Lord of the Flies: A Grotesque View on Human Behavior Essay Example

to evil in terms of their personality traits. Shortly after the boys arrive on the island, their physical appearance becomes more feral.

Jack knelt by the pool, concealing himself from the sun. He opened the two large leaves he had with him, one containing white clay and the other red. He then proceeded to smear the clay on his face, comparing it to dazzle paint used in war. The purpose was to blend in with their surroundings and enhance their hunting abilities by surprising their prey. Meanwhile, Jack's comment of "Come on! I'll creep and stab—" symbolizes the boys' loss of innocence and remorse as depicted at the start of the novel.

At first, upon reaching the island, the boys were unwilling to slaughter a pig for their survival. However, as they spent more time away from societal norms and morality, they began adopting camouflage to conceal themselves before launching an attack on their prey. The lack of rules triggered them to see their new environment as a fresh way of life. Power plays a crucial role in Golding's novel with the ownership of the conch symbolizing authority, speech rights, and chaos prevention. A key quote by one character predicts the boys' future trajectory: "If I blow the conch and they don't come back; then we've had it we shan't keep the fire going. We'll be like animals. We'll never be rescued. 'If you don't blow, we'll be animals anyway'" (99). This quote suggests that the boys would ultimately devolve into living like beasts - dwelling in wilderness, devoid of clothes, hunting for sustenance and partaking in rituals. In this narrative piece, the

conch stands as a metaphor for power and orderliness - whoever possesses it commands control over others and is viewed as their leader. Ralph assumes this position at beginning of story due to his election by other boys which indicates an instance of democratic selection process reflecting humanity during such times through opting for civilized leadership.

When Jack starts to challenge Ralph’s leadership and power, the small society begins to crumble. The boys are losing their human qualities and behaving like savages. The blowing of the conch is a test to see how far gone Jack’s group is from humanity. If they do not return, all hope of rescue is lost. The fire serves as a symbol for this loss. The boys have been taken over by their savage nature and cannot be rescued. As the boys spend more time on the island without civilized influences, their morals and rules fade away. The once important tasks, such as keeping the fire going, are neglected. Without fire, their chances of rescue decrease. Ralph realizes that his style of government and the last bit of civilization will soon be corrupted, leading to anarchy or division among the islanders.

Ralph's group, symbolizing the final vestiges of society, makes up one faction. In contrast, Jack's band is led by an individual more concerned with power-seeking than preserving decency. This power endows total control over circumstances and it falls on each person to exercise this control either responsibly or abusively. The novel Lord of the Flies highlights that when humans are stripped of societal constraints, their moral compass dwindles leading to a plunge into barbarism. This moral

decay incites disarray and has lessons we can draw upon in our daily lives. Furthermore, the book underscores contemporary issues that remain pertinent today.

The authoritarian regime portrayed in this literary work mirrors present-day autocrats such as North Korea's Kim Jong Un and other leaders across neighboring territories. Such rulers are consumed by their desire for power, often putting self-interest before the welfare of their constituents. While numerous societies have transitioned from dictatorships to more democratic systems of governance, some still retain their oppressive regimes. The necessity to intervene and transform these governing bodies cannot be overstated since they breed rampant dissatisfaction among their people. Centralizing all authority in a single individual inevitably results in disorder and collapse.