" Lord of the Flies " delves into the essence of beasts and human nature, revealing that fear resides within us, not in the external world.
Introduction
Characters
Plot Summary
The story explores the true nature of beasts and humans, suggesting that fear originates from within rather than from external sources.
Impressions
This tale offers a profound reflection on the interplay between human nature and fear, urging readers to look inward for understanding.
Conclusion
" Lord of the Flies " provides a thought-provoking exploration of the relationship between beasts, human nature, and fear, encouraging introspection and self-awareness.
Introduction
"Lord of the Flies," published in 1954 by William Golding, portrays the descent into savagery of a group of children stranded on a deserted island after their plane crashes in the Pacific Ocean. Through their conflicts and regression into inhuman brutality, the novel depicts the inherent clash of conflicting values within all humans.
- Author
William Golding, born in Cornwall, England in 1911, studied natural sciences and English literature at Oxford University. Despite his scientific background, he demonstrated literary talent, even writing poetry while at university. He enlisted in the Royal Navy during World War II and participated in the famous Normandy Landings. After the war, he pursued a career in teaching before turning to writing.
Characters
The protagonist of the novel is a boy named Ralph. He forms a friendship with a boy known only by the nickname "Piggy," whose real name remains unknown. Another key character is Jack, who becomes Ralph's rival, and Simon, a quiet and introspective boy.
Summary
A group of British boys crash-lands on a deserted island while evacuating from the UK due to a nuclear war outbreak. The plane crashes after being attacked, leaving no adults alive. The protagonist, Ralph, meets another boy named Piggy, known by his nickname. Unlike Ralph, Piggy befriends him closely. Together, they discover a large conch shell and use it to gather the surviving boys.
Among the survivors are younger children, including six-year-olds, led by a boy named Jack who leads a choir. Initially, the boys elect Ralph, who appears mature and handsome, as their leader. However, Jack, the leader of the choir, seems to have ambitions for leadership as well. Ralph secures the position of leader, while Jack becomes the head of the hunters. Together, they establish rules and rituals on the island, using the conch shell as a symbol of authority.
One day, a little boy claims to have seen a terrifying beast on the island, but Ralph and others dismiss it, clinging to the hope of rescue. Ralph suggests building a signal fire on top of a hill to attract attention from passing ships. The boys eagerly gather and successfully light a fire using Piggy's glasses, but it spreads uncontrollably, causing a large forest fire. The boy who saw the beast goes missing afterward.
Afterward, Ralph focuses on building shelters for the boys, while Jack organizes hunting expeditions to find food. Tensions arise between the two boys. Meanwhile, Simon, while helping Ralph with the shelters, discovers a secluded spot on the island resembling a natural shelter.
One day, Ralph discovers that Jack's hunters neglected to keep the signal fire lit in favor of hunting a wild pig. Ralph confronts Jack, who is unrepentant about his actions, leading to a rift between them. Ralph calls for an assembly, where rumors of a terrifying beast circulating among the boys are confirmed. Ralph emphasizes the importance of maintaining the signal fire, but Jack insists on the importance of hunting, deepening the discord between Ralph and Jack.
Meanwhile, while resting in his hiding place, Simon witnesses the severed head of a pig and engages in a hallucinatory conversation with the "Lord of the Flies," a pig's head mounted on a stick. He faints during the encounter but later regains consciousness and realizes that the supposed monster on the mountain is actually a dead parachutist.
Simon rushes down the mountain to inform the other boys about the truth. However, when he encounters Ralph and Piggy, along with the others, they are feasting on roasted pig meat with Jack's group. Startled, the boys mistake Simon for the beast and brutally murder him with their spears.
In the aftermath, Jack's group attacks Ralph's group to steal Piggy's glasses, the only means of starting a fire. Ralph, Piggy, and the twins, Sam and Eric, set out to retrieve the glasses from Jack's group. A fight ensues between the two groups, during which a rock dislodged by Jack's followers kills Piggy, and Sam and Eric are captured and forced to join Jack's faction.
Injured and desperate, Ralph flees and hides, knowing that Jack's group will hunt him down. Eventually, Ralph is discovered but manages to escape and reaches the beach, where he encounters a naval officer. The officer, upon witnessing the chaotic scene and the breakdown of order among the boys, expresses dismay. Ralph and the other boys, overwhelmed with shame and grief, break down in tears as the story concludes.
