Mankind's Evil Exposed in Lord of the Flies Essay Example

“Being evil is something that only humans are capable of” (Jane Goodall). A crucial theme of the novel, The Lord of The Flies, by William Golding is that mankind is evil. The novel is based solely on the concept that mankind has an “essential illness” inside of them. The illness expresses that when faced with good or evil, mankind will always choose evil or what is best for themselves. In the novel, Roger's hunger for dominance, Jack's hunger for superiority, and Ralph's inability to punish others make it impossible for them to form a successful society.

For Starters, Roger does not have a significant role in the novel until the end. A side of him appears that demonstrates his ability to kill and not care or feel remorse “someone was throwing stones: Roger was dropping them, his one hand still on the lever...Roger, with a sense of delirious abandonment, leaned all his weight on the lever...The rock struck Piggy'' (Golding 180-181). Roger is not one to fight for power as indicated when he never attempts to obtain the role of chief. But Roger enjoys the sense of dominance he feels when taking part in a kill, a sort of “high” as demonstrated when killing Piggy. It was not only because they were in an uncivilized society that Roger took the action of murdering Piggy but because it is his nature too. Society is often unable to properly function because of the human instinct to do what is best for themselves. The reason for people participating in such activities is because they will benefit from it and it pleases them from these excursions.  In this case, Roger pulled the lever and experiences a sense of satisfaction after doing so. Roger's actions are not justified, but rather conveyed that society can never be perfect and will always be partially defected.

Roger is driven by his need for dominance and the satisfaction that he feels when experiencing it. Jack is driven by his need for power and control over others. Ralph fails as a leader because of his lack of the ability to punish or create consequences for others. He only wants to help people but the absence of the discipline to punish them when in the wrong is what allows Jack to take over as a leader. Ralph is friends with Piggy because he values the sense of intelligence and innocence given off around him but when Piggy's death occurs “Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man's heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy” (Golding 202). The “essential illness” that Golding talks about is in everybody, but the dose is not the same. Although mankind will always choose evil it is more difficult for others to give in and some will attempt to resist it like Ralph and Piggy. Whereas Jack does not resist but rather gives in to evil and uses it to assist himself in taking over as chief. When Jack becomes chief of his tribe he has the boys round up Wilbert and tie him to a pole to demonstrate what would occur if anybody ever betrayed him. In the novel, Jack's “essential illness” and ability to kill and the hunt is seen as a strength. His tribe is helping others such as Ralph complete their full transformation into complete savagery “He knelt among the shadows and felt his isolation bitterly. They were savages it was true, but they were human and the ambushing fears of the deep night were coming on” (Golding 185-186). As signified when Ralph begins carrying a stick sharpened at both ends. Previously in the novel, Jack had used a stick sharpened at both ends to put a pig's head out as an offering for the beast. Mankind's “essential illness” to do what is best for themselves is also intertwined with fear. The fear of the beast that could not even hurt them destroyed their society without ever showing its face. A beast that could never physically touch or harm one of the boys was the face of their downfall. Mankind often attempts to be perceived as the superior smarter and the most intelligent of all species. This novel proves that although mankind may be superior it is still unable to perform the simplest actions such as forming a properly functioning society. You can not form a society if the foundations are not unstable. Mankind's intentions will never always be pure enough and they will always want to do what is best for themselves no matter what.

In conclusion, mankind can not resist evil for it is what drives us and controls us. For example, when Hitler got his first taste of the power he immediately knew that he wanted more and although there were millions of casualties throughout the war he continued his pursuit of dominance and allowed the evil to get the best of him.