The Significance of Plot Events within the Psychoanalysis Theory in Lord of the Flies Sigmund Freud’s theory on the components of the human mind has been around for over a century, and although not used much anymore, Psychoanalysis is a useful tool for decoding many pieces of literature. In this case, Freud’s theory is especially useful in finding an allegory for William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. For the most part, the Psychoanalysis theory is used in terms of the three components of the mind; the Id, the Ego and the Superego. However, Lord of the Flies is an allegorical interpretation for Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalysis theory in regards to the plot events as oppose to the characters. This is proven by specific plot events such as the crash on to the island, the murder of both Piggy and Simon, and the rescue from the island. Firstly, one of the plot events to support the use of Psychoanalysis in Golding’s novel is the initial event, the plane crash sending all of the boys onto the deserted island. The crash is symbolic of a psychologically traumatic event, such as a sudden death of a loved one or the witness of a disaster. Because the boys did not remember crashing onto the island, it is proven that the mind being used in this interpretation is that of a child or young person, as they tend to deny traumatic events to the point that they genuinely do not remember them at all. It is when they are trying to remember the event that the boys argue: “’Some of them must’ve got out. They must have, mustn’t they?’... ‘He must’ve flown off after he dropped us. He couldn’t land here. Not in a plane with wheels.’ ... ‘We was attacked!’” (Golding 8) Ralph and Piggy were the first to find each other, and they were both trying to get the... ... middle of paper ... ... to the boys is the fact that as soon as they saw him, there were no more thoughts of killing. The boys had never intended to kill upon their arrival on the island, their intent was to survive and escape. The presence of an adult broke their hard exterior that had been built up around them and made them remember what they had originally wanted. As soon as the officer spoke, the boys, “their bodies streaked with colored clay, sharp sticks in their hands, were standing on the beach making no sound at all. “ (Golding 200) This point, though it has no relation to the Id, Ego or Superego, is very well linked to the human mind and it’s behavior, as the therapist was easily able to change the intention of the brain with something as simple as the presence as an authority figure. The naval officer needed not even speak before the boys had crumbled back to their old selves.
In modern times television shows sometime play programs where someone goes out to the wilderness and tries to survive using their instincts. These instincts can be classified as theories of psychoanalysis which symbolize the Id, Ego, and SuperEgo. The show focuses on how much people are able to give up for survival, similar to eating food that you would normally not eat or acting in a way you would not in a normal situation . In Lord Of The Flies, Golding uses the Freudian Theory of the Id, Ego, and SuperEgo to make a second level of the story to deepen the meaning of the book as well as backing it up with the science of psychology to illustrate how the children in the island cannot control their emotions and regress from civilization.
After investigating many creation myths, I have narrowed it down to two myths which I believe relate closest to the creation myth of Lord of the Flies by William Golding.
Ralph, Jack and Piggy, despite their age, all represent the psychoanalytical traits: id, ego and superego. The Id imposes its impulses, the superego acts according to society and the ego deals with both of them. Jack is the id, Piggy the superego and Ralph the ego. The boys actions throughout the book conduct what they do and how they do show themselves as the id, ego and superego. While Jack contributes his impulses and Piggy nags on Ralph with constant orders, Ralph remains in the middle of both of them; he’s trying to do what Piggy tells him whiling attempting to control Jack. No surprise on how it is all very similarly to the psychoanalytical theory, in addition to their evolution of their new identities and using defense mechanisms
The Author of lord of the flies illustrates a great example of the three Sigmund Freud Models which contain Superego, ego, and id. Super ego means always performing the right thing. Ego is the realistic part that settles between the desires of the id and the superego, lastly, the unorganized part of the personality structure that contains a human 's basic describes id. In William Golding 's Lord of the Flies, the characters Piggy, Ralph, and Jack demonstrate Sigmund Freud 's Model of the human mind. The Freudian terms superego, ego, and id best represent Piggy, Ralph, and Jack in the narrative.
For centuries, psychologists and psychoanalysts have studied humans in hopes of discovering a common link, a pattern per say, in what provokes their certain thoughts and actions. Many question certain values, morals, religion, even their brain chemistry, but nobody knows for certain. Sigmund Freud’s theory suggests that human actions/personalities derive from three parts of the human psyche; the id, ego and superego. William Golding analyzes this further in his novel, Lord of the Flies, which is about a large group of boys that crash-land on a deserted Island after fleeing a dangerous England in the times of WWII. These young boys are used to entertain the idea of savagery vs. civilization and how evil lies deep within us all. After reading Lord of the Flies, it is possible that the evil within the boys is driven by fear, power, and the loss of innocence.
