lord of the flies essay about human nature

Lord of the Flies

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William Golding once said that in writing Lord of the Flies he aimed to trace society's flaws back to their source in human nature. By leaving a group of English schoolboys to fend for themselves on a remote jungle island, Golding creates a kind of human nature laboratory in order to examine what happens when the constraints of civilization vanish and raw human nature takes over. In Lord of the Flies , Golding argues that human nature, free from the constraints of society, draws people away from reason toward savagery.

The makeshift civilization the boys form in Lord of the Flies collapses under the weight of their innate savagery: rather than follow rules and work hard, they pursue fun, succumb to fear, and fall to violence. Golding's underlying argument is that human beings are savage by nature, and are moved by primal urges toward selfishness, brutality, and dominance over others. Though the boys think the beast lives in the jungle, Golding makes it clear that it lurks only in their hearts.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Lord of The Flies — The Significance of Lord of the Flies: Examining Human Nature and Society

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The Significance of Lord of The Flies: Examining Human Nature and Society

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Published: Feb 7, 2024

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The setting, the characters, foreshadowing.

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lord of the flies essay about human nature

Human Nature in “Lord of the Flies” by Golding Essay

Lord of the Flies is a remarkable, allegorical novel written by William Golding and published in 1954. It is possible to say that when creating this piece, the author was largely inspired by the events that took place in the first half of the 20th century and World War II, in particular. As the international community submerged in multiple conflicts, injustices, blind aggression and violence became extremely common and seemed to be promoted by the political agendas in many countries. Thus, there is no surprise that, in his masterpiece, Golding chose to explore the nature of human cruelty. It is considered that evil and aggression are intrinsic parts of human nature and can be either manifested in reality or hidden depending on the circumstances. Fear and chaos are considered to be among the major factors that make people cruel. Considering this, the present paper will analyze the validity of the given statement by drawing on the experiences of characters in Lord of the Flies and evaluating the conditions in which they lived.

The novel’s plot gradually unfolds when a group of boys is cast ashore on an uninhabited island after a plane crash. At first, they manage to take care of themselves without adults’ supervision and maintain constructive relationships inside the group. Nevertheless, soon after, their community falls apart and more and more disorder and fear descend on them. The two characters, Ralph and Jack, take leading positions in the conflict, and Golding endows them with opposing qualities. While Ralph is in favor of civilization and strives to come back to it, values peace, and tries to do good for all boys on the island, Jack is inherently more aggressive, uncompromisable, and manipulative. For example, Ralph’s insistence on compliance with the “conch rule” during the group discussions is an example of his attempts to maintain order in the group, whereas Jack’s keen interest in hunting illustrates his aggressiveness and thirst for blood.

It is worth noticing that Jack initially accepts Ralph’s leadership and tries to comply with the rules. However, over a short period, his behavior becomes more deviant as he fully realizes the freedom of living on an uninhabited island. His opposition to Ralph is symbolic because the latter character represents civilization and morality. Since there is no need to comply with social norms and laws, Jack lets his natural inclinations for aggression and cruelty, which were otherwise suppressed when he lived in society, manifest to their full.

At the same time, in situations when Jack’s influence increases, Ralph tends to lose control and forget his morality more easily. For instance, in the scene where Robert pretends to be a pig as part of a mock-hunt game and others pretend to be hunters aiming to kill him, Ralph became “carried away by a sudden thick excitement, grabbed Eric’s spear and jabbed at Robert with it” (Golding). Later, as everyone is trying to catch and hit Robert as a pig, “Ralph too was fighting to get near, to get a handful of that brown, vulnerable flesh” and his “desire to squeeze and hurt was overmastering” (Golding). This episode demonstrates that cruelty is also like Ralph. It becomes expressed when, during the game, he turns less conscious of strict behavioral rules and when everyone around seems to forget about them as well, giving way to their basic, almost animal-like, emotions. Thus, this mock-hunt is a perfect example of a chaotic situation in which moral values have no power and others’ feelings no longer count.

