Lord Of The Flies Essay

The novel Lord of the flies by William Golding is about a group of English boys that get stranded on an island in the middle of a war. Ralph sets up an order in which he lists off necessities to survive. Jack leaves the group to create his own. Slowly the boys migrate from Ralph's group to Jack's. When Ralph is all alone Jacks group begins to hunt Ralph. Through the actions of Ralph and Jack, it is seen that human beings have the capacity for good and evil, however evil will always predominate once the fragile facade of law, order, and decency is broken.

Through the actions or Ralph it can be seen that humans have the capacity for good and evil, but evil will always predominate once the fragile facade of law, order, and decency are broken. Ralph sets up a democracy when all the boys are gathered in the beach. He submits to a vote for chief and receives a "general wish" from the group (22). As Chief, Ralph sets up a democracy and even shares the power by placing the choir boys under Jack's control. The democracy and spread of power is the sign of order and good. Ralph also orders the group to build the huts during the meeting. When Ralph starts building the huts, he complains that he, Simon and Piggy are the only ones helping; and the other boys "keep running off" (50). Ralph's Natural goodness motivates him to build the shelters and not run off and play. Law, order, and decency reside in Ralph but the evil begins to prevail in him. When Jack and Piggy meet the hunters when they are doing the pig ritual, Jack and Piggy decide to join in. As they joined the ritual, they "found themselves eager to take place" in the ritual (152). The taking part in the ritual suggests the evil predominating within Ralph. In addition, as the hunters are chasing Ralph, he panics and "thrust his own stick... with all his might" at the boy in the branches (194). Ralph doesn't feel remorse but rather a sense of satisfaction for killing a member of the 'hunters'. As he killed the boy, Ralph's decency was compromised; and with his decency compromised the good within him subsided. Humans have the capacity for good and evil, but evil will always predominate once the fragile facade of law, order, and decency is broken; as seen through Ralph.

Through the actions of Jack, it can be seen that that humans have the capacity for good and evil, but evil will always predominate once the fragile facade of law, order, and