lord of the flies essay about evil

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Depiction of Humans as Inherently Evil in The Lord of The Flies

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Published: Jun 29, 2018

Words: 1092 | Pages: 2.5 | 6 min read

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Lord of the flies essay outline, introduction, 'fear of the unknown' and its impact, the collapse of order and authority, jack's descent into evil, the symbolism of the beast, lord of the flies essay example, works cited.

• Introduction to the theme of 'the darkness of man's heart' in "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding
• Mention of primitivism, savagery, and human nature as central themes
• Fear of the beast and the island as a representation of the unknown
• The emergence of fear at nightfall and in dreams
• Jack's manipulation of the boys' fear for his gain
• Simon's understanding of the true nature of the beast
• The boys' initial adherence to societal rules
• The deterioration of their appearance and behavior on the island
• The role of authority figures in maintaining order
• The transformation of Roger into a violent and ruthless character
• Jack's initial compliance with societal norms
• His rebellion against Ralph's leadership
• The formation of Jack's savage tribe
• Jack's brutal and merciless actions towards the end
• The evolving perception of the beast
• Piggy and Simon's insights into the true nature of the beast
• The beast as a representation of the darkness within human nature
• The overarching theme of humans being inherently evil
• The impact of fear, the collapse of order, and the symbolism of the beast on the boys' behavior
• The reflection of the darkness in human nature portrayed in "Lord of the Flies"
• Goldhurst, W. (1964). The Lord of the Flies: A Study in the Inner Conflict of the Human Psyche. University of California Press.
• Golding, W. (1954). Lord of the Flies. Faber and Faber.
• Hynes, S. (1962). William Golding: The Man and His Books. Faber and Faber.
• Johnson, R. L. (1997). The Evolution of the Symbolic System in Lord of the Flies. William Golding's Lord of the Flies. Chelsea House Publishers.
• Koopmans, M. (2021). The Psychology of Evil: William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. Human Ethology Bulletin, 36(2), 16-25.
• Kristeva, J. (1980). Desire in language: A semiotic approach to literature and art. Columbia University Press.
• Lindop, G. (2010). A literary guide to England and Wales. Methuen Publishing.
• Rosenfield, C. L. (1963). The Characters of Lord of the Flies. The Antioch Review, 23(3), 347-362.
• Tiger, V. (1965). The Beast in the Lord of the Flies. The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 23(1), 53-58.
• Zimbardo, P. G. (2007). The Lucifer effect: Understanding how good people turn evil. Random House LLC.

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• Unique And Plagiarism Free

• Lord of the Flies, an Allegorical Novel by William Golding
• Symbolism in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
• Human Nature in “Lord of the Flies” by Golding
• “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
• Writing on the Novel I Love: Lord of the Flies
• Lord of the Flies: Novel Analysis
• Exploring Allegory and Symbolism in William Golding’s ‘Lord of the Flies’
• Literature Studies: “Lord of the Flies” by W. Golding
• Symbolism in the Lord of the Flies Book by Golding
• Symbolism in “Lord of the Flies” by Golding
• Duality in “Lord of the Flies” by Golding

Evil in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding Essay

The Lord of the Flies is a fiction novel by William Golding which takes place during a chaotic war. A group of schoolboys crash land on a deserted island and develop a faulty hierarchy in the strive to survive. The characters, including leader Ralph, antagonist Jack, the kind Piggy, and innocent Simon go through varying journeys of the human spirit in which they contend with and ultimately fall prey to the effects of chaos and violence. The book shows us what an environment of savagery and survival instincts does to the character, and how we all have the ability to exceed the boundaries of both righteousness and destructiveness. Ultimately, we conclude that the latent human character is neutral and that a person’s behavior is a reaction to the environment she or he is surrounded by. Though William Golding does not profess the idea that man is born evil, the concept of man’s innate potential for evil is central to the novel.