To a significant extent, fear also contributes to the characters’ aggression in the novel. All the boys on the island are afraid of the beast, which, however, is just imaginary. Ralph attempts to persuade them that the beast does not exist and even arranges a meeting “to talk about this fear and decide there’s nothing in it” (Golding). In this way, he tries to maintain order and keep the group cohesive. At the same time, Jack uses others’ fear of the beast to gain power, manipulate others, and create a divide in the community. Consequently, fear overwhelms Ralph as well, and together with Piggy, he finds himself “eager to take a place in this demented but partly secure society” that Jack had created (Golding).

Ultimately, the fear and the frenzy that takes hold of the boys’ minds in the moments of chaos leads to one of the most tragic events described in Lord of the Flies – Simon’s death. The killing of the latter character is symbolic since he is the most innocent and pure among all others in the book. Moreover, he is the most intuitive and, thus, first comes to realize that the beast is, in fact, nothing but the darkness that hides inside. It is Simon who understands that the beast is part of every human’s nature and, therefore, the boys are threatened by themselves and each other more than anything else on the island.

It is valid to say that the abovementioned statement is one of the main ideas that Golding wanted to convey in Lord of the Flies. He showed that in some circumstances it becomes harder to keep a civilized face and live by ethical values. Moreover, by instilling and using fear, one can easily manipulate others. Regardless of a seemingly pessimistic message, the novel teaches readers to become more aware of their inclinations and strive to do good despite circumstances and pressure from the majority.

Golding, W. (2014). Lord of the flies . New York, NY: Spark Publishing.

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IvyPanda. (2021, July 12). Human Nature in "Lord of the Flies" by Golding. https://ivypanda.com/essays/human-nature-in-lord-of-the-flies-by-golding/

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IvyPanda . 2021. "Human Nature in "Lord of the Flies" by Golding." July 12, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/human-nature-in-lord-of-the-flies-by-golding/.

1. IvyPanda . "Human Nature in "Lord of the Flies" by Golding." July 12, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/human-nature-in-lord-of-the-flies-by-golding/.

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  • Lord of the Flies

William Golding

  • Literature Notes
  • Major Themes
  • Lord of the Flies at a Glance
  • Book Summary
  • About Lord of the Flies
  • Character List
  • Summary and Analysis
  • Character Analysis
  • Character Map
  • William Golding Biography
  • Critical Essays
  • Concept, Identity, and Manifestations of the Beast
  • Golding's Use of the Fable Structure
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Critical Essays Major Themes

Problem of Evil

Lord of the Flies was driven by " Golding 's consideration of human evil, a complex topic that involves an examination not only of human nature but also the causes, effects, and manifestations of evil. It demands also a close observation of the methods or ideologies humankind uses to combat evil and whether those methods are effective. Golding addresses these topics through the intricate allegory of his novel.

When Lord of the Flies was first released in 1954, Golding described the novel's theme in a publicity questionnaire as "an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature." In his 1982 essay A Moving Target , he stated simply "The theme of Lord of the Flies is grief, sheer grief, grief, grief." The novel ends of course with Ralph grieving the indelible mark of evil in each person's heart, an evil he scarcely suspected existed before witnessing its effects on his friends and supporters. The former schoolboys sought unthinkingly to dominate others who were not of their group. They discovered within themselves the urge to inflict pain and enjoyed the accompanying rush of power. When confronted with a choice between reason's civilizing influence and animality's self-indulgent savagery, they choose to abandon the values of the civilization that Ralph represents.

This same choice is made constantly all over the world, all throughout history — the source of the grief Golding sought to convey. He places supposedly innocent schoolboys in the protected environment of an uninhabited tropical island to illustrate the point that savagery is not confined to certain people in particular environments but exists in everyone as a stain on, if not a dominator of, the nobler side of human nature. Golding depicts the smallest boys acting out, in innocence, the same cruel desire for mastery shown by Jack and his tribe while hunting pigs and, later, Ralph. The adults waging the war that marooned the boys on the island are also enacting the desire to rule others.

Ironically, by giving rein to their urge to dominate, the boys find themselves in the grip of a force they can neither understand nor acknowledge. The Lord of the Flies tells Simon "Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill!" and then laughs at the boys' efforts to externalize their savagery in the form of an animal or other fearsome creature. Simon has the revelation that evil isn't simply a component of human nature, but an active element that seeks expression.

