Lord of the flies Critical Essay
Slipping Away William Gilding states “… The shape of society must depend on the ethical nature of the Individual. ” In Lord of the Flies when he brings two tribes of boys together to sustain an island surrounded by evil (204). Upon analyzing Gildings characters, we can see that the boys stranded on the island are willing to do anything to anyone in order to survive. Despite the evil in Roger and Jack, the innocence and good in Piggy and Ralph surfaces.
When we look at the way Gilding describes the boys on the Island, we can all twice the change within all of them. In the beginning of the novel the kids are innocent British school boys, but later Jack transforms into a child whoso obsessed with hunting. Jack is only interested in torturing and killing the pig when he “raised his spear and sneaked forward” (135). Just how much one can change because of their surroundings. Ralph and Jack have tension between them most of the time because Ralph can clearly see the transformation within Jack.
Because of the darkness In Jack, it highlights the Innocence In Piggy when he believes “[they’d] hurt he next telling. ,. And that’s [him]” (93). Piggy feels that without any reason no one would survive on the island. Because of the chaos on the island, Piggy’s constantly paranoid. In a world of destruction, the worst comes out from the good. As we observe Roger, we can infer the changes he comes across. As Jack and Roger are trying to kill Ralph, they set the island on fire. When the twins are being held captive by Roger, they explain to Ralph how “they hate [him]” (188).
Jack and Roger were childish enough to set their environment on fire Just to get what they want. They want the rest of the boys to be on their side and in order to do that they have to exile Ralph. Clinton 2 While Jack and Roger are trying to find Ralph, Sam n Eric find him first and warn him how “[Rorer’s] a terror” (189). Roger is the one in charge of murdering Ralph or Jack would be the one “sharpening the stick. ” The island Is obviously changing more than one of the boys. Not only do bad things happen to good people, but good people can turn bad.
When Piggy and Ralph find the rest of the boys, Ralph starts mentally hurting Piggy. Piggy’s insecurities show when they talk about him “being called Piggy” (25). With this Ralph goes behind Piggy’s back and tells the tribe his name is “Piggy. ” Ralph is displaying his callousness to Piggy now that the rest of the boys are there. He’s trying to come off’s the leader type for the first time impression. In the same scene when thieve Introducing themselves, Ralph continues to push Piggy around by telling him to “go back, and take names. That’s your job. So long” (157).
Ralph turns bossy and thinks he can tell everyone what to do and how to do it. Piggy feels that Ralph thinks he’s better than him to show off for the rest of the tribe. Ralph believes that now he’s chief he doesn’t have to do any of the hard work and he can make everyone else do it. All Piggy wants is for Ralph to have his back and be his friend. However, Plays being the only voice of reason makes him the weak target. In the speak” (44). The rest of the boys believe they can push piggy around. He feels unwanted and nobody understands him and his needs.
He notices Ralph becoming angry when he’s constantly shouting “shut up” at him. Not only does Piggy have ideas to get off the island alive, but nobody acknowledges him. He believes they are turning against each other and attacking. The tribes think being on the island is a lot of fun. Piggy thinks “rules are they only thing [they’ve] got” (91). Piggy Just wants to be friends with everyone, but since they pick on him and Hess so gullible, that can’t happen. He thinks “the world is slipping away’ when the boys become something they aren’t (204).
Ultimately, the good in Ralph and Piggy comes out do to the darkness in Jack and Roger. In the novel, William Gilding places two tribes of boy to survive the evil within themselves on an Clinton 3 island. They need to be able to handle themselves and each other in order to get off the island alive. William Gilding discusses how “the theme is an attempt to trace the defects of human society back to the defects of human nature” (204). He figured that if he put a group of boys in the wild to survive with only the clothes on their backs, they would turn into savages.