From The Lord of the Flies, we can devise Golding’s belief that man is born neutral. The idea is that we are born with both the capacity of good and the capacity of evil and that the way we are raised, or the environment in which we live determines how we act. This shows the power of outside sources and the pliability of our own character. Literature constantly explores the potential in man to commit the greatest evils and the greatest good. Lord of the Flies puts this discourse in an even more riveting context by testing the characters of a group of proper English children who carry the stereotype and literary reputation

Through the devolving of his characters, Golding shows that the capacity for evil lies in all beings and appears when nurtured by the environment. Ralph, Jack, Simon, and all the boys on the island come from a proper English background. They were raised in a world of boundaries, customs, and propriety. As the story continues and the environment becomes more and more brutal, the change in the boys becomes evident. Golding uses antagonist Jack to symbolize this transition from structured human behavior to the more instinctual savagery that the majority of the boys end up exhibiting. At one point, Golding describes the frenzy of killing a sow through the perspective of Jack: “His mind was crowded with memories; memories of the knowledge that had come to them when they closed in on the struggling pig, the knowledge that they had outwitted a living thing, imposed their will upon it, taken away its life like a long satisfying drink” (Golding 92). In contrast to the other boys, Jack has become violent, enraged with bloodlust, and savage. The others in the group chide him for letting the rescue fire go out, ” ‘You and your blood, Jack Merridew! You and your hunting! We might have gone home…” (Golding 93). This shows the contrast between environments. Even though they are all living in the same conditions, Jack is the first and most severe to fall into chaos because he is put in charge of hunting and becomes immersed in the act. Simon, a symbol of purity and humanity despite the barbaric conditions, witnesses the vision of the “Lord of the Flies” when finding the sow’s head on a stake. Simon sees that “There was blackness within, a blackness that spread” (Golding 201). Simon, the purest of the group, is the only one to fully understand the hold that this evil had on the boys. This scene depicts Golding’s ultimate judgment of mankind: that the potential for evil lies within us all, just as does the potential for good and that the environment affects us and determines the development of our personality.

Lord of the Flies takes us on the often harrowing exploration of the nature of the human soul. Like much of literature, Golding’s work shows the true condition of man, that we can not avoid the capacity for evil, but that we can also all embrace our ability to do good. Lord of the Flies is integral to our literary understanding of the fight between good and evil. From this story, we can reflect on our own capacity and how our environment affects both the behaviors we act on now, and those we will act on in the future.

Works Cited

Golding, William. Lord of the Flies (1959). Faber and Faber Ltd: London.

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"Evil in "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding." IvyPanda , 8 Nov. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/evil-in-the-lord-of-the-flies-by-william-golding/.

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Evil In Lord Of The Flies Essay

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Evil In Lord Of The Flies Essay

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However, as the novel progresses, Simon is able to realize that the beast is far more than something that will externally attack them; the Lord of the Flies represents that there is a devil inside of everyone who can evoke the evil inside of each human being. Golding uses the Lord of the Flies to symbolize how the inner conscience has immense impact on how people are evil. “Maybe…maybe there is a beast…maybe it’s only us.” (Golding 77) This extract states that the Lord of the Flies is not necessarily something that is out to get the boys superficially, but rather can attack within and can be controlled or tamed from inside the boys. Golding expresses that there is evil inside of everyone, and if it is activated it will become a reality. “You knew, didn't you? I'm part of you? Close, close, close! I'm the reason why it's no go? Why things are what they are?” (Golding 128) In this quotation, the boys realize that the Lord of the Flies is not a literal thing, but rather something that affects how they behave. This represents that the Lord of the Flies “decides” the choices that are present; the good and bad decisions. Overall, it inquires that it is the boys’ conscience determining their evil behavior. In the novel, Golding uses the allusion of Beelzebub to portray the Lord of the Flies. Beelzebub, another name for Lord of the Flies can be directly defined as the devil himself and a powerful demon. Golding uses this allusion to show how evil can be controlled by the inner self, specifically through inner actions and thoughts. “Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill !” (Golding 128) This quote exposes that the beast is something that is inside of them and always will be; evil cannot be “killed” but it can be controlled. The “beast” signifies that there are evil tendencies within human nature, and if these are not

