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Indirect Characterization In Lord Of The Flies

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“... The number of abortions performed annually in the U.S. [is about] 1.06 million a year” (National Right to Life News). This means that in just a single decade, 10.6 million children are murdered in the United States before they are ever born. This sickening loss of life is just the latest link in an unbroken chain of human depravity stretching back to the Garden of Eden. Humans are fundamentally wicked. William Golding, author of the bestselling novel ‘Lord of the Flies’, understood this basic principle. Thus, he wove it in as a theme in his book. In ‘Lord of the Flies’, William Golding discusses the nature of man in order to reveal that human nature is essentially evil by using indirect characterization and personification. William Golding uses indirect characterization to show that human nature is corrupt because humans naturally revert to a state of violence and evil. In ‘Lord of the Flies’, he says, “Ralph...was fighting to get near [to the pig]....The desire to squeeze and hurt was over-mastering” (Golding 102*). Ralph is a good, sane, respectable child in the story. However, when he is given several weeks on an island with no laws, he devolves into savagery. He maddeningly tries to torture, squeeze, and damage …show more content…

In ‘Lord of the Flies’, Mr. Golding says, “‘Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could 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 things are what they are?’” (Golding 143). This scene is one of the most powerful in the book. The one speaking is the Lord of the Flies, the personification of pure evil. He then states a frightening fact: he is a part of all humans. Consequently, this means evil is part of humanity, and is alive and well within us. Evil is bound to the heart of humanity. This fact was shown quite sadly by Christianity Today. They

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