Lord Of The Flies Ethics Analysis

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Determining the Ethics of the Human Race
The battle of morality stands strong in the world. People attempt to decipher the code in which human brains churn and whir. Literature is the most accurate way of studying human behavior because, regardless of genre, it mirrors the real world. Moral standards as expressed by humans, although hard to decipher, are clearly laid out for interpretation upon closer inspection of their actions and diction. In the microcosm scenario set with young British schoolboys, Lord of the Flies author William Golding addresses this ever burning desire to understand these inner workings that subject themselves through actions of depravity or virtuosity. Interpersonal relations reveal cues pertaining to people’s character …show more content…

Although a fear of failure or a fear of immediate danger may lead to a positive outcome, the manifestation of inimical fears is not favorable; both bear upon the matter of morality. Directly from the start, Simon stays above the fear for the unknown that the other boys fall prey to. Rational thinking from Piggy can not even calm the terror. In Chapter 5, Simon says “‘What I mean is...maybe it’s only us’” (Golding 89) but faces an inability to express his ideas without laughter from the others. Simon’s ability to rise above the fear that engulfs this society keeps him safe from the insanity stemming all around him. Ironically, the ritual-like killing of Simon is described by Golding as representing the killing of the beast, the theoretical embodiment of this fear he so avidly opposed. With this result in mind, Rosenfield, the author of “‘Men of a Smaller Growth’: A Psychological Analysis of William Golding’s ‘Lord of the Flies’” states on page 3 that “...the beast is within, and the children are defined by the very objects they seek to destroy.” Contrary to Simon, the other boys stranded on the island fall victims to the imaginary beast creature that haunts every corner of the darkened island. Rosenfield addresses the time when the boys exercised violence by killing the sow and offering the best it’s head. That violence and depravity soon envelopes them and the order and democracy they once had crumbles into the sea. The pressure of the ideal society no longer plausible in these

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