Lord Of The Flies: Savagery Against Civilization

What would happen if a group of boys from a civilized society all get stranded on an island with no adults? Lord of the Flies was written by William Golding and is about a group of schoolboys stranded on an island away from all civilization. The story is about the boys trying to build a civilization that ends up failing as a result of the boys turn towards savagery. The boys are savage when there is a loss of control and order, leading to the destruction of civilization. In Lord of the Flies, the boys descend into savagery when they lose control over the fire, embrace tribalistic rituals, and murder Piggy and Simon.

One of the first times they act savage in the book is when the boys set fire to the island, and the fire represents civilly and hope of being rescued. But when they set the island on fire it represents how fast the boys can lose control and become savage. “On one side the air was cool but on the other the fire thrust out a savage arm of heat that crinkled hair on the instant” (Golding 41). The attempt to keep the fire going was difficult for the boys, which then resulted in the forest fire and destruction of the island. “A tree exploded in the fire like a bomb” (Golding 46). The fire also shows chaos, and how quickly they can experience a loss of civilization. The fire then ended up killing a boy which puts things in perspective for them that they are savage and are capable of many things.

Another time there is savagery in the book is when Jack started manipulating the boys to follow him as a leader and start doing rituals, wearing masks, and chanting. “He capered towards Bill, and the mask was a thing on its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-consciousness” (Golding 64). Jack no longer feels like he has to be sympathetic when he wears a mask, which makes him more savage. On page 75 it says “Then Maurice pretended to be the pig and run squealing into the center, and the hunters, circling still, pretend to beat him. As they danced, they sang. Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Bash her in” (Golding). This event is describing the boys in a ritual and showing violence and savagery because they are celebrating the possible death of a pig. When they are embracing tribalistic rituals they detach from civilization and who they are which leads to a loss of control and savage behavior in the boys.

Lastly, savagery is displayed in the book is when they lost complete control and killed Piggy and Simon. “The sticks fell and the mouth of the mouth new circle crunched and screamed. The beast was on its knees in the center, its arms folded over its face. It was crying out against the abominable noise something about a body on the hill” (Golding 152). This quote shows Simon's death and how savagery wins over and how the boys can kill and become savages without hesitation. “The Rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist” (Golding 181). Piggy's death is savage because of the brutal way he is killed and when the conch breaks it represents the end of civilization and order.

The boys are savage when there is a loss of control and order, leading to the destruction of civilization. The boys descend into savagery when they lose control over the fire, embrace tribalistic rituals, and they murdered Piggy and Simon. When they lose control over the fire and end up burning the island and killing an innocent boy. They embrace tribalistic rituals by chanting and wearing masks which makes the boys unsympathetic and causes chaos. The boys also end up killing Piggy and Simon which represents a complete loss of control and a descent into savagery. So If a group of boys from a civilized society all get stranded on an island with no adults they would lose control which would result in savagery.