“Lord of the Flies” is a direct translation of Beelzebub, a biblical demon though to be the devil himself. The book Lord of the Flies by William Golding is the progression of savagery among a group of schoolboys that crashed on an island. Throughout the entire novel, the children appear less civilized and more barbarous. After a beast becomes a threat to the kids, a sow’s head is placed on a stick for a sacrifice. With that sacrifice, however, many things go unplanned. In Lord of the Flies, the children’s fears themselves, along with death and decivilization, are represented by a sow’s head, or the Lord of the Flies.
Every kid on the island has a view of the beast. But is the beast just the kids themselves? Some see it as an actual figure, while others know it is just a fictional fear they have. Simon has a great way of explaining this. “What I mean is… maybe it is only us” (89). This is one of the first times that somebody said the beast could be just a fear, rather than a real thing. Simon understands the underlying fact that there is a presence of fear and evil within everyone. The Lord of the Flies even states that the beast is a part of Simon and the others. “You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you?” (143). The Lord
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Even though there is no physical representation of the beast, there is a part of it in every human. The Lord of the Flies appeared in the story right before Simon was murdered. Everybody acted like nothing happened. Is this just a path to decivilization? Ralph saw and destroyed the Lord of the Flies just before a hunt to kill him took place. This hunt was a direct correlation between savagery and decivilization. Overall, the Lord of the Flies showed how a group of boys would act without any of the rules of society holding them back. The Lord of the Flies reveals how much ones fear can create an illusion that can lead to death and
The first time Simon mentions this concept is at an assembly. He began by saying, “maybe it’s only us,” but struggled to express his ideas on, “mankind’s essential illness,” (Doc F). The next time the boys’ inner evil is brought up is during Simon’s hallucinatory conversation with the pig’s head, when Simon discovers the “beast” is only a dead parachutist. He then, “sets off, weak and staggering, to tell the other boys that the beast is human,” (Doc E). There is a duel meaning behind Simon’s statement.
When considering the beastie in the Lord of the Flies, Piggy and Simon's comments reveal that the boys' fear of the beastie could just be their own fears. Or, in other words, the beast on the island is them. Piggy first builds on this idea, saying that "I know there is no fear... Unless we get frightened of people" (Golding 84). Simon addresses this topic in a similar fashion to Piggy.
Initially, the Lord of the Flies uses the boy's fear of a mythical monster to illustrate their assumption that evil arises from external forces rather than from themselves. This fearsome beast initially takes form in their imaginations as a snake-type animal that disguises itself as jungle vines; later, they consider the possibility of a creature that rises from the sea or the more nebulous entity of a ghost. When they spot the dead paratrooper who has landed on the mountain, the boys feel sure that they have proof of a beast's existence. In fact a demon does roam the island, but not in the form the boys image.
“He says the beastie came in the dark… stumbling among all those creepers…” In the story of the Lord of the Flies, a small group of boys are stranded on an island, and are being hunted by a strange “beast.” What, however, does this beast symbolize? As time progresses, numerous interpretations of the beast have arised.
(Doc. F). At one point, Simon himself even claims “‘maybe there is a beast… What I mean is… maybe it’s only us,’” (Doc. F). The hostile behavior of the children themselves is demonstrative of the “beast,” showing how it symbolizes yet another concept.
QUOTE (PG. #) SYMBOL COMMENTARIES “In color the shell was deep cream, touched here and there with a fading pink. Between the point, worn away into a little hole, and the pink lips of the mouth, lay eighteen Inches of shell with a slight spiral twist and covered with the delicate embossed pattern” (16). conch The conch represents civilization.
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).
Lastly the beast becomes savagery. In document E, Golding writes “maybe there is a beast… What I mean is… maybe it's only us.” Simon says this towards the beginning of Lord of the Flies when they first talk about what the beast is. Simon says that there isn't really a beast but only it is themselves.
Usually, when the term “beast” is mentioned, negative connotations are developed. In Lord of the Flies, the meaning of the entire story is determined by the symbolic definition of the “beast”. Lord of the Flies surrounds a group of boys stranded on an island. The presumed idea of a beast materialized and spread amongst the group.
In Lord of the Flies, Golding explores the idea that human nature, when left without the regulations of society, will become barbaric. As one of the prevailing themes in his work, the dark side of human nature is represented through the novel, not only in symbols and motifs, but in his characters as well. The dark side of human nature is an integral part of the novel 'Lord of the Flies.' William Golding, a British novelist employs symbols, motifs and characters to create the idea that human nature, without civilisation will become barbaric.
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 William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, he created this book about a group of proper british boys to show that even the most civilize of all can turn inhuman and go savage. Also being in the war helped Golding to see what people were capable of even if they were good at heart. The themes in Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, were influenced by his childhood, his experiences in the war, and his view of human nature. Golding’s early life influenced the theme in Lord of the Flies.
Lord of the Flies is a story where its representation of childhood and adolescence shape the meaning of the work as a whole. The boys struggle with giving into their evil instincts. Most of them give in. Golding uses this novel to show that children are not naturally good. They are evil and without the constraints of society that savagery shines through.
During Simon’s encounter with the Lord of the Flies, Golding reveals the central issue concerning human nature. Simon reaches the realization that they fear the beast because it exists within each of them. The Lord of the Flies tells Simon that the beast is inside each boy and cannot be killed. The boys go from behaving like civilized young men to brutal savages. “What I mean is…maybe it’s only us.”
Everyone has this underlying darkness within them that is hidden away deep inside the nooks and crannies of their hearts. Golding demonstrates this through the use of his major characters, Ralph and Jack. In the novel, Lord of the Flies, the author William Golding utilizes character development to suggest the idea that when individuals are separated from civilization, dark forces will arise and threaten unity and harmony. Golding presents the protagonist, Ralph, who is decently intelligent and completely civilized, to demonstrate how once individuals are pulled away from civilization, the dark forces within them will arise and change how they are for the time being.