Golding was such an excellent writer because even though his plot was incredibly simple it makes us think about the true meaning behind his words. Golding is able to convey vast information in simple ways through characterization such as when we see Jack manipulating the boys through pathos, Ralph establishing himself and relying on his ethos, and Piggy ineffectively attempting to use logos. The devote use of symbolism throughout the novel creates a unique writing style and conveys an elegant tone. When the novel is examined for rhetoric, knowledge of ethos, logos, and pathos is gained because of Golding’s ability to deliver a message through visual imagery, vivid character descriptions and the underlying messages in his
Rosenfield, Claire. “Men of a Smaller Growth: A Psychological Analysis of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies.”Literature and Psychology. 11 (Autumn, 1961). 93-101. Print.
Literature can cause a reader to burst into laughter, tears, and fits of rage uncontrollably. This is possible because structure. Authors use structure to make the reader go through an emotional rollercoaster with the characters, and therefore it helps a reader relate more closely with them. William Golding expertly applies this to his book The Lord of the Flies. The book’s focuses is a group of boys on an uninhabited island who have to figure out how to survive without society. Golding’s writing displays the group’s descent into savagery and madness through their thoughts and actions, which turn from rational thinking and practical actions to fear of a nonexistent “beastie” and inhuman practices. In chapter 8 specifically, this savagery is
William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, is one of symbolism and allegory. William Golding uses his novel to prove fear to be mankind’s greatest weakness. The allegory in this novel reveals that not only is fear mankind’s greatest weakness, but it also brings out the inner-beast in people; forcing mankind into either insanity or their own destruction. William Golding captures this allegory through symbolism in the characters of Ralph, Jack, and the Lord of the Flies (the beast), as well as using their interactions with each other and the island.
There are many characters, settings, objects and events that represent the theme and ideas to the novel. When the main characters are in state of nature, they’re symbolic to the flaws of humanity. In William Golding’s novel “Lord of the Flies” he explores the conflict of humans toward civilization and toward savagery. Savagery rises and civilization falls as the entire spectrum of the dark side occupies the existence of society, when allegory is profound in different aspects throughout the novel.
In the novel, Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, there are two levels to the story. The two levels are very much different. one level consists of a simple story about young boys getting stranded on an island in the middle of nowhere, but the other is a symbolic story of struggle for power, knowledge, leadership, and fear. Based on being an allegory, Golding reveals how he feels about human nature through the use of symbols, Specific diction, and character development.
Lord of the Flies can be viewed as a psychoanalytical allegory through the character Jack Merridew. Freud, an Austrian neurologist, believes that the unconscious mind contains the Id, which “works always to gratify
To say that William Golding’s The Lord of the Flies is a dystopian novel with a double-meaning would be an understatement. In this work of fiction, it is not difficult to see that it could be an allegory. An allegory is a narrative, typically a novel, containing symbolism or another story within it. Moving on to the story itself, its main plot consists of a group of boys that have been trapped on an island after a plane crash, and must figure out how to survive with one another. Behind the scenes of this developing society, there are many consistent symbols that reveal much more depth than one would first think. The symbols are clearly intended, and they all have connections within each other that make the novel become an allegory. These symbols that clearly show their allegorical connection include the island itself, the scar formed in the island, and the actual Lord of the Flies, the “beast” and one of the true antagonists in the story.
Lord of the Flies by William Golding presents many different examples of Freud and Maslow’s psychological analysis of the human mind. A rather present example of this idea rests in the character Piggy who represents Freud’s idea of a superego.
As psychology states, the human brain can be divided up into three sections: the id, ego, and superego. In the novel Lord of the Flies written by William Golding, this idea of the different portions of the human mind becomes apparent in a group of young boys who arrive on a stranded island. The boys try to survive with a civil delegation, without losing their learned attributes of civilization and without reverting back to the basic primal instincts of survival. The boys act with a purpose of order when they arrive; however, the longer they stay on the island, the more savage they become. Throughout the story, Golding expresses the psychological change within the boys from the time that the boysland on the island to the point of their rescue. The theme of an individual’s id conquering their