Lord of the Flies by William Golding and A Separate Peace by John Knowles

When placed in the right situations and circumstances, all human beings are capable of revealing a darker side of them-a side that almost everyone is afraid to show. No one will admit to having a dark side in them, until nature forces them to face it. Lord of the Flies by William Golding and A Separate Peace by John Knowles are two books that emphasize man’s savagery through their characters, themes, and plots. At first, all men have hidden savagery, then something triggers the savagery within them, and they complete the transformation.

The human race holds a dark side lurking within them. In most cases, humans are unaware of its existence because of the high standard expected in civilization.“Where’s the man with the megaphone?” The fair boy shook his head. “This is an island. At least I think it’s an island. That’s a reef out in the sea. Perhaps there aren’t any grownups anywhere” (Golding, Page 1.9-11). Because the boys immediately question where the grown ups are upon arriving on the island, Golding is suggesting that civilization provides a cloak to the essential evil nature of a man, and this is what the children in Lord of the Flies lost when alone on the island with the order and rules of their home country stripped away. “Children were saved in their other life by dint of the "protection of parents, and school, and policeman, and the law', but now all such facilitators were absent, so being exposed to any extreme condition” (Anjum, Para 2). A Separate Peace focuses on Gene, the main character, a normal boy who finds himself facing problems within. “I was beginning to see that Phineas could get away with anything. I couldn’t help envying him a little, which was perfectly normal. There was no harm in envying even your best...

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...n I had ever seen him make” (Knowles, Page 123). Gene’s remark to the fact that it was the first clumsy physical action he had ever seen Finny make almost seems as if he was satisfied in that moment with what he did. Gene let his jealousy get the best of him and he acted on it. This is what all men do.

Savagery is not something a forever state, but for most people it is rather a process that repeats itself day to day. The characters in Lord of the Flies and A Separate Peace give readers a clear understanding of man’s fall to savagery. Mankind faces problems and temptations everyday and will give in to the darker soul within us that wants to act out and give into our evil ways. Although it is impossible for man to be completely pure and ignore the taunting voice within us, it is possible to own up to mistakes and fight the sinister force of nature drawing humans in.