Outlets for Violence

Most societies set up mechanisms to channel aggressive impulses into productive enterprises or projects. On the island, Jack's hunters are successful in providing meat for the group because they tap into their innate ability to commit violence. To the extent that this violence is a reasoned response to the group's needs (for example, to feed for the population), it produces positive effects and outcomes. However, when the violence becomes the motivator and the desired outcome lacks social or moral value beyond itself, as it does with the hunters, at that point the violence becomes evil, savage, and diabolical.

Violence continues to exist in modern society and is institutionalized in the military and politics. Golding develops this theme by having his characters establish a democratic assembly, which is greatly affected by the verbal violence of Jack's power-plays, and an army of hunters, which ultimately forms a small military dictatorship. The boys' assemblies are likened to both ends of the social or civil spectrum, from pre-verbal tribe gatherings to modern governmental institutions, indicating that while the forum for politics has changed over the millennia, the dynamic remains the same.

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Lord of the Flies. The Theme of Human Nature Essay Example

From the beginning of humankind, people have questioned about human nature. Humans are naturally curious about the natural feelings and connections of people. Humanity has created large and complex societies filled with efficient systems to support millions of people, yet humans haven’t solved the mystery of human nature. In the book, Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, the main theme of the book is centered around the idea of human nature. Golding takes a deep dive into the world of human nature by exploring the actions that would occur if young boys are left on an island with no adult supervision. In the novel, Lord of the Flies, author William Golding, believes that human nature is savage and cruel without the guidance of society. This belief about human nature is accurate as humans are born self centered and vicious.

The novel, Lord of the Flies, is centered around the idea of human nature. Golding, takes a clear stand point that he views human nature as savage and ferocious. The story is centered around boys between the ages of 6 to 12, who have their plane crash on a remote island. The boys have to survive many long days on an island, without adult supervision. On the island, the boys create a hierarchy system in which the older boys become more powerful than the younger boys. The group elects a leader named Ralph, who guides the island along with another older boy named Jack. Throughout the story, Ralph and Jack have to deal with several conflicted issues that puts the island into chaos.

These disputes cause Ralph and Jack to create two different groups on the island. Ralph’s group focuses on getting rescued from the island, while Jack’s group are hunters. William Golding portrays that human nature is cruel and evil throughout the book. In the novel, the boys begin killing pigs as a source of food after they get exhausted of eating fruit. Shortly after Jack and the other boys kill their first pig, they begin to find that killing pigs is an amusing activity. “The desire to squeeze and hurt was over-mastering” (Golding 115). This piece of evidence describes how Golding believes that the boys are beginning to refer back to their innate natural instincts. The boys find killing pleasing because their natural instincts are grim and ferocious according to Golding. By this point in the novel, the boys have been away from society for enough time that there original human nature of savagery is setting in on them. Golding believes that the boys need to fulfill their requirements of their innate natural instincts by hurting and killing. 

In the novel, another issue that the English school boys have to face is an imaginary monster called the beast. The beast is created by the fears and terrors of the children on the island. One day, Simon, an older boy who provides structure to the island in the beginning of the novel, decides to take a walk around the island after the split of Ralph and Jack’s groups.

During his walk, he notices Jack’s group of hunters leaving a pig head on the ground to honor the beast. Once Jack’s group leaves, the head begins talking to Simon as a figure known as the Lord of the Flies. “Fancy thinking the beast was something you could hunt and kill!’ said the head. For a moment or two the forest and all the other dimly appreciated places echoed with the parody of laughter. ‘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 evidence describes how the beast symbolises the darkness of human nature. The beast is a major fear of the children on the island, however, none of the boys on the island have seen the beast. The children fear the beast because they were taught by society to be civilized and well mannered, not cruel or savage. The beast is not something that cannot be killed, which represents how Golding believes that people can never cleanse their innate human nature.

Golding’s view of human nature is correct because without guidance from civilization humans are inherently self centered and savage. As children grow older, they learn from their parents and society to be less self absorbed and more well mannered. The first piece of evidence to prove that human nature is cruel is in the essay “Why Boys Become Vicious” by William Golding, it describes how children are born with an innate human nature to be cruel and evil. In the essay, Golding describes how when children are orphaned, they do not have the proper guidance from society. In return, they turn out to be vicious. “We are told that in some parts of Britain today there are new gangs of children-offspring of an underclass that seems to reject conventional parenting. Without the support of mothers and fathers such children have nothing but the fruits of what they can beg and steal” (Golding).