Simon Lord Of The Flies Quote Analysis

In Lord of the Flies, William Golding uses the symbols of good and evil through the Lord of the Flies and Simon. In order to convey the underlying message, that the fear of the unknown brings out the evil in humans. William Golding's fictional piece, evil is symbolized through the lord of the flies because he represents the loss of civilization and innocence. This quote shows that the character Lord of the Flies gets into the boy's thoughts, “There isn’t anyone to help you, only me. and I’m the beast fancy to think you can hunt and kill. You knew, didn’t you? I'm part of you. Close, close, close! I’m the reason why it’s no go? Why these things are the way they are?” (Golding chapter 8). This quote proves, that the Lord of the Flies are trying to get into the boy’s heads and they are slowly becoming less civilized.

Who Is The Evil In Lord Of The Flies

In Lord Of The Flies by William Golding, Golding claims that no matter how civilized or innocent all human beings are, the surrounding environment can change how people interact with each other and turn them from civilized beings into savages. He uses Jack to show that when human nature does not have any restraints, it will slowly evolve into savagery. Jack at first is a respectful, civilized person that is willing to communicate and cooperate with Ralph, but when confronting with the act of killing a pig makes him lose all sense of shame and conscience, he starts acting evil and wanting to hunt Ralph. By the end of the novel, Golding ultimately shows that everyone is capable of being evil and it is only society’s rules that keep most individuals from acting out evil.

Evil In Lord Of The Flies

Throughout history, philosophers have wondered what essentially drives people to do certain actions. It is not clear whether these actions occur because humans are intrinsically good or bad. Nevertheless, the novel Lord of the Flies and several historical examples provide some insight into why human beings may be fundamentally bad.

Inner Evil in Lord of the Flies by William Golding Essay

Throughout the novel Lord Of The Flies, the boys on the island are continuously faced with numerous fears. Subsequently there is nothing on the island which they fear more than the beast. The beast is not a tangible object that can be killed or destroyed by conventional means, but an idea symbolizing the primal savage instincts within all people. Its Golding’s intention to illustrate the innate evil inside man through his view of human nature, the actions of the Jack and his tribe, and the relationship between the beast and the school boys.

Evil In William Golding's Lord Of The Flies

While humans try their best to stop evil intentions, evil eventually overcomes. Although humans are ignorant and live their lives normally, evil finds a way to pounce on society. In order to suppress evil dominion is needed in the world. This is demonstrated in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. In this novel, when a horrific plane crashes on an island, a handful of boarding school boys find themselves stranded on a tropical island at a time during World War II. On the island, they govern themselves, hunt, and figure things out while waiting to be rescued. As time passes, there is conflict between two main characters, Jack and Ralph, who take on leadership roles. Another main character named Simon, is a mystical boy who spends time by himself

How Does Golding Present Evil In Lord Of The Flies

Evil is at in the center of anyone’s soul, and that’s what Golding shows in Lord of the Flies. The book is about a plane crashing onto an abandoned island, and a large group of boys is stranded without any adults. They let their animalistic sides slowly take over throughout the book, becoming practically different people. Golding shows this evil throughout the book with early signs of evil, characters with evil intentions, and clear signs of evil at work. The beginning of the book is about the boys meeting up with each other and establishing rules for their group.

