Lord Of The Flies By William Golding: Civilization Versus Savagery

Conflicting ideas within people that are not resolved can lead to savagery and pain. In William Golding's novel Lord of the Flies, Ralph and young British boys are left stranded from a plane crash on an island. The boys start to become civilized on the island but over time, the main character in the novel, Ralph and another character Jack are in a power struggle between being civilized or savage. This is an idea that goes unfixed throughout the novel and causes problems but,ironically gets the boys rescued. In the novel, we read about how the boys are civilized, savage and how both ideas counteract each other.

In the novel, we read about how the boys are civilized. Being civilized leads to important things getting done as in a line from the book shows the boys starting to build a fire.“Ralph and Jack looked at each other while society paused about them. The shameful knowledge grew in them and they did not know how to begin confession. Ralph spoke first, crimson in the face. 'Will you?'He cleared his throat and went on.'Will, you light the fire?”(40). This is very important to the theme development along with the development of the boys in the novel. This is showing that they care about their own well being and become responsible. The boys being civilized could also have lead to them being rescued. The quote “If a ship comes near the island they may not notice us. So we must make smoke on top of the mountain. We must make a fire.' 'A fire!”(38) shows that the boys are realizing that they have each other and need to get off the island. This again shows the boy’s responsibility. The boys in the being of the book were very civilized, but in the end, they turn savage.

In the novel, the boys stay on the island for too long and it drives them towards savagery which oddly enough leads to their rescue. The savagery the boys have become leads to killing on the island. “Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood! Do him in!”(152) In the context of this quote, Jack and his savage hunters think that Simon, a boy on the island, is the beast, a creature that all the boys are scared of but is fake, and the boys kill Simon and dance around him. Ironically, the savagery that is displayed on the island leads to the boys getting rescued. “The tears began to flow and sobs shook him. He gave himself up to them now for the first time on the island; great, shuddering spasms of grief that seemed to wrench his whole body. His voice rose under the black smoke before the burning wreckage of the island; and infected by that emotion, the other little boys began to shake and sob too.”(202)

The quote is after the island is set on fire intended to kill Ralph, but lets the british navy find the boys and rescue them. Throughout the book, we see examples of savagery and civilization because they truly are two ideas that clash perfectly. In the novel, there is a constant power struggle between savagery and civilization. In the novel, a power struggle is an important symbol of the book. “Shut up,' said Ralph absently. He lifted the conch. 'Seems to me we ought to have a chief to decide things. A chief! A chief!? I ought to be chief! said Jack' This quote portrayed the massive power struggle between two characters with two different mottos, Civilization and Savagery. Along with the power struggle, there are symbols of power that are important to the novel.'The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist.' The conch was an important symbol of power to the boys. Who ever blew the conch and power over everybody and they all had to listen to them, but when the conch was broken it was a real turning point in the novel for the boys into complete savagery. In the novel, both symbols of power and power struggles are portrayed with importance.

In the book Lord of the Flies both characters Jack and Ralph and are in a power struggle. Ralph believes in being civilized and Jack believes in being savage and when they counteract each other thing do not go well. When conflicting ideas within people that are not resolved can lead to savagery and pain.