This piece of evidence proves that without proper guidance from society, humans are and will continue to be cruel and grim. Orphaned children, who do not have the correct counsel from civilization, turn out to be ferocious and self centered. Unlike orphaned children, youth who receive information from society are taught how to have good moral values. People must be taught to have positive views on other humans. Golding also reports how if children fail to get taught by society, they will retreat to their innate natural instincts. “If parents are absent, if fathers do not provide strength and mothers do not provide love, the children will plumb the depths of their nature” (Golding). This piece of evidence demonstrates that for children to become well mannered and civilized, they need advice and instruction from their parents and civilization. Without the correct guidance from society, people will rely back into their human nature of selfishness. Humans are born self absorbed as they need and want to focus on their own survival. When parents and society counsel children, they will begin thinking of others. 

Some people may say that human nature is good and kind, however, this is not true. Human nature is brutal and vicious. In “Id, Ego and Superego” by Saul Mcleod, the article describes the different aspects of the human psyche. These different personality levels explain why children begin their life as being selfish, but as they age they become less self centered. There are three stages to Freud’s idea of human development. The first level is known as id. “The id is the impulsive (and unconscious) part of our psyche which responds directly and immediately to the instincts. The personality of the newborn child is all id and only later does it develop an ego and super-ego” (Mcleod). The next phase of the human psyche is the ego. “The ego operates according to the reality principle, working out realistic ways of satisfying the id’s demands, often compromising or postponing satisfaction to avoid negative consequences of society.

The ego considers social realities and norms, etiquette and rules in deciding how to behave” (Mcleod). The final level of Freud’s psyche structure is the superego. “The superego’s function is to control the id's impulses… It also has the function of persuading the ego to turn to moralistic goals rather than simply realistic ones and to strive for perfection” (Mcleod). Freud’s level of human psyche proves that humans are born naturally self centered because when people are born, there personality is controlled by the self inflicted id. The id does not care about the needs of other people, but rather the wants of itself. The id will go great lengths to ensure that it is getting the things that it wants. This causes children to be selfish and savage. As children get older, they learn from society to be less self absorbed. This causes mental development in their ego and superego, which are the less self inflicted parts of  a person’s personality. This causes adults to appear less savage than children. Another piece of evidence to disprove that innate human nature is good is the “Stages of Moral Development” by Lawrence Kohlberg. In the “Stages of Moral Development” Kohlberg describes how there are different stages of moral growth. As the stages increase, the moral levels become more complex and accepting of other people. The first level is what all humans start out as when they are younger.

There moral values are controlled by this level. “At this level, the child is responsive to cultural rules and labels of good and bad, right or wrong, but he interprets the labels in terms of either the physical or hedonistic consequences of action” (Kohlberg). This evidence from the text proves that humans are not born pleasant because they are born in the preconventional level of moral development. When humans are born, they are selfish as they cannot think outside of the first stage of moral development. It is not people's choice to be born self inflicted, but rather their own natural instincts trying to allow them to survive. If humans were born less self absorbed then they would have a decreased chance of survival as they would not focus on their own needs as much. All humans are born in this stage, and until society can teach them to be less self centered, they remain in this level of selfishness.

As proven, Golding believes that human nature at its core is brutal and savage. This is correct as humans are born with the natural tendencies to be self absorbed. Humans are born thinking about their needs, not the needs of others. As children grown up, they are guided by society to be less selfish and savage. Children are taught how to be more well mannered as there human psyche developes. Determining the answer behind human nature can lead to major reconstruction to systems in society. If we adapt to the needs of human nature, then civilization has the ability to become more complex and function more efficiently. Civilization has much potential hidden away, however, that potential could be unlocked through the secrets of human nature.

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Lord Of The Flies Human Nature Essay

Lord of the Flies is a novel that explores the dark side of human nature. The story follows a group of boys who are stranded on an island and must fend for themselves. As the boys struggle to survive, they quickly descend into savagery. The novel demonstrates that even in the most civilized of people, there is a potential for evil.

