lord of the flies

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Lord of the Flies

What could be more perfect, than a group of kids alone on a tropical island? Where there are no adults or rules to live by. This would seem to be any child’s dream. This is the setting for William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies. In this novel a group of British boys get stranded on an island, with no sign of people around them except for themselves. At first the boys are prepared have fun and good times. It isn’t long until reality sets in. There are many things to be done. Out of the excitement two boys, Ralph and Jack, emerge as potential leaders. Ralph, who is the more levelheaded of the two, represents the civilized side of human nature. But Jack, who loves adventure and excitement, represents the savage side of human nature. What side of human nature will the boys choose, a civilized society or a savage one?
Ralph is a tall and fair-haired boy about twelve years old. Because of his looks athletic abilities, the boys think of him as a natural leader. Jack in the other hand is a bully, who likes to intimate the other boys. Jack is the only one that carries a knife and enjoys using it, when attempting to kill the piglet. Jack is always competing with Ralph for control over the boys. Both boys recognize the need for order on the island. Ralph tries to form a more orderly way of living, by using the knoch as a way to keep order. Any one who had something to say had to wait to get the knoch. In contrast to what Ralph was tiring to do, Jack and his choirboys would enforce the rules buy beating up anyone who disobeyed. Because of their different ideas and principles, the two boys drift apart. Ralph who is more responsible wants the boys to start making shelters for them to live in. In contract Jack’s only concern is to hunt and catch the wild pig. As the novel progresses Ralph continues to try and civilize the boys. As time goes by all Jack is concerned about is the thrill of the hunt. As Jack’s obsession with hunting grows, he dives deeper and deeper into the savage side of human nature. When Jack begins to paint his face with clay. He sees his reflection in the water and he is surprise by the his appetence.

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