Essay On The Phenomenon Of Evil

Everyone has the potential to do evil, whether they think so or not. The ability to be a monster, tyrant, or zealot is present in everyone. As Kenneth L. Woodward relates in his article, Overcoming Sin, “we are all children of darkness struggling toward the light” (para. 2). So if everyone has the potential to do evil, what is it that keeps them in check?

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”

The character Jack Merridew is a prefect example of what could result if the evil is released. Also the confrontation between Simon and the Lord of the Flies proves how menacing the evil that lies in a humans soul can be. However, the painted masks that are used, can be used to prove Golding’s point of the intrinsic evil of a human. Overall, has proved that without the humanity or the balance of one’s emotions, in can result in the catastrophic downfall of humans and all the is

Evil is an ever present aspect within the existence of humanity. Satan, a real and powerful being, constantly influences the world through his evil and manipulative ways in order to bring destruction and chaos to earth. Perhaps one of the most evil characters ever written about, Iago, from Shakespeare’s Othello, also portrays many traits that are similar to those seen in Satan. Throughout the Bible and throughout Shakespeare’s Othello, both Satan and Iago share many characteristics and differences of poisonous evil within their manipulative words, origins of jealousy, and their malicious acts, but differ in where this power comes from.

The bad is the corruption of that surrounds Henry, while the evil is what is instilled in him. Theft is the action or crime of stealing and usurpation is taking someone’s power or opportunity

He was the killer!’ Just changing a few words can make all the difference here, and Shelley hits the mood right on the nose. The theme that Shelley designs is the moral question, ‘is it right for man to play God?’ No more does she emphasize this than at the moment Victor considers the magnitude of his actions in this passage on page 64; “I considered the being whom I had cast among mankind and endowed with the will and power to effect purposes of horror…” (Shelley 64)

Are people really evil? Or is it their actions to blame? I believe that both a person and their actions can be evil. For we are humans that can be corrupted and become jealous over things, thus tainting our actions. But i also strongly believe that our actions can easily tinge our self, causing us to change into something evil, even if it 's just for a period of time.

The book shows that when human beings are freed from civilization they tend to inherit capacity for evil. The book showcases that under certain circumstances a human being can adjust and develop strongly towards the evil

Macbeth is a noble man but he chooses disloyalty and crime, he was totally aware that he is doing evil. Evil is determined in Macbeth and Lady Macbeth who are influenced by the Weird Sisters (Witches). The play examines the potential of evil and centers on the villain-hero. We find good only in King Duncan or Malcolm. Macduff is the honorable character.

Sin is a spiritual sword that is drawn against all those who undermine the word of God, which forbids them not to do certain things. Sin is essentially the worst enemy you would want not to come across because it will not hesitate to kill you. The devil will disguise this terrible enemy and label it all sorts of nice names. He would label sin freedom, sensuality, modernity, democratic right or the right to determine one’s path and so forth. When the devil hides sin in all these nice terms, he is hiding a sword that is about to devour you.

Although there are many different theories about where evil comes from and why evil acts are committed, it is agreed that evil, in fact, exists within all humans. According to Thomas Hobbes, evil is defined by an individual’s own perceptions and morals. The human feelings that push toward evil, as argued by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, are awakened by the outside world. However, professor and author C. Fred Alford says that the underlying cause of evil is one’s own greed and selfish desires. Thus, evil is defined by society’s changing perspectives; what is evil to some may not be evil to others.

Everything around us is built of our faith in our senses, and our faith in other people. Without faith we are surrounded by the fear of the known, every neighbour could be planning our death, our senses could be simulated by some machine; and without faith in God, for many people can be the difference between bearing the evil of the world and slipping into the world of oblivion and chaos. Yet is this faith in God rational or not? Mackie thinks not, in his essay “Evil and Omnipotence” he uses the problem of evil in the world to expose the irrationality of God. He shows how, the contradicts of an Omni God makes the belief in such a being irrational.

Good vs. evil. Reason vs. instinct. Civilization vs. savagery. These are all examples of internal battles that occur within oneself and which can lead to horrifying consequences. In William Golding’s, Lord of the Flies, a group of young boys find themselves stranded on an island, after a plane crash.

“Defining Evil” Summary Stephen De Wijze piece titled “Defining Evil” explores the definition of an old saying, “dirty hands” in which people who have committed evil crimes lose moral innocence and have a permanent stain on their morality. The main idea being, what should be considered evil. Wijze recalls three conditions throughout his text to describe what is considered evil, he labels them as A,B and C. Moreover, Condition A is the “Deliberate violation of a person(s) with the intention to dehumanise.” (Wijze 218) Condition B is that “The action or project will inflict one or more of “The Great Harms” to sentient beings with the relevant moral standing.”

The Evil Within “All things truly wicked start from innocence,” Ernest Hemingway, (A Movable Feast.) The nature of evil lies within all human beings whether they realize it or not. Both Lord of the Flies and A Long Way Gone have main characters who struggle with the temptation of evil, and eventually give in to their dark side. Under harsh circumstances, the evil within all people comes out as an attempt to adapt to their environment. Authority figures are one of the major components affecting the development of evil within their followers.