Lord of the Flies Essay - 1901 Words

eGrant Johnson Per 4 Final Draft0- The Allegory of Life William Golding’s Lord of the Flies repeatedly contrasts with the morality-driven views of the controversial philosopher Frederick Nietzsche. Golding’s allegorical novel tells the story of a group of young boys who remain stranded on an island and left to their own instincts. Golding and Nietzsche would argue the issues the boys face are based on the morality and nature of man. Ralph, the protagonist, is delegated power by the other boys, while Jack, the antagonist, quickly becomes jealous of Ralph’s power. In Lord of the Flies, the conch, the masks, and the â€Å"lord of the flies† represent civilization, freedom and evil respectively. Golding supports a Judeo-Christian order, in†¦show more content†¦Nonetheless, he understands that this is tough, and most of society will follow the established aristocratic values. Nietzsche believes that, in this context, being a yes-sayer means following your own morals and not those set by society. He also be lieves that all actions in society should result from the individual will to obtain power. This conflict between society and personal freedom plays out through Roger, one of Jack’s partners, who early on threw rocks for fun avoiding â€Å"a space round Henry, perhaps six yards in diameter†¦Ã¢â‚¬  that signified, â€Å"†¦the taboo of the old life† (G 62). Roger avoided Henry out of respect for the societal standards that he followed. But as the book progresses, Roger’s animalistic ways take over and â€Å"†¦with a sense of delirious abandonment†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (G 180) he murders Piggy, one of the other boys. Therefore, Nietzsche would approve of Roger, whose actions become based upon a will to power, as opposed to Golding who would argue that Roger acts out of fear. In several scenes in the middle of the book, the boys don masks to cover their dirty faces, allowing themselves freedom from a herd mentality which Nietzsche would approve of this. Whe n the boys put on the masks, they lose their individual identities. In essence, they free themselves from the weight of morality, and this allows them to commit otherwise unthinkable acts. The mask was a thing of its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-consciousness (G 64).Show MoreRelatedThe Lord Of The Flies1262 Words   |  6 Pages2015 Lord of the Flies Research Paper Evils are what drive all of the negative things in society. Characteristics of evil are all around us in our everyday lives. political leaders, celebrities, People we idolize show characteristics of evil. Even small insignificant roles in society hold certain evils in their motives. Throughout this story these evils were for once boldly stated for all to understand. The games the boys play,the fire they set, and their rescue, in the Lord of the flies showsRead MoreThe Lord Of The Flies1468 Words   |  6 PagesThe Lord of the Flies tells the story of a group of English schoolboys marooned on a tropical island after their plane is shot down during a war. Though the novel is fictional, its exploration of the idea of human evil is at least partly based on Golding’s experience with the real-life violence and brutality of World War II. Free from the rules and structures of civilization and society, the boys on the island in Lord of the Flies descend into savagery. Golding’ s experience in World War II had aRead More Lord of the Flies1827 Words   |  8 Pageswhich desire to follow through with. 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Throughout this story these evils were for once boldly stated for all to understand. The games the boys play,the fire they set, and their rescue, in the Lord of the flies showsRead MoreLord of the Flies2048 Words   |  9 PagesIn William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, symbols are illustrated through people, objects, and colors. In this novel, a group of children are faced with the difficulty of living isolated from society after their plane crashes on a deserted island. With no formal civilization, parents, or rules, the kids have the freedom to do as they choose. Throughout the novel, the boys find and use objects on the island that symbolize something of different importance. In Lord of the Flie s, William Golding usesRead MoreThe Lord Of The Flies1385 Words   |  6 PagesLord of the Flies In a life or death situation, desperate people resort to drastic measures. 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