it states, “'We've got to have rules and obey them. After all, we're not savages. We're English, and the English are best at everything” (Golding 40). If people attain too much freedom, then it can result in anarchy. The bases between savagery and civility are close. The transition is only an action away for those who have lost their morals and lost their control. Golding highlights the truth that human society needs order and rules to contain the “beast” inside of them.
Furthermore, humans are both good and evil. “Good and Evil are fluid” (Steven). People are a blend of both good and bad traits. Good people are those who put themselves before others and show compassion, while evil people are those that can not empathize and have selfish tendencies. The immoral ones usually put their own needs above all else, this represents Jack. Jack is classified as evil because he performs wicked acts. Jack is powerful, which leads to his enemy’s death. Those heinous crimes are the reasons why Jack is labeled as “evil”. On the contrary, a wicked person can possess goodness when they realize all the bad they have done, for example, Jack. At the end of the book, Ralph and the other boys feel free as well as baffled at the naval officer’s arrival: 'Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man's heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy” (Golding 202). Evilness can manifest, affecting a person's ability to know right from wrong. William Golding uses these moments to show humans pull towards savagery, as they go through egocentric actions causing them to cross the line of decency.
According to the allegory in the Lord of the Flies, William Golding insists that different factors can influence savage behaviors. Leaders that have absolute power can influence those who follow them. If an egocentric leader, like Jack, gets a hold of power, it can turn an entire civilization from good to bad. Savagery develops in those who feel like they do not have a sense of peace or security. As a result, mankind turns barbaric; it is survival of the fittest. Without regulation, humankind would be savages and without an upright authority like Ralph, there will be chaos. Therefore, Golding believes humans are on a thin line between good and evil because of their lust for power and their attraction towards savagery.
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