Savagery In Lord Of The Flies Research Paper

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The lord of the flies by William Golding is a novel in which the theme “civilization vs. savagery” is examined. In lord of the flies, civilization represents good while savagery represents evil. Civilization is good inside of the human mind to determine whether individuals follow rules created for the good of the group. Savagery represents the evil of choosing not to live peacefully with others and not live by rules, but instead living to gain power over others and acting violently. Living by rules, order and authority does not always mean peace and secure, and acting violently does not make someone a savage. The boys in Lord of the Flies had to make a decision whether to live by rules or to live violently and gain power for themselves; this …show more content…

He believes in taking care of the boys and finding ways for everyone to be rescued. Some ways he did this is by building the fire and huts. "For this reason, Ralph's power and influence over the other boys are secure at the beginning of the novel". To the boys on the island, Ralph, Piggy, and Simon are a sign of security. However, throughout the story, the security of Ralph is not enough for the boys when their violent side takes over. Throughout the whole story Ralph represents leadership, the properly socialized and civilized young man. Jack is the opposite of Ralph. Jack wants to have power over all the boys but it is taken away when Ralph is voted chief. The violent side of Jack begins when he starts hunting pigs and uses the idea of the "beast." The idea of a beast causes the boys to feel fear. Jack becomes more of a savage, and also influences the boys to become savages. Jack represents the "Lord of the Flies because he represents savagery or evil in man. He loses his ability to remain civilized while he is stranded on the island. " The beast is "the primal instinct of savagery that exists within all human beings", The conflict between Ralph and Jack is the choice of gaining one's own power or caring for the needs of

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