Critical Essay on Lord of the Flies: A Societal Analysis

Paper Type:  Essay
Pages:  6
Wordcount:  1620 Words
Date:  2023-02-23

Introduction

It appears to be more lamentable and astonishing that the novel is frequently and widely used by a large number of individual members in the society as its set of ideas is through a chronological manner. Many people in the classroom are using this novel to gather insights that are helpful for future benefits. More so William Golding's Lord of flies has already received minimal analytical critics relating to this novel (De Jager, Nicholas 2017). Honestly, the book has not been neglected in society since there are maximum numbers of beneficial ideas in life that present. Despite the plethora of essays by several known individuals and worth critics relating to this novel, the few close analyses of Golding techniques can be found among them, and few implications relating to this novel will be discovered in future time. The main aim of this paper is making a precise analysis through the use of different questions to be answered.

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Indeed, despite a running controversy over a clear meaning of the novel, critical articles fall primarily on the plot of summary. Further, different explorations relating to this novel are needed in many areas which among them is a careful examination concerning the opening descriptions of Jack and Ralpha in chapter one. It appears to be of use, but perhaps not very elusive to point out that the former is immediately declared as the "fair boy" that he sounds a horn announcing about good news which is of survival. The information produced in this announcement is that Jack appears to be a Lucifer-like due to appearances on his natural outlook that he has an angular frame, black cloak, a cap and also a red hair.

However, William Golding has used his novel to express his concern about the society and also human nature at large. The book not only makes a provision of a profound insight relating to human life but it also does it in a way that appears to be remarkable concerning its use of horror and shock actions (Sadouki, Chaima, 2015). Goldin makes a presentation about human nature aspects as the central theme in the book. It provides an alert to the individuals about their inherent nature which descends from orders to chaos, civilization to savagery and finally from good to evil. All of these actions are explored in the novel by making a clear view of how an evil act can be brought out in some particular situation. Dangers can only accrue the moment there is no address about one fears plus also the battle between progress act and disorder.

Moreover, the most important achievement that Goldin has gained from this novel is fame, since while writing, he makes use of academic and metaphorical techniques that are unquestionably shocking different leaders in today's life. Various examples have been used to describe more about the societal move and human nature and characteristics. The first example is where Rogers has a feeling of tormenting a "littlun", but he is held back by communal values. The above can be seen through making an earlier statement from the novel when the boys were in governance by good society morals. "Roger gathered a handful of stones and began to throw them. There was a space round Henry, perhaps six yards in diameter, into which he dare not throw. Here, invisible yet strong was the taboo of the old life. Round the squatting child was the protection of parents and school and policemen and the law."

The novel makes an illustration of the ancestry actions from the boys' ideal culture into ancient ethnic philosophy of conflict, which at later develops to be a dystopia. This act of rapid reduction from rule and command later dazes the reader into self-realization of the humanoid disorder. Through making a previous review of the novel, mention of the book, towards the instant when Ralph is successively for his life from Jack's tribe, fear appears to be the significant preoccupation act of "Lord of the flies."

However, William Golding's novel "Lord of Flies" considers social power as the central theme in the story. Power relations, according to this novel, appears to be everywhere the island and are strictly shown through different illustrations throughout the book. Power relations are purely illustrated in this novel through the presence of different symbols which appears to be in the centre through different power systems. These systems include a situation where Ralph is the head, and the dictatorial system character is Jack acting as a leader. At times these powers appear to be tied very close together in that both power systems provide a meaning of different thing among each of them. Symbols applied in this novel according to my view, seem to be of importance in the society where Jack or Ralph is unintentionally or intentionally using them. Symbols used in this novel is a vital need since the reader can see how different power relation mode should be applied in society.

Starting with different symbols present in the novel, illustrating power is the conch shell. Piggy appears to be the first one to find it. Before he had seen it and had already heard about its importance in the society between leaders and the other societal members, the shell can be used in the organization for the alert by the leaders in case they require holding a critical meeting since it produces a loud sound. Any individual holding a conch shell in a meeting has a right to speak according to this novel explanation. The power that conch possess is strictly described by Golding the moment he provides different illustration like the moment Ralph is elected as leader. "Boys gain this power by holding a conch. This rule is strictly made by Ralph, through Piggy (Golding33) and there a showing that there is a stand for law and order which is the main trait of democracy since every individual member in the society has the right of speech with the conch." At later the shell becomes a "symbol of parliamentary order" as Piggy and Ralph then turn it to a "tool of civilization" (Olsen6). Another symbol in the novel that are present of the Ralph's group is shelters that they build (Golding52). The moment that Alpha is elected as a leader, he decides to organize and to ensure improvement on the conditions of individuals in the island. The central importance of shelters is acting as sorts for team building and also safety provision to the children from blowing winds. Through shades, there is the maintenance of civilization in society; thus, it acts as a helpful tool for power.

Moreover, there is a change of relationship between Jack and Ralph as the novel progresses; this is because; at the beginning of the book, their competition of chief leadership among the two of them. As the story progresses, character traits between them change as everyone has different perspectives about leadership. There are different personalities expressed between Jack and Ralph. Golding relates that "only Ralph who has the character of appearing to remotely suited for his position. He at least seems to have some leadership skills". There is a clear illustration in the novel that Ralph is charismatic and attractive. Golding, on the other hand, has a feeling that Jack has unattractiveness and harsh, which makes him loose in the elections. Actions about Jack has revealed his savagery nature and temper (Watt, Gary, 2016, pg.157-158). The above is seen the moment he slams his knife into a tree trunk the moment he is unable to have the courage of killing first pig that he encounters. At later times he becomes comfortable with the act of blood torturing of the sow and laughs the moment Roger twists his spear in the anus of a sow.

However, the death between Simon and Piggy is foreshadowed in the early stages the moment Piggy tells Ralph about his asthmatic condition in that he is unable to swim and he requires his glasses for the benefit of vision. Piggy dies the moment that his glasses are stolen and due to his sureness in common values which later leads him to justice claim and at last consequential death. Further, he also says that he is sick from fruit and at that same time, the fact that boys are seen to be hunting pigs foreshadows violent nature about Piggy's death as the moment that Jack says "If only I could get a pig!" The irony in the novel" Lord of Flies" has been used to explain different actions and to give the reader a clear meaning and view of happenings. Simon, on the other hand, been a spiritually oriented individual frequently faints and possibly seems to suffer from a mild form of epilepsy.

He later dies like a true prophet killed by mad savages while he is attempting sharing revelation with them. One example of the irony if the moment that Jack says that they need to have rules in society. An ironic aspect of this statement is that Jack becomes the leader of the savages that kill Piggy. He appears to be the head savage!! The other example of irony in the Golding novel is that we are not yet to know that boy referred to as Piggy. Golding has used different techniques and styles in his writing to ensure that flow of information follows a chronological order. Each chapter has its style and method of idea delivering.

Work Cited

De Jager, Nicholas. Lord of the Flies as a graphic novel: multimodal pedagogies for prescribed literature in high schools. Diss. 2017.

Sadoski, Chaima. "Symbolism in William Golding's Novel Lord of the Flies (1954)." (2015).

Watt, Gary. "The Law of Dress in Lord of the Flies." Polemos 10.1 (2016): 157-178.

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Critical Essay on Lord of the Flies: A Societal Analysis. (2023, Feb 23). Retrieved from https://proessays.net/essays/critical-essay-on-lord-of-the-flies-a-societal-analysis

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