This evil can be unleashed when people are placed in difficult or dangerous situations. Lord of the Flies is a cautionary tale about the dangers of human nature. It shows that even in the best of us, there is a capacity for violence and cruelty. The novel is an important reminder that we must be careful not to let our darker impulses take over.

Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies depicts how human nature works when children are stranded on a remote island and exposed to danger. Golding utilizes items like the conch and the Beast to reflect our society politically and psychologically. The book demonstrates humanity’s sickness while also depicting it. Human nature is an inescapable part of life that, at times, may be used for evil.

In the novel, Lord of the Flies, human nature is a source of evil. The novel begins with a group of young boys who are stranded on an uninhabited island. They are forced to fend for themselves and create their own society. The boys elect a leader and establish rules in an attempt to maintain order. However, as time goes on, the boys begin to degenerate into savagery. They lose all sense of morality and start to kill animals and humans indiscriminately. The only thing that matters to them is satisfying their own desires.

Golding shows that human nature is a source of evil through the characters in the novel. Jack is one of the main perpetrators of violence on the island. He represents the savagery that is within all of us. He is also willing to do whatever it takes to maintain power. Ralph is the opposite of Jack. He represents order and civilization. However, even Ralph is not immune to the effects of human nature. He becomes just as savage as the others towards the end of the novel.

Golding’s novel shows that human nature is a complex thing. It can be a source of both good and evil. Human nature is something that we cannot avoid and it will always be a part of us. The novel demonstrates that even the most civilized among us are capable of great violence and brutality. We must be careful not to let our darker impulses take control.

It’s in one’s nature to do whatever it takes to live. Evil grows when one strives to survive. The Jack and his hunters were the most horrific of all. The first pig killed was the first indication of evil. They celebrated the deaths and became bloodthirsty for hunting, as did the hunters and little boys after Jack on the island.

They no longer cared about being rescued and living a “civilized” life. All they wanted was to kill and to have fun. Simon showed the most good. He was the one that found the dead pilot and he also realized that the beast was not real.

The boys thought that he was crazy when he tried to tell them about the beast. Simon tried to warn them about Jack and his hunters but they did not listen. In conclusion, Lord of the Flies shows the evil of human nature when put in tough situations such as being stranded on an island with no adult supervision.

When we are children, it is our parents’ responsibility to instill good values and ethics in us. Evil cannot be entirely hidden away. The kids appreciated the lack of restrictions and grown-ups. Their freedom on the island immediately turned into a nightmare, and some individuals perished as a result of it. Civilisation is not too distant from barbarism, and everyone has their own form of darkness within them.

Lord of the Flies is a novel written by William Golding in 1954. The book is about a group of British schoolboys stranded on an uninhabited island and their disastrous attempt to govern themselves. The boys start off acting like proper little gentlemen, but as time goes on they begin to act more and more like savages.

The novel has many themes, but one of the most important is that it shows the dark side of human nature. Golding believed that there is a evil side to all of us, even children. This is what he tries to show in his novel.

One of the ways he does this is by showing how quickly the boys descend into savagery. At first they are content to just goof off and have fun, but as time goes on they start to form gangs, get violent, and even hunt and kill animals.

The novel also shows how the boys’ relationships with each other change over time. At first they are all friends, but soon they start to fight and hurt each other. In the end, most of them are afraid of each other.

Golding believed that human nature is essentially evil. He thought that we are all born with a dark side, and that it is only through society and civilization that we learn to suppress it.

Lord of the Flies is a classic novel that has been read by millions of people. It is still relevant today because it speaks to the dark side of human nature. It is a reminder that we all have the potential for evil, and that we need to be careful not to let it take over.

The idea that human nature is “fundamental” is popular in the academic community. It implies that, while other species are driven by instinct or emotion, humans have free will and can reason. Our ability to think distinguishes us from all other creatures, and it comes from God; we are all born with good and evil natural inclinations, depending on our personalities, decisions, and self-conscience to shape ourselves into good or bad people.

The novel “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding is a perfect example that explores the topic of human nature, and its potential for evil. In this story, a group of young boys are stranded on an uninhabited island, and must fend for themselves. With no adult supervision, the boys eventually descend into savagery, as their primal instincts take over. The novel highlights the dark side of human nature, and how even the most innocent people can be capable of great evil.

