This attack on Simon demonstrates how the fear of the beast that the boys are experiencing is affecting their better judgment, and pushes their morals to the side, just so that they can feel safe. In chapter 9 of Lord of the Flies, William Golding employs repetition, animal imagery, and natural imagery to convey the theme that fear can corrupt humans, which pushes them to engage in unspeakable acts. During chapter nine, one of the primary examples of a rhetorical strategy is animal imagery, which allows people to picture this sense of inner beast that fear brings out. Simon is often referred to as the beast during this chapter, showing how the boys are only
When Simon first encounters the Lord of the Flies, he realizes that it is a manifestation of the boys' fear and savagery. He thinks to himself, "Fancy thinking the beast was something you could hunt and kill! You knew, didn't you? I'm part of you?" (Chapter 8).
Soon enough, Ralph takes a moment to remember the deaths of his friends that he witnessed and the fact that he almost gets killed himself by Jack. Ralph is so traumatized to the point that “...[he] wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend of Piggy.” (p. 202) Ralph cries at the thought that he might never get his innocence back and the outcome of living with bloodthirsty people. Ralph grieves about the unending mark of evil in people’s hearts, an evil that he did not expect to come out before witnessing it on his friends.
The lord of the flies commanding Simon to “get back” to the children who later murder him, the Christlike figure, demonstrates the Devil’s strong control over all people(143). Being comparable to the Devil, the lord of the flies is very deceiving and convinces Simon to march to his death, like Jesus did to his crucifixion. Corruption is among the boys as even the Christlike figure falls to temptation and is murdered amidst the violence of the island. The boys fearfully leaving the pig head for “the beast” as they try to appease a creature of the Devil’s works, reveals just how much power people give to monsters(137). Because the boys are trying to appease the beast, they are worshiping an evil entity like humans are naturally drawn to.
The boys start to take things out of hand and kill each other thinking that it is the right thing to do. One of the boys named Simon is a character from this novel that tries to stand up and tell everyone not to be afraid, much like FDR. Simon wants to relieve them of their fears of the “beastie”, which happens to be just one of the boys’ fears along with being scared of the dark or the unknown. William Golding’s Lord of the Flies can be analyzed using characters and symbolism in order to defend the theme of fear being a figment of one’s imagination when in times of trouble. There are many symbols in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies.
I’m frightened myself; sometimes; only that’s nonsense!”(Golding 82). This quote shows that the boys were afraid of what could possibly happen on the island. Ralph is unsure of what will
Instead of an idea or subject viewed as a root cause in destruction and corruption, the Lord of the Flies represents evil within. Golding introduces this sinister being with; “They were black and iridescent green and without number; and in front of Simon, the Lord of the Flies hung on his stick and grinned” (138.Huxley). The Lord of the Flies limits all of the boys to their fear and savagery throughout the novel. The evil in man’s mind
William Golding the author of the allegorical novel The Lord of the Flies writes his novel in a very pessimistic nature about the human race and evil in his work. William believes that the human race is the true evil because humans have the potential and power to do evil through fear. This theme is personified with the idea of the beast during the novel the children are scared of a “beast with claws and sharp teeth” roaming around on the island and the children end up sacrificing a pig as a sacrifice to the beast. The evil Golding is eluding to is not the beast but the actions caused by the boys while they are afraid of the beast. Also in this setting the island was at peace with only true beauty but, then humanity came and committed the first
“The pig’s head is cut off; a stick is sharpened at both ends and ‘jammed in the crack’ of the earth.” (207) In William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, a group of (British) kids find themselves upon an island after a plane accident. Even though the kids do try to survive with each other, one group of kids wanted to set up a rescue fire, and another group of kids desired hunting for survival (because they don’t care about being rescued as much as the other group). This conflicts both of these groups from doing what they want. The kids are then separated, then separate into two civilizations after some time out of civilization.
The quote “‘Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill!’ said the head.” (Golding 164) expresses that the Lord of the Flies is divulging to Simon that the evil is not something that can be hunted or killed but is within the boys. Simon also learns that the beast of evilness was in the boys all along. The theme Inherent Evil of Man is displayed through Simon learning that evil is within the boys and that this was the beast. This shows how the evil action appears as a beast and the understanding of evilness by
In the novel, Golding associates the conch with the boys nature, signifying there civilisation till it was destructed and therefore, the dark side of the boys was released when there was no unity or order. The beast is another important symbol demonstrating their impulses to becoming violent, that the 'beast' is within the boys themselves. The antagonist Jack is addressed to represent that without regulations of society all human beings are savages by nature. Golding includes these symbols, motifs and characters to confront the idea the dark side of human nature is represented when left to your own
“...‘maybe there is a beast’... ‘maybe it’s only us’” (Golding 89). This quote from Simon in, The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding effectively shows the deeper meaning of the book. This allegory takes place after a plane crash carrying British schoolboys living in a dystopian world.
“See? I told you- he’s dangerous” (Chapter 12 pg. 194). This scene is when the savages are trying to kill Ralph, but he is hiding. Soon the savages find Ralph and try to kill him exposing their dark side that you would not have guessed before they were on the island.
The Evil Within In The Lord of the Flies, Golding questions the innocence of man. When a few boys get stranded on an island Golding shows the effects that truly push man to the edge; however the contentious question of the root of their madness. The boys go through plenty from arriving on the island to finally escaping the darkness that the island has made them become. Many critics argue the source of the madness of the boys, whether it remained there forever or developed with an environment.
Lord of the Flies means Beelzebub which is defined as devil. William Golding, the author, shows a clear insight into human behavior and portrays many aspects of human characteristics. Humans are savage by nature and they have their own hidden devils. This book is about adolescent British boys stranded on an island without any adult guidance or supervision. These adolescent British boys become savage when their inner evil are exposed; they are willing to do whatever they desire.