Reflection
In "Lord of the Flies," the breakdown of societal order in the face of adversity vividly illustrates the delicate balance between individual morality and collective norms. Initially, the boys adhere to established rules and rituals, symbolized by the conch and the signal fire, which provide structure and hope for rescue. However, as tensions rise and primal instincts take hold, these norms disintegrate, leading to chaos and violence.
The conflict between Ralph's focus on maintaining the signal fire for rescue and Jack's obsession with hunting for food highlights the clash between civilization and savagery. Jack's rejection of Ralph's leadership and the establishment of his own faction symbolize the allure of power and the erosion of shared values.
Furthermore, the dehumanization of Piggy, referred to only by his derogatory nickname, underscores the dehumanizing effect of labels and social hierarchy. His marginalized status reflects the arbitrary nature of authority and the vulnerability of those perceived as different.
The boys' use of face paint to conceal their identities mirrors the loss of accountability and moral inhibition in anonymity, allowing for the unrestrained expression of primal impulses. This transformation underscores the fragility of social norms and the ease with which they can be subverted in the absence of external oversight.
In essence, "Lord of the Flies" serves as a cautionary tale about the fragility of civilization and the inherent darkness within humanity. It prompts reflection on the nature of power, the dynamics of group behavior, and the moral responsibility of individuals in maintaining societal order.
"The mask had now become a separate entity,
behind it, Jack, freed from shame and self-consciousness, lurked."
In the novel, masks become symbolic of liberation from shame and self-consciousness, particularly for Jack, who hides behind his painted face. As other boys follow suit, obscuring their faces and engaging in increasingly brutal behavior, the act of masking represents a transformation of identity. Concealing one's face allows for the shedding of inhibitions and the assumption of a new persona.
The significance of masking lies in its ability to unleash primal instincts and alter perceptions of self. While initially concealing one's identity may seem trivial, it carries profound psychological implications. Masking provides a sense of anonymity and empowerment, enabling individuals to adopt behaviors they might otherwise suppress.
This phenomenon extends beyond the confines of the island, as individuals often exhibit different personalities when removed from familiar surroundings. Traveling abroad, for example, offers an opportunity to shed societal expectations and embrace newfound freedom. The act of masking, whether literal or metaphorical, reflects the fluidity of identity and the influence of environment on behavior.
Moreover, the title "Lord of the Flies" alludes to the grotesque image of a pig's head covered in swarming flies, symbolizing the inherent evil lurking within humanity. Simon's encounter with the severed pig's head, known as the "Lord of the Flies," prompts a profound realization about the nature of evil and the darkness within each individual.
In essence, "Lord of the Flies" explores the transformative power of masking and the complexity of human identity. By delving into the psychological effects of concealment and the symbolism of the "Lord of the Flies," the novel offers profound insights into the human condition.
"You knew it, didn't you?
That I am a part of you,
A very close and intimate part."
The character known as the "Lord of the Flies" claims to be an integral part of the boys, a very close and intimate part indeed. He asserts that he is the very beast the boys have feared throughout the novel. Throughout the story, the existence of the feared beast, which the boys have dreaded, represents a part of the boys themselves, and therefore, their society collapses because of it. Thus, the "Lord of the Flies" can be interpreted as symbolizing the innate evil tendencies within humanity. William Golding may have wanted to convey the idea that due to these evil tendencies, humans break their own rules, fight each other, and take lives.
In the end, could it be that the conflicts and desolation within the boys' society are caused by this "Lord of the Flies" within human nature? It's notable that the boys' crash landing on the island parallels the conflicts among people in the outside world, such as war.
Conclusion
Initially, I anticipated a whimsical or light-hearted story based on the title, but I was surprised to find a much heavier theme. While reminiscent of "The Coral Island" due to the boys stranded on an island, this novel explores entirely different themes. It delves into the fear of the unknown external entity and the gradual loss of humanity under extreme survival circumstances, where power becomes the sole value, leading to the abandonment of faith, reason, and ultimately conscience. It reveals the uncomfortable truth that in times of upheaval like natural disasters or wars, when universal values that humanity should uphold collapse, societies inevitably devolve into a state of ruthless competition and individualism.