Evil In The Lord Of The Flies Analysis

It’s WWII times and you’re on a plane when the plane suddenly crashes onto a remote island. You and everyone one else that had survived the crash are not even adults, barely even teenagers at the matter. The only way to stay alive is to not give into the temptation of evil that is growing with you and the other boys’ hearts. Welcome to the life of Ralph on Conch Island from Lord of The Flies by William Golding. He has to try and stay alive while dealing with a not so physically adapt ally and a pack of monsters society would call little boys. The only way to control them is with a conch until the boys, hopefully, get saved unless the monster destroys them all. That monster, of course, is the evil within everyone’s hearts.

To What Extent Does a Marxist Reading of Lord of the Flies Lead to a Fuller Understanding of the Novel?

‘Lord of the Flies’ is based almost entirely on Golding’s view that evil is an inherent force in every man, “man produces evil as a bee produces honey”. Golding acquired this belief while he was a soldier in the Second World War. From that point on, he became extremely pessimistic about human nature, calling it “the disease of being human”. This belief is shown very clearly, as he puts ‘innocent’ children on a deserted island, free of all corruption; free of an external threat, therefore with no need of an army; abundant in food and supplies, therefore with no need to steal. Therefore, what evil was left could only come from the

Morally bad or causing harm or injury to someone can define the word ‘evil.’ In Lord Of the Flies, William Golding describe how most of the boys become evil. The need to survive and the people around them influenced how they changed. Throughout the book, Golding uses character development to show that humans are inherently evil.

Clever Beasts Or Unique Creations?

In Lord of the Flies, William Golding compares humans to beasts. His comparison reveals the deep evil humans can exhibit. He portrays the boys as creatures incapable of human emotion. The boys being stranded on an island symbolizes how humans can become savages, leading to killing others. Golding describes the boys as savages and shows how sick and destructive humans can be.

Lord Of The Flies Evil Character Analysis

In William Golding's novel Lord of The Flies he shows how evil exists inside of everyone, it is the situation a person finds themselves in allows evil to grow or be controlled. The three boys are an example of this. Jack who only thinks about himself he wants everything immediately which makes his evil grow. Ralph, however, thinks about others but at times can be selfish which can make his evil grow, but Ralph tries to keep his evil at bay. Simon on the other hand only thinks about others, he does not think about himself which stops his evil from arising. Therefore, control of the situation is control of evil self.

Essay about Lord of the Flies: Evil

Evil: A noun meaning profound immorality, wickedness, and depravity. Everyone has a little bit of evil in them, but it’s up to that person if they want to show it or not. In Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, a group of boys show the evil within themselves while being stranded on an island. Because of the situation that has been thrust upon them, they soon discover the true evil they are capable of. In the book, the boys show evil through their lust for power, the behavior that the boys express, and their murderous actions.

Everyone would like to believe that man is not naturally evil, but that is not the case; Natural evil is real, and it can be evident everywhere. Not only are there many studies supporting the fact, but even the Bible acknowledges man’s natural evil. And if these evil are left unchecked, they leave to treacherous situations, as presented in William Golding’s, Lord of The Flies. The novel takes place on an island run by kids, and only held together by flimsy society lead by Ralph, the original chief. Only when Jack, Ralph’s former partner, challenges his authority that is when it starts to fall. Jack’s temptations to undo Ralph’s doing and to revert to primal savagery takes over him and eventually leads him to do actions that could only describe as an anarchist criminal. The only

The Demonstration Of Human Desire In The Lord Of The Flies

The Lord of the Flies by William Golding is an allegory that explores the instinctual evil humans possess and how this evil manifests into our societies. The book demonstrates this through young boys who are stranded on an island due to a plane crash. Despite their best efforts, the lack of adult guidance inhibits the boys from maintaining an orderly society. The boys turn to their survival instincts, many of which are evil. The lack of order exposes the internal savagery within the boys, resulting in an understanding of the flaws within all humanity. The Lord of the Flies uses the innocence of young boys to show the societal impact of human errors through their lack of adult supervision, the desire to inflict violence, and the need for authority over others.