One of the main themes in “Lord of the Flies” is the loss of innocence. The boys in the story start out as innocent schoolboys, but after being stranded on the island, they quickly lose their innocence. They become violent and savage, and even kill one of their own. The loss of innocence is a major theme in the novel, as it shows how quickly people can descend into savagery.

Another theme in “Lord of the Flies” is the idea of good vs. evil. The boys in the story are constantly at odds with each other, as they battle for control of the island. The conflict between good and evil is a major theme in the novel, as it explores the dark side of human nature.

The novel “Lord of the Flies” is a classic story that explores the dark side of human nature. The themes of loss of innocence and good vs. evil are major themes in the novel, and are still relevant today.

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  1. Human Nature Theme in Lord of the Flies

    In Lord of the Flies, Golding argues that human nature, free from the constraints of society, draws people away from reason toward savagery. The makeshift civilization the boys form in Lord of the Flies collapses under the weight of their innate savagery: rather than follow rules and work hard, they pursue fun, succumb to fear, and fall to ...

  2. Human Nature In Lord Of The Flies Essay

    In The Lord of The Flies by William Golding, the concept of human nature is depicted through a story of schoolboys trapped on an island. Throughout the novel, Golding illustrates a battle between the schoolboy's primal vs. civilized desires, which cements itself as the root cause behind the majority of decisions that happen on the island ...

  3. PDF Lord of the Flies; What does Golding say about human nature ...

    Before you read create a mind map explaining what you think Lord of the Flies has to say about human nature (who we are). 2. Read the critical essay and highlight powerful points and ideas. 3. Revisit your mind map. What new information can you add? ... Lord of the Flies gives an intriguing view of human behavior when people are in a society

  4. Exploring Human Nature: a Study of "Lord of The Flies"

    Published: Sep 1, 2023. Human nature has been a subject of philosophical inquiry for centuries, delving into the essence of humanity's inherent qualities, both noble and primal. William Golding's novel, "Lord of the Flies," provides a thought-provoking exploration of human nature as a group of boys stranded on a deserted island grapple with ...

  5. Jack's Transformation in Lord of The Flies: a Study of Human Nature

    Jack's character in Lord of the Flies offers a compelling exploration of the darker aspects of human nature and the fragility of societal norms. His transformation from a disciplined choirboy to a ruthless dictator serves as a powerful commentary on the inherent capacity for evil within all individuals, as well as the potential for societal breakdown in the absence of external constraints.

  6. The Significance of Lord of the Flies: Examining Human Nature and

    In conclusion, Lord of the Flies is a novel that explores the complexity of human nature and the struggle between civilization and savagery. The setting, characters, themes, symbolism, and use of foreshadowing all contribute to its significance.

  7. What does Lord of the Flies reveal about human nature?

    During Simon 's encounter with the Lord of the Flies, Golding reveals the central issue concerning human nature. The Lord of the Flies tells Simon that the beast is inside each boy and cannot be ...

  8. Human Nature in "Lord of the Flies" by Golding Essay

    Lord of the Flies is a remarkable, allegorical novel written by William Golding and published in 1954. It is possible to say that when creating this piece, the author was largely inspired by the events that took place in the first half of the 20th century and World War II, in particular. As the international community submerged in multiple ...

  9. Lord of the Flies: Critical Essays

    When Lord of the Flies was first released in 1954, Golding described the novel's theme in a publicity questionnaire as "an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature." In his 1982 essay A Moving Target, he stated simply "The theme of Lord of the Flies is grief, sheer grief, grief, grief."

  10. Lord of the Flies: Full Book Analysis

    The major conflict in Lord of the Flies is the struggle between Jack and Ralph. The fight for who will lead the island represents the clash between a peaceful democracy, as symbolized by Ralph, and a violent dictatorship, as symbolized by Jack. Both boys are potential leaders of the entire group, and though Jack grudgingly accepts Ralph's ...

  11. How to write a top grade essay on Lord of the Flies

    In this video, I provide a top grade essay exemplar on William Golding's Lord of the Flies. This is a detailed walkthrough of each essay section (from the in...

