Theme Of Human Nature In Lord Of The Flies

Time after time, humanity has often turned to government for a sense of order and guidance. In Lord of the Flies, William Golding establishes a similar theme using symbolism. Through symbols, Golding proves how human nature leads people to establish a government, however over time, any form of organization will fall apart. In the novel, there are many important objects that each symbolize something different for the boy’s time on the island. To present the theme of human nature in Lord of the Flies, Golding uses different objects. Throughout the book, the conch shell and Ralph's hair show the continuous regression into uncivilized chaos through the devolvement of the objects themselves. Golding uses the conch shell as a symbol to illustrate

On the first day, Ralph, much like the other boys, is still strongly connected to civilization. They are all dressed in their school uniforms and well-groomed during the first assembly. From the very beginning of the novel, Ralph is introduced as “the boy with fair hair” (1). As the novel progresses, the boys begin to lose touch of their appearance. Some of them, like Ralph, try to look after themselves by keeping their clothes and showering in the ponds. But the inevitable conditions they face on the island make this a difficult task. Later in the novel, Ralph calls an assembly regarding the “beast” and the fear that the young ones have. As Ralph addresses the little ones, they become frustrated with his suggestions. Then suddenly, Jack interrupts, claiming that they should instead hunt the beast. Halfway through Ralph’s speech, he notices that his hair has grown: "The hair was creeping into his eyes again" (82). As Ralph’s hair grows wildly, the boys begin to show signs of barbarism. They turn their back on Ralph, who attempts to tame them with reason, and instead look to Jack as his only response to fear is violence. Eventually, most of the boys leave Ralph and pair up with Jack. Later in the novel, even Ralph contemplates this option. After the boys split up into two tribes, Jack invites Ralph’s group to a feast. As Ralph and Piggy discuss, Ralph notices that “his face was half-hidden by hair and smut” (140). Visually, Ralph is at his worst. Much like the conch, he goes through inevitable wear and tear caused by the island. Additionally, the night of the feast was also the night that the boys killed Simon. Their physical appearance provides a clue as to how long they have been on the island and is a direct connection to their state of civility. The last visual description given of Ralph illustrates a barbaric being, and it is given