Inherent Good And Evil In Lord Of The Flies

The Lord of the Flies by William Golding is tale of a group of young boys who become stranded on a deserted island after their plane crashes. Intertwined in this classic novel are many themes, most that relate to the inherent evil that exists in all human beings and the malicious nature of mankind. In The Lord of the Flies, Golding shows the boys' gradual transformation from being civilized, well-mannered people to savage, ritualistic beasts.

Related Topics

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The Innate Evil in Lord of the Flies

How it works

Primal fears awaken dark hearts as Golding's stranded boys descend into chaos. This gripping tale explores the dark side of human nature, revealing how fear can manipulate and transform individuals. The boys' fear of the mysterious "beast," their anxiety about not being rescued, and their eventual fear of each other catalyze a descent into chaos and violence. Golding's narrative serves as a powerful allegory for the intrinsic evil within humanity and the fragile veneer of civilization.

Manifestations of the Beast

The concept of the "beast" in "Lord of the Flies" evolves throughout the story, mirroring the boys' gradual descent into savagery and madness. Need a custom essay on the same topic? Give us your paper requirements, choose a writer and we’ll deliver the highest-quality essay! Order now

Initially, the beast is imagined as a snake lurking in the shadows, a symbol of the hidden evil waiting to strike. This imagery evokes the biblical serpent from the Garden of Eden, representing temptation and sin. As the boys' isolation and fear intensify, the beast transforms into the corpse of a dead parachutist. This shift underscores the idea that the true beast resides within humans themselves. Simon, a Christ-like figure in the novel, recognizes this internal evil, realizing that the beast is a manifestation of humanity's darker instincts. Unfortunately, like Jesus, Simon is tragically sacrificed by his peers in their frenzy, illustrating how society often destroys those who seek to reveal uncomfortable truths.

Fear as a Catalyst for Evil

Fear permeates the island, driving the boys to commit heinous acts. Initially, their fear of not being rescued leads them to prioritize maintaining a signal fire. However, as hope dwindles, their focus shifts towards forming a new society. Jack's suggestion to hunt for survival becomes a turning point, as fear morphs into ambition and jealousy. Jack's fear of losing control to Ralph fuels his desire for power, resulting in a violent struggle for dominance. This internal conflict among the boys parallels the global tensions of World War II, highlighting how fear can lead to destructive behavior on both individual and societal levels. The death of Piggy at Roger's hands symbolizes the collapse of rationality and morality, as fear and evil consume the boys, reflecting the chaos of the world beyond the island.

The Illusion of Salvation

In "Lord of the Flies," William Golding masterfully examines the theme of innate evil within humanity. Through the evolving symbol of the beast, the destructive power of fear, and the illusion of salvation, Golding reveals the fragility of civilization and the darkness that lies beneath its surface. The novel serves as a poignant reminder of the potential for evil in all of us, urging readers to confront the uncomfortable truths about human nature. In the end, Golding's tale is not just a story of boys on an island but a reflection on the broader human condition and the constant struggle between civilization and savagery.

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The Innate Evil in Lord of the Flies. (2019, Jan 05). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/the-descent-into-darkness-exploring-inner-evil-in-lord-of-the-flies/

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PapersOwl.com. (2019). The Innate Evil in Lord of the Flies . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-descent-into-darkness-exploring-inner-evil-in-lord-of-the-flies/ [Accessed: 24 Dec. 2024]

"The Innate Evil in Lord of the Flies." PapersOwl.com, Jan 05, 2019. Accessed December 24, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/the-descent-into-darkness-exploring-inner-evil-in-lord-of-the-flies/

"The Innate Evil in Lord of the Flies," PapersOwl.com , 05-Jan-2019. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-descent-into-darkness-exploring-inner-evil-in-lord-of-the-flies/. [Accessed: 24-Dec-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2019). The Innate Evil in Lord of the Flies . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-descent-into-darkness-exploring-inner-evil-in-lord-of-the-flies/ [Accessed: 24-Dec-2024]

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