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Theme Of Human Nature In Lord Of The Flies

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I walked into my living room, ready to yell at my father for not lowering the volume of the television. He sat hypnotized on the couch as he stared at the CNN News headlines popping up on the screen. Only interested in stories with happy endings, I rolled my eyes at the 100-inch flat screen TV, where news reporters are constantly arguing with each other, debating the news of terrorist attacks, robberies, racism, and political corruption. This frequent bickering and arguing suggests that humans are born evil. Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding, constantly brings up this theme of human nature. Twelve children are stuck on an island, and struggle with the decision to leave behind their morals and resort to a barbaric lifestyle in order …show more content…

While Simon is wandering through the mountain, he stumbles upon a dead man on a parachute and runs back to Jack’s camp determined to tell them that the beast is just a dead body. However, the boys, who are enjoying their chanting and tribal dance, turn on Simon in their deliriousness, never giving him a chance to explain his theory. Jack and his tribe have the seemingly never-ending desire to kill the beast. They chant, “Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!” (Golding 152) This exemplifies the violence within the boys. Due to their savagery, they use language that no young boy should ever utter or hear. The book describes the cruel beating of Simon saying, “The beast struggled forward, broke the ring and fell over the steep edge of the rock to the sand by the water... There were no words, and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws.” (Golding 153) This quote shows the true barbaric side of the boys. They use their bare hands and teeth to kill Simon, something only a wild animal would do. After Simon’s death, Jack convinces his tribe that Simon is the beast. He keeps fear alive on the island by lying that there are other beasts present in different shapes and forms that are impossible to get rid of. Showing no remorse for killing Simon, Jack continues to maintain control over the boys by infusing fear in his tribe, displaying …show more content…

This is significant because it is very unexpected for the reader to see twelve innocent boys from England become barbaric cavemen and succumb to uncivilized tribal dances and murder. Golding shows in Lord of the Flies that when exposed to lack of authority, sanity and common sense start to disappear into thin air. The boys constantly bicker with each other instead of collaborating and listening to everyone’s opinions. Initially, they set rules, have certain positions or jobs, and elect a leader like in a democracy. But as time passes, the boys start to break out of their “good” stage and embrace who they really are inside ‒ greedy savages. When Jack becomes violent and unruly, all order on the island begins to disappear. He abuses people and fights with others like cats and dogs. The conch, a symbol of power and order, is broken shortly after Piggy’s death, which shows the disappearance of morality and merit. Simon’s death and the need for power shows the corrupt nature of the boys, and thereby exemplifies that they are selfish. Lord of the Flies teaches us the importance of civilization and sanity, as they can disappear in the absence of authority and order. Hopefully, we can learn from this novel and try to better ourselves by focusing on the good in society and reporting about it rather than constantly bickering with

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