Lord Of The Flies Good Vs Evil

“The line between good and evil is permeable and almost anyone can be induced to cross it when pressured by situational forces.” (Phillip Zombardo) William Golding, the author of a well known book, “Lord of the Flies”, beliefs what Phillip Zombardo said about good and evil. According to the book he wrote, he thinks that humans can very easily cross the line between good and evil.

It has been said several times throughout history that human nature is constitutionally a negative force. This is further shown in William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies when numerous young boys aged twelve and under are stranded on an island after a plane crash during World War 2. These children abandon all civilization and grow more savage as the literature progresses. The main boys: Ralph, Simon, Piggy, and Jack change exponentially throughout the novel, gradually losing themselves and any culture they had. Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, depicts human nature’s inherent evil and man’s inability to escape it.

All humans are bound to do something bad or life changing, but whether it is permanent is a decision that all people make. One who can be perceived as good, can also desire to feel the thrill of a kill. Humans have a tendency to lean towards the decision or action that is most exciting. If those choices are on the wrong side of the scale, it is up to a person to make the right decision. One who is seemingly good, submits or chooses evil first by being tempted to act corrupt, then participating in nefarious activity with enjoyment, and finally, by knowingly taking part in an event that leaves one permanently labeled as evil.

Evil is profoundly immoral actions, evil is being malevolent. Everyone does evil things like hit someone, or call them names, it’s something people do before they understand it's wrong. Even after people learn that it’s wrong they still use it throughout their lives, but why? Evil and fear is created by people who strive for power and the need to feel wanted. In William Golding’s “The Lord of the Flies” the creation of evil and fear is demonstrated through different symbols.

Inherent Good People think that inherent goodness does not exist, but it is more prevalent than one might think. Although the topic of inherent goodness can be difficult to think about, talking about it is sometimes easier. Inherent goodness has been created over time as a mindset that people are born good, and nobody is born bad. Everyone wants to do the right thing.

Imagine a society without law or justice. There would be numerous murderous incidents and barbaric acts with no laws to restrain the criminals. Without law, citizens would live in fear of their surroundings. People would fear these terrible crimes and the injustice of the people who commit these delinquencies. Current society continues to prove this through the literature and media that is being produced.

When the Lord of the Flies talks about “mankind’s essential illness”, he refers to the evil that appears within humanity. Everyone, regardless of gender or age, has darkness deeply rooted into their hearts, but most people can keep their bad impulses under control. These evil vices include the greed for power, the disobedient attitude, and the desire to inflict pain. However, without order or civilization, the darkness can easily bring someone into chaos and savagery. In The Lord of the Flies written by William Golding, the novel describes the end of innocence for the boys as they become increasingly worse through the loss of order and civilization.

Evil is a difficult subject. We know that evil exists, we see it every day. But since there is evil, how can there be a God? This dilemma has hundreds of explanations, many of which build upon each other. Even so, it is unsatisfactory and still debated.

According to William Golding, evil is intrinsic to human beings. In other words, evil is an instinct to mankind and is a part of human nature. Evil is concealed inside of human beings and it will be revealed in extreme situations after certain experiences. In Lord of the Flies, the boys are in the same situation of being stuck on an island. All of the boys benefit from mocking and teasing Piggy because he is physically inferior.

“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.

In the Lord of the Flies, William Golding shows that we are evil and discriminatory. This is shown in the book with the murder of both Simon and Piggy and how the boys discriminate against piggy about his weight, glasses, and asthma. In addition to those examples, it is also shown throughout history with mass shootings and the holocaust. I believe that humans are evil because they murder and are discriminatory. William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies shows that humans are evil through murder.