Lord Of The Flies Context edexcel 2-Post-1914-Literature

It is possible to see in Lord of the Flies a parallel to the clash of civilisations during the Cold War, with Ralph representing democracy and free speech (the West), while Jack represents the negative Western view of the Soviet Union. However, Golding doesn’t seem to suggest that either side is blameless for the evil that is perpetrated on the island. For example, the littlun who perishes in the fire in Chapter 2 is not protected by Ralph’s democratic government; all sides take part in the murder of Simon; and although Jack’s tyranny is clearly detrimental, it is perhaps the battle between the two sides that causes the greatest harm.

However you read Golding’s intentions in Lord of the Flies, it is clear that he believes that all of humanity has the capacity for evil and that warfare brings this impulse to the surface. Even Ralph and Piggy take part in the murder of Simon. Further, since Ralph and Piggy represent “civilised society” then perhaps Golding is arguing that even a war waged in the name of civilisation can lead to acts of evil. It is the conflict between Ralph and Jack’s ideologies, and the fact that they cannot come to an agreement, that causes the death of Piggy.

Lord of the Flies can be seen as a philosophical text which seeks to identify the source of human evil. Although it could be argued that the boys on the island copy the behaviour of the adults engaged in warfare, it is perhaps more true to say that it is the absence of social norms that allow the boys’ true nature to emerge which is cruel and capable of shocking violence. This nature, according to Golding, is capable of great evil, even if they are just children.

As the boys become further and further removed from the society they once knew, they become more capable of evil. This is evident in many ways: hunting – and then killing – the pigs makes it easier to commit violent acts against each other; wearing face-paint frees them of the “self-consciousness” of civilisation; having longer hair and wearing fewer clothes removes the physical markers of society; Jack and the hunters’ speech becomes more primal and monosyllabic; and the boys engage in more and more “savage” practices, like ritual ceremonies and dances.

It is also a deliberate choice by Golding that the character of “Piggy” is killed. Throughout, he is dehumanised to the extent that he is referred to as an animal and treated like the island’s other animals, which subsequently leads to him being killed. However, it could also be said that as the novel progresses, the boys all treat each other less like human beings, and more like beasts. 

In Lord of the Flies, there is a clear distinction between Piggy (who is working class) and the rest of the boys. Piggy has an accent which highlights his low social status. We can assume that most of the boys have been educated in private schools, while Piggy’s grammatical errors suggest that he has not. As a result of being working class, and thus being of a lower status, Piggy is treated badly by the other boys. He is mocked for his accent and his ungrammatical speech; he is dehumanised to the extent that the other boys never ask him his real name and he is only referred to by a cruel nickname; he is verbally and physically abused by Jack. 

Furthermore, despite the fact that Piggy is clearly the most intelligent boy on the island, and devoutly loyal to Ralph and his leadership, Ralph never defends him from abuse. In fact, Ralph states that his father is a commander in the English Navy, highlighting his family’s high status and hence his perceived superiority over characters like Piggy. Here Golding suggests that class is a powerful – and harmful – social force. He also appears to suggest that the English class system neglects intelligence and talent in favour of status and reputation. Because he is working class, Piggy could never hold a leadership position, however suitable he might be.

In Lord of the Flies, Golding uses Christian religious symbolism to explore ideas about morality and good and evil. For example, Simon can be interpreted as a symbol of Jesus Christ and the sacrificial pig’s head could be seen as representing the Devil. Further the island itself could be seen to represent the Garden of Eden.

However, Golding isn’t commenting on Christianity directly with these references, or the existence of external evil (from the Devil, for example). Instead, he concludes that the source of humanity’s evil is human nature itself: the boys themselves are the cause of all evil on the island. His view is pessimistic: Simon is killed because of humanity’s inherent savagery; the island (a kind of paradise) is destroyed by the boys’ desire to kill. Indeed, the sacrificial pig’s head is not some external force as Simon is terrorised by his own imagination.

Different characters represent different aspects of human nature: Roger represents human evil, Simon represents human goodness and Piggy represents human innovation. 

The characters also symbolise different styles of government, with different characters representing different leadership styles: Ralph represents democracy and free speech, while Jack represents authoritarianism. The island also represents a tabula rasa, or blank slate, on which the boys can create a society of their choosing