Research Paper: Lord Of The Flies

During the war, a group of schoolboys survived a plane crash and landed on a deserted island. The first introduction of the characters is Ralph and “Piggy”. They both realize that there are no adults around and try to attract the other lost children by blowing in a conch shell, which will later represent order. Ralph is also the protagonist of the story and is one of the older boys in the group, quickly becomes the leader and is represented as handsome and tall for his age. Ralph is both calm and rational and has a strong moral sensibility. Piggy is a chubby glasses-wearing boy who suffers from asthma and can also be noticed as whiny. The story’s antagonist is Jack and is portrayed as an aggressive boy who manipulates others to become as savage and uncivilized as himself. As the story goes on, more problems come up and worries about a monster on the island. The boys think differently about priorities and groupings form where Jack is the leader of the hunters who gets more savage who kills two of the boys. The story ends with the hunters setting the forest on fire to kill Ralph. They nearly succeed when a naval officer appears and saves them but is disappointed at them for being savage and cruel and it resolves the conflict. 

THEMES 

In my opinion, are the conflict between savagery and civilization the most interesting theme of them all and it is also the major theme. It dramatizes the conflict between Ralph and Jack, with Ralph who represents civilization and Jack who represents savagery. The boy’s distinct attitudes toward authority differ from each other in a very perspicuous way. Ralph who is describes as a moral leader uses his authority to establish rules, protect the group, build shelter, etc. Jack uses his authority to gain more power over the other boys to satisfy his impulses. He also assumes leadership over his tribe called “the hunters” and demands the complete subservience of the boys who joined him which not only serve him but worship him. “Bullocks to the rules! We are strong - we hunt! If there’s a beast, we’ll hunt it down! Well close in and beat and beat and beat --!”  pg. 100

We also see the disruption between civilization and savagery throughout the novel with major symbols, for example, the conch shell which is connected to Ralph, and the lord of the flies which is related to Jack. The conch shell symbolizes democratic order on the island but becomes meaningless further into the conflict. It is first introduced in chapter one, “ We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting. They'll come when they hear us -- “ pg.12

 The Lord of the Flies becomes a new symbol which is an offering to the “monster” whom the boys say live on the island. This new symbol has a meaning of dominance and savagery on the island and Jack’s authority over the others.

ANALYSIS

The id is the most primitive of the three parts and is concerned with the instant gratification of basic physical needs and urges. It also operates outside our consciousness is the id entirely unconscious. The id simply represents what a person wants to do at the moment and doesn’t care about anything other than that. The superego is the total opposite compared to the id. It is also concerned with social rules and morals and develops during our childhood when we learn what’s considered right and wrong. The ego is the rational, pragmatic part of our personality and is partly conscious and partly unconscious. Its job is to balance the demands of the id and the superego.

This psychoanalysis by Sigmund Freud can easily be comparable to the novel and the three major characters - Jack, Ralph, and Piggy. 

Jack who is the antagonist of the book is an example of Sigmund Freud’s explanation of the id. Jack is compulsive to only do what he wants without determining the needs and wants of the others. We know from the plot that Jack’s craving for power gets bigger throughout time and desires control over the others, and he wants it now and quickly. His obsession with hunting and his desire to kill a pig is strong and no one can change that. Jack hates to wait and wants to do things quickly and can’t stand to be disciplined by morality, especially from Piggy who represents the superego. I would say that Jack first showed his signs of the id was in the second chapter. Instead of looking at the big picture and help Piggy and Ralph to build shelters, he instead focuses on his desire to hunt and kill a pig. The id is a destructive instinct that is unconscious and cannot think of any consequences nor other perspectives. We can easily see this when Jack and his followers killed Simon with no hesitation because they thought Simon was the beast. “Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his Blood!” pg.171

We also know that the id always is trying to push away the superego, that is Jack always mentally and physically abuses piggy who represents the superego as said above. Jack never lets Piggy talk in any group meetings. In chapter four, Jack even punches Piggy in the stomach and head because Piggy was blaming him for failing to keep the signal fire.

“ You didn't oughtn’t to have ought to have let that fire out. You said you’d keep the smoke going- p.76

“He took a step, and able at last to hit someone, stuck his fist into Piggy’s stomach. Piggy sat down with a grunt. 

Jack continued with a vicious and humiliating voice 

“You would, would you? Fatty. Ralph made a step forward and Jack smacked Piggy's head” pg.77

This shows that a conflict between the id and the superego exists because of their constant differences with approaches in life.

As said before, represents Piggy the superego. Rules and moral for Piggy is everything and feels like structure and rules are the most importing thing the boys have. That’s why Piggy always turns to the conch shell as soon as he knows Jack is up to something because the conch shell represents democratic order. He reputedly tells the other boys when they are doing the wrong things, but he is never violent and only wants to lecture the others and influence the ego and the id (Ralph and Jack). An example would be when Piggy reminds Jack that the most important thing was to get rescued from the island and not hunting. But as we know is the id and the superego the complete opposites and work the opposite way. That’s why Jack never listened to his suggestions and always neglected to listen to Piggy. 

AUTHOR 

The author of the Lord of the Flies is William Golding was a British novelist, poet, and playwright born in Newquay, Cornwall (1911-1993). Golding was born on September 19, 1911, and grew up in Marlborough, Wiltshire. When he turned 19 years old in 1930 went Golding to Brasenose College, Oxford, where he read Natural Sciences for two years before transferring to English for his final two years. After college decided Golding to follow in his father’s footsteps and taught English and Philosophy at a school. The experience of teaching unruly young boys would later serve as an inspiration for his novel Lord of the Flies. He, later on, joined the Royal Navy to fight in World War II. In 1954, Golding published his first and most acclaimed novel, Lord of the Flies. Millions of people worldwide have taken their time to read this book and it got a very positive outcome. So far is the novel still required in both schools, universities, and colleges. Lord of the Flies has affected the literary world, and it pervades, spawning a variety of parodies, etc. The novel has also had an impact/influence on television, for example - The Simpsons, SpongeBob SquarePants, and South Park.