Good Vs Evillord Of The Flies Essay Example
Good Vs Evillord Of The Flies Essay Example

Good Vs Evillord Of The Flies Essay Example

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  • Pages: 4 (877 words)
  • Published: March 5, 2017
  • Type: Essay
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Golding employs both language and silence to advance the narrative in his novel 'Lord of the Flies.' The novel depicts boys marooned on an island who use language as a civilizational tool, but as each day passes, the language starts to deteriorate along with their sense of civilization. Both silence and language play crucial roles in signifying incoming plot developments. There is a moment when 'The conch falls silent.' This statement mirrors irony as Golding presents how even the loudest object on the island can fall into silence and be left 'forgotten' at some point.

In a metaphorical sense, the conch could act as a representation of the boys on the island, showcasing that despite being human, they could potentially turn into savages. The foreboding silence of the jungle analogously depicts the lurking evil within its inhabitants. Crea

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tures capable of enveloping your soul, transforming you into a different entity. The statement 'The beast is within you' encapsulates an aspect of bizarre truth as applied to the boys on the island. Golding employs a contrast for silence, depicting it in various lights. At instances, the silence mirrors the 'soothing tranquility of sea waves', but occasionally it is ‘more burdensome than heat’. Each moment of revelation in the book is followed by a prolonged silence. A giant rock hangs back, charged with potential energy, before causing drastic damage to the forest. The forest shakes with fury like an aggrieved beast, followed by a stillness on the island.

The rock acts as a prediction of the deceased parachutist who 'descends, impacts and overturns'. The simulation of the forest as a monster implies that when the parachutist lands, it will caus

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pandemonium amongst the children but eventually normality will restore. This exemplifies how language and silence have been harnessed to predict future occurrences. ‘We are stranded in anonymity.'

We are set to remain in this place for an extended period. An absolute silence enveloped us, punctuated only by the inhale and exhale of Piggy's respiration. Our location was an enigma, lost on an unfamiliar island where quiet was so pervasive it was unnerving, even the sound of Piggy's breath was discernible. It evoked an eerie sensation as though someone was always lurking just out of sight. Silence once again gripped us. Amid the 'fearless' woods, fear would take hold to the extent that it would feel as though a 'beast' was tailing you. Hence, one would choose to maintain their silence. Simon, I believe you'll find your way back safely.

There was a brief pause where no one spoke. This temporary quietness metaphorically signifies Ralph's endurance on the island. It highlights the final part of the novel, where Ralph narrowly escapes death. Golding employs silence as a symbolic depiction of the inherent evil within the boys and the woods. Roger, a secretive and elusive boy, maintained an inner strength of evasion and concealment. He murmured his name before falling silent once more. Roger was arguably the most wicked among all the boys, as he 'threw the rock' that resulted in Piggy's death.

Roger typically preferred solitude and was often observed with intense focus on the 'littleluns'. His malicious nature was pronounced by his quietness, transforming silence into something menacing. The literary techniques used by Golding perfectly projection Roger's evilness and incite feelings of hatred towards him. Golding

employs silence and expressive language to depict death, saying 'The crowd was as silent as death.' This showcased the profound shock the first casualty, being a young boy, streamed through the other children on the island. Without the employment of the word 'death', readers would fail to grasp the gravity of the homicide.

Every death on the island is marked by silence. When Simon passed away, 'the wind also ceased'. 'The gentle babbling of the water fell silent' and 'the rhythm of the waves stopped.' Upon Piggy's tragic demise, 'the silence was absolute. Although Ralph formed a word with his lips, it remained unspoken'. The word absolute implies that the island's assumed persona had finished its task of reflecting the children's inherent evil. Hence, silence, a figurative noun, found contentment. As previously mentioned, language serves as a conduit for conveying messages.

Initially bound by the bonds of civilization, they found communication effortless due to a shared language. 'Ralph discovered his ability to eloquently articulate his thoughts.' Jack first labels his companions as his 'choir', progressing to 'choir-hunters', and finally just 'hunters'. This progression outlines Jack's deteriorating perspective of civilization as reflected in his language. 'The nature of Jack's discourse knocked Ralph onto the sand.' In this context, speech signifies Jack's descent into savagery, shocking Ralph. 'Subsequent to their meal, Ralph, the biguns embarked on a journey along the seashore.'

Omitting the comma after 'eaten' was an intentional device by Golding to hint at the narrative's conclusion where all the littleuns are poised to consume Ralph. 'Jack pronounces, "We are not savages. We are English and the English excel at everything."' The irony is palpable as these words stem

from Jack, the first one who succumbs to savagery. Being the best resonates with becoming exceptional savages. Therefore, simple tools like silence and language have significant roles in fortifying this novel's narrative.

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