  12. Lord of the Flies (Human Nature Essay)

    Decent Essays. 869 Words. 4 Pages. Open Document. Human Nature in Lord of the Flies In the novel, Lord of the Flies, William Golding is able to use his outstanding writing abilities utilizing metaphors, symbolism, and other literary devices to establish a hidden message throughout the novel. The hidden message that Golding builds on is that ...

  13. Human Nature In Lord Of The Flies

    How does human nature affect the way society is? In the book Lord Of The Flies written by William Golding, there is a constant theme throughout the entire book. Golding says that at the core of every human being is a savaged beast we thought we were able to control. He also adds that "the theme is an attempt to trace the defects of society ...

  14. Lord of the Flies. The Theme of Human Nature Essay Example

    This belief about human nature is accurate as humans are born self centered and vicious. The novel, Lord of the Flies, is centered around the idea of human nature. Golding, takes a clear stand point that he views human nature as savage and ferocious. The story is centered around boys between the ages of 6 to 12, who have their plane crash on a ...

  15. Lord Of The Flies Human Nature Essay

    Lord Of The Flies Human Nature Essay. Lord of the Flies is a novel that explores the dark side of human nature. The story follows a group of boys who are stranded on an island and must fend for themselves. As the boys struggle to survive, they quickly descend into savagery. The novel demonstrates that even in the most civilized of people, there ...

  16. Human Nature In Lord Of The Flies By William Golding

    This is represented in two different ways in Golding's novel Lord of the Flies. After being stranded on the island, the boys are seen to create two leaders early on in the book, mainly being Ralph and the other being Jack. However, even though the two are seen as leaders of the group, they both represent two different types of powers.

  17. Lord Of The Flies Human Nature Quotes

    William Golding accurately presents human nature as evil in The Lord of the Flies. This view of humanity can be supported by instances of human greed and manipulation in the real world and literature. Golding believes humanity has an innate nature to be evil in The Lord of the Flies.

  18. Lord Of The Flies Human Nature

    In Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, young boys are left to organize themselves into a society to keep balance and peace on the island. When the society crumbles beneath their feet, one must ask these questions. The downfall and overall plot of the book is largely telling of human nature, and may be a smaller analogy for human nature in ...

  19. Essay On Human Nature In Lord Of The Flies

    Essay On Human Nature In Lord Of The Flies. Everyone's Evil Human Nature Without society, humans will always rely on human nature, and with an exception for a select few, it is bad. In the allegorical novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding, a plane full of British school boys is shot down onto an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean ...

  20. Lord of the Flies (Human Nature Essay)

    Human Nature In Lord Of The Flies Essay. In the novel, Lord of the Flies written by William Golding, a group of adolescent boys traveling on a plane from Great Britain crash on a deserted island and are forced to survive on their own until they can be rescued. This book is set in the time of the Cold War, so the plane the boys traveled on had ...

  21. Human Nature Explored in Lord of the Flies Free Essay Example

    Download. Essay, Pages 6 (1349 words) Views. 2229. The exploration of human nature is a recurring theme in literature, with William Golding's novel, "Lord of the Flies," standing as a compelling portrayal of the darker facets of humanity. Golding, through vivid characters and the island setting, meticulously crafts a narrative that delves into ...

  22. Lord of the Flies and Human Nature

    The book Lord of The Flies by William Golding presents the question of human nature and allows the reader to draw their own opinions on what it truly is. The story presents the situation of various young boys stranded on an island and the slow breakdown of society that occurs afterwards. There are multiple quotes in this book that can be used ...

  23. What Does Lord of the Flies Say About Human Nature?

    Essay, Pages 7 (1520 words) Views. 560. In "Lord of the Flies," William Golding crafts a compelling narrative that serves as a profound commentary on the inherent evil within human nature, unveiled in the absence of societal norms and structures. Through his intricate use of metaphors, symbolism, and a variety of literary devices, Golding not ...

  24. Cruelty In Lord Of The Flies, By William Golding

    William Golding's views of human nature being evil are agreeably accurate. These views can be attributed to traits such as cruelty and greed, which can be traced to books like Lord of The Flies, 12 Angry Men, and To Kill a Mockingbird. These novels each display the innate cruelty and greed that lie within each human and show why we are ...