Conflict Between Barbarism and Reason in Lord of the...

Conflict Between Barbarism and Reason in Lord of the Flies William Goldings Lord of the Flies is a carefully constructed fable that was, in Goldings words, an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature. (Grigson 189). The novel shows a group of English boys reverting to savagery on a Pacific island. The book deals with the conflict between humanitys inner barbarism on one side, and the civilizing influence of reason on the other. Each of the two characters I have chosen to contrast and compare is presented in the novel as the most influential representative of each of the two sides. Jack, the chief of the hunters, representing the hidden human passion and almost animal cruelty,†¦show more content†¦- Almost too heavy. Jack grinned back. - Not for the two of us. Together, joined in effort by the burden, they staggered up the last step of the mountain. Together, they chanted One! The first, although hidden conflict between Ralph and Jack, the conflict between the two sides, arises when Ralph is elected or appointed as the chief, the one who decides things. The reader feels that Jacks vanity has been hit by the loss. Ralph counted. - Im the chief then. The circle of boys broke into applause. Even the choir applauded; and the freckles on Jacks face disappeared under a mortification. Even then the relationship and attitudes of the two boys remain almost the same. They both agree on the need of fire, on the need of shelters and on the need of meat. Nonetheless, one can feel that after Ralph had been elected for the chief, the Jacks side of reasons and Ralphs common sense start separating from each other. At first Jack and his hunters do what they are asked to, but as time goes on, they start to participate in different activities and neglect those needed for the sake of the boys salvation. Ralph spoke. - You let the fire out. Jack checked, vaguely irritated by this irrelevance but too happy to let it worry him.Show MoreRelatedSavagery vs. Instincts in Lord of the Flies1117 Words   |  5 PagesSavagery vs. Instincts in Lord of the Flies The Seed of Evil This is an island. At least I think its an island. Thats a reef out in the sea. Perhaps there arent any grownups anywhere (Ralph, Chapter 1). Stranded on an island, facing a crisis that resulted from one of humanity’s many wars, the boys become a model that represents humanity itself. They organize to help one another cope with this strange experience. A tiny system of government is formed, and the boys are somehow empoweredRead More Themes in Lord of the Flies Essay682 Words   |  3 Pages William Goldning’s Lord of the Flies is an allegorical novel where literary techniques are utilized to convey the main ideas and themes of the novel. 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HoweverRead MoreLord Of The Flies By William Golding1245 Words   |  5 PagesLord of the Flies by William Golding and A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah are novels that address different aspects of humanity’s darker side. Lord of the Flies suggests that an extreme obsession for power can lead to a decay of morals and the acceptance of savagery; in contrast, Beah in A Long Way Gone demonstrates that fear and hatred, while they may drive people to commit violent acts, can be overcome with the help of surrounding care and support. The two texts express clear differences in thatRead MoreLord of the Flies3107 Words   |  13 PagesLord of the Flies William Golding In Between the Modern and the Postmodern Content: 1. Fragments chosen.............................................................................. 2. In Between the Modern and the Postmodern - essey........................ 3. Questions.............................................................................................. 4. Bibliography........................................................................................ [Read MorePresentation Of Tybalt And Jack1494 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Compare the presentation of Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet and Jack in the Lord of the Flies Shakespeare presents Tybalt to be a very stubborn character. Tybalt says, â€Å"Fetch me my rapier, boy.† This quote shows the Tybalt is demanding someone to give him his sword. The word ‘fetch’ is an imperative so Tybalt is commanding someone lower than him to do something. Also, it shows that he is relating the person in question to a dog because a dog would normally fetch something for it leader. FurthermoreRead More How Golding Presents the Decline from Civilisation to Savagery in Lord of the Flies2816 Words   |  12 Pagesthe Decline from Civilisation to Savagery in Lord of the Flies Lord of the Flies is the name given to the inner beast, to which only Simon ever actually speaks. As Simons waits for the beasts arrival near the bloody sows head on the stake (buzzing with flies), The Lord of the Flies speaks to him, warning him not to get in its way or else he shall be killed by the boys. The Lord of the Flies name comes from the sows head and the countless flies buzzing about it, which soon move from the