Lord of the Flies Essay -- essays papers

Lord of the Flies The main theme of Lord of the Flies is that moral nature is not instinctive in mankind. There is a capacity for evil in all people, and their morality is superficial. Nonetheless, it is this moral integrity that must continue in order for a person to be ethical, for society to be maintained, and to keep society from falling in on itself. Society holds everyone together. Without the rules and the structure, evil in everyone becomes more prominent, and ideals, values, and basics of right and wrong are forgotten. Without society's rigid rules, chaos and savagery come to light. There are also a number of secondary themes in the book such as: people will abuse power when it is not earned; people will degrade others to heighten their own sense of security; the fear of the unknown is powerful; it can make you turn to insight or hysteria. All of the themes are shown using symbolism. A group of young boys are in a plane that crashes on a deserted island where the current appears to be flowing backwards. The island is a microcosm representing the world, and the current gives the impression that civilization might be going backward for the island or its inhabitants. Young boys were probably chosen because they would have had less time to be moulded by society, and their individual characteristics would be more prominent. The first two characters to appear are Piggy and Ralph. They are both probably about twelve years old. Ralph is an attractive boy, "built like a boxer." His name, Anglo-Saxon in origin, means "counsel." He, along with Piggy, depicts the struggle for order and democracy. He illustrates law, order, organized society, and moral integrity. He knows right from wrong, and he is constantly m... ...eans. He tells Samneric where he plans to hide, but they end up telling Jack. Jack decides to set fire to the island to force Ralph out of hiding. Jack was the perpetrator of all three deaths that happened on the island. He systematically removes forces opposing him. Ralph realizes that man is not a kind creature by nature. Just as the Savages find Ralph and they are about to kill him, he bumps into a Naval officer who saw the smoke from the fire and came to rescue them. It's ironic that the fire that was meant for death actually saved them. However, now all the events that happened in the story are transferred to the shoulders of the officer. He rescues the children who are in the middle of a manhunt, and takes them away on his ship. It is precisely the same thing, as he is also involved in a manhunt. He was able to save the children, but who will save him?