The Battle Between Good Versus Evil

"We're all so busy chasing the extraordinary that we forget to stop and be grateful for the ordinary" (Brown 152). Novels are sources of magic, written with such delicacy and intricacy that they often leave the reader astounded by the power of words. The plot, concept, and language are so extraordinary that human eyes easily bypass the most ordinary objects of all in the story, ones that can only be read between the lines in order to reveal truly deep meanings. The connection to William Golding's prize-winning novel Lord of the Flies is undeniable. An island in the middle of the sea where several young boys strive for survival and create a society all on their own is remarkable. The novel tells the tale of a society run by children that divides into two sides, each side fighting to survive using unique tactics. Ralph, along with Piggy, Simon, and the littluns struggle to retain the civilized English background the boys come from. On the other hand, Jack and the boys who make up his choir take upon the responsibility of hunting eventually to gain power, which leaves them corrupt by the end. Golding exemplifies allegory in all three ways: religiously, morally, and politically. Three objects in the story that may seem ordinary represent the three aspects of allegory shown in Lord of the Flies, including the Lord of the Flies, Piggy's glasses for the fire, and the conch.

Notably, the Lord of the Flies is a character mentioned rarely by name throughout the novel, yet it portrays the battle between good and evil in a religious manner mainly through the eyes of Simon. It all begins when Jack becomes chief and slaughters a pig. He sharpens a stick at both ends, sticking one end of the stick into the ground. The other end is for the sow's...

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...able to spread the truth, and Ralph uses the conch to preserve orderly authority. On the contrary, Jack and Roger brutally kill pigs and decapitate them. Eventually, they evolve to murder Simon and Piggy intentionally even if it is because they immerse themselves in the moment. The chaotic situation of the stranded island lets Jack seize power as he wishes. He became corrupt with his power, and evil rose from the ashes of chaos despite the opposing struggle for good. Philosophically, the human mind conjures up good and evil and concepts to organize and classify them as right or wrong, all based on moral judgment. Morality is a perception of the individual, and the action committed is always set in stone.

Works Cited

Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. London: Faber and Faber, 1954. E-book.

Brown, Brene. “Quotable Quotes.” Reader’s Digest April 2014: 152. Print.