Introduction
British novelist William Golding is the author of the allegorical novel Lord of the Flies. One of the central themes of Lord of the Flies is the inherent wickedness and savagery of man and that individuals create evil as a bee produces honey. Therefore, the central concept of the novel is established from the beginning of the book. This paper will analyze how such symbols as terrorizing fictional creatures, archetypes of human behavior, and acts of sacrifice are used to support the central topic that inner evil is inherent in all people.
How Symbolism Supports the Theme of Evil in Lord of the Flies
Terrorizing Fictional Creatures
The first symbol, presented as a fictional creature that terrorizes all the youngsters, represents the innate ferocity that all people possess. Only Simon understands that the boys’ dread of the beast is a result of the beast’s existence within each of them. The author stated that “fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill!… You knew didn’t you? I am part of you? Close, close, close! I am the reason why it is no go? Why things are what they are?” (Golding 206).
The other boys in the novel are scared of the beast. The teenagers’ belief in the beast develops as they become more brutal. The boys offer sacrifices and treat it like a totemic god, according to the book’s conclusion. At one point, they realize that “maybe there is a beast… maybe it is only us” (Golding 125). Therefore, the boys’ actions create the beast; hence, the more viciously the boys behave, the more accurate the beast appears to be.
Archetypes of Human Behavior
Further, the Lord of the Flies characters can be seen as archetypes of human behavior, with Ralph standing in for civilization and authority and Jack for the savagery that resides in every human heart. Jack’s evil nature can be seen through his words, such as “Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood” (Golding 96). Henceforth, people generally think of Ralph as standing for good and Jack as standing for evil. It is emphasized in the book that “his mind was crowded with memories; memories of the knowledge that had come to them when they closed in on the struggling pig, the knowledge that they had outwitted a living thing” (Golding). This is different from stating that Jack is evil and Ralph is good.
Acts of Sacrifice
Jack sacrifices the bloodied, severed sow’s head to the beast in the woodland glade known as “The Lord of the Flies.” The character states: “This head is for the beast. It is a gift.” (Golding 197). When Simon approaches the sow’s head in the glade, it appears to speak to him, informing him that evil resides within every person’s heart and vowing to provide some fun with him; this complex symbol is now the most important picture in the story.
As a result, The Lord of the Flies assumes the role of the beast’s physical incarnation. It represents the strength of evil and a sort of Satanic figure that awakens the beast within each individual. In words, “Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill!” the author pointed out that the true evil is not the beast but people (Golding 206). The novel The Lord of the Flies reminds readers of the devil, much as Simon reminds us of Jesus when viewed in the context of biblical allusions. It is also connected to religion in the way that the term “Lord of the Flies” is a direct translation of the biblical name Beelzebub, a strong demon in hell who is occasionally mistaken for the devil himself.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Golding believes that everyone possesses an evil streak and that evil is a natural element of being human. It is possible that he also makes the implication that civilization serves as a restraint to keep people’s inborn savagery in check and that our actual nature is similar to that of wolves. The fact that the protagonists are all youngsters may perhaps be of even greater significance because they lack the requisite social understanding to appreciate the necessity of specific laws and standards.
Work Cited
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies: Casebook Edition. Penguin, 1987.