William Golding’s Lord of the Flies is a novel that explores violence in its various forms. From the physical violence of the boys fighting and killing each other, to the psychological violence of their deteriorating mental state, the novel demonstrates the many ways in which violence can manifest.
Golding uses violence as a way to show the boys’ descent into savagery. The physical violence is a direct result of their isolation from society and their lack of adult supervision. As they are left to fend for themselves, the boys quickly turn to violence as a way to solve their problems. This is seen when they first kill a pig and later when they kill Simon and Ralph. The boys also use violence as a way to intimidate and control each other.
The Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a well-known story about the difficulties faced by young boys who are marooned on an island without society’s standards. Using violent disasters as inspiration, Golding revealed the evil that comes out when civilization’s values are lost in this castaway tale.
The novel begins with a plane crash that strands a group of young boys on an uninhabited island. At first, the boys are excited about their new surroundings and eagerly explore the island. However, as time goes on and they realize that there is no hope of rescue, the boys start to panic. In desperation, they elect Ralph as their leader in hopes that he will be able to bring some order to their chaotic situation.
Unfortunately, Ralph’s efforts are quickly thwarted by the arrival of Jack and his band of hunters. Jack is determined to take control of the situation and instills fear in the other boys by leading them on brutal hunts for food. The violence escalates when two of the boys, Simon and Piggy, are brutally murdered by Jack and his hunters. In the end, Ralph is the only one left who still believes in the goodness of humanity. He is chased down and brutally killed by Jack, thus signifying the complete descent into savagery.
Golding uses violence as a way to show how quickly civilization can break down when there are no rules or consequences. The novel serves as a warning about the dangers of unchecked power and highlights the importance of morality and order.
To rationalize the morality decay that takes place without civilization’s rules, Golding also utilized the youngsters to demonstrate it. The boys in the novel desired to establish a tiny civilization at first so as to mimic the one on the outside world. They picked a leader, assigned roles to various individuals, and even devised a code of laws and axioms.
However, as the novel continued and their time on the island increased, the boys began to lose touch with reality. They became more and more savage, to the point where they were committing murder. The violence present in Lord of the Flies is a direct result of the loss of civilization and the descent into savagery. Golding uses this novel to warn about the potential for violence that exists within every human being.
However, as their stay on the island continued and they received no repercussions for their poor behaviors, they gradually began to violate the norms and values imposed by society.
They became more and more comfortable with the idea of hunting, to the point where they even started to see it as a game. This is a significant change from their initial reaction to the prospect of having to kill a pig, which was one of horror and disgust.
The boys also became more violent in their actions and words towards each other. They began to use terms like “kill” and “murder” more frequently, and arguments between them often turned into fights. Even Ralph, who was originally one of the most level-headed boys on the island, became capable of violence when he fought with Jack for leadership of the group.
It is clear that Golding is trying to show how easy it is for violence to take over when there are no restraints in place. He shows how the boys gradually become more comfortable with the idea of killing, and how quickly they can turn on each other. This is a warning to the reader about the potential for violence that exists within all of us, and how easy it is to give into our darker impulses.
This is best exemplified by Jack’s refusal to capture a pig when he had the chance because killing it violently made him feel unethical. However, with time, he was able to discard his old beliefs and make his first kill, demonstrating how the boys were starting to let go of old restrictions.
This event is significant because it is the first time that one of the boys has killed an animal, which foreshadows the increasing violence on the island.
Another example of violence on the island is when Roger, a member of Jack’s tribe, throws stones at Henry, who is playing with Piggy and Ralph. This action shows how members of different groups can be violent towards each other, even if they are not directly involved in the conflict. This scene also highlights the differences between Jack’s tribe and Ralph’s group, with Jack’s group being more violent and aggressive.
The most significant act of violence in Lord of the Flies occurs when Simon is killed by the other boys. This event is significant because it demonstrates how far the boys have fallen, and how the violence on the island has escalated. Simon’s death also highlights the darkness that exists within all of the boys, and how even the most innocent can be capable of violence.
Furthermore, when the boys “leapt on the monster,” screamed, hit, bit, and tore him, Golding showed how moral decay had afflicted them. Doused in a deluge of enthusiasm, the boys disregarded Simon’s attempts to instruct them and concluded that he was “the beast” before barbarically and savagely murdering him.
In support of this, William Golding stated that “The themes of Lord of the Flies are numerous and diverse,” one of which is violence. Consequently, it can be seen that Golding deliberately presents violence in Lord of the Flies to accentuate the boys’ moral decline from civilized humans into savages.
Golding intentionally uses violence to highlight the boys’ loss of morality as they descend into savagery. On the Island, the boys are free from the constraints of society and its rules. With no adults present, they are left to fend for themselves and create their own rules. However, without any sort of guidance, the boys quickly become animalistic and violent. This is most evident when they murder Simon. At this point in the novel, the boys have completely lost touch with their humanity and are consumed by savagery. The violence is a direct result of their moral decline.
