Another theme that ties into both the novels is Man’s inhumanity to man. This is seen in the beating of another person in both the novels. In Lord of the Flies Jack mercilessly beats a boy named Wilfred and gives no reason for his actions. In Heart of Darkness the manager beats a black slave for having lit fire to a shed full of goods. When in reality the manager was relieved that the goods were destroyed because they were the goods that he was supposed to send to Kurtz. The slave was not the one who burned the shed down and even though the manager knew this he went along with the beating.
Both Conrad and Golding believed that evil was innate in all man and the theme Man’s Capacity for Evil is evident in both novels. Roger is the most evil boy on the island and his large capacity for evil is seen in how he actually kills Piggy by shoving a giant boulder off a cliff. The manager
Golding and Conrad use the characters and their behavior to reinforce these four major themes further and many parallels can be drawn among the characters in these two novels. For example, Ralph, Piggy, and Simon are the only boys who never completely give into savagery and therefore Marlow, the protagonist if Heart of Darkness is a representation of all three boys. The boys remain civilized until the end of the story and get through temptations to join the savagery just as Marlow restrains himself from becoming savage and pulls through his journey as a civilized man.
Marlow, Ralph, and Piggy, however all have moments in which they briefly consider joining in on the savagery.
One instance where both Ralph and Piggy let go of their restraint and join the other boys is found on page 152 when it states “Piggy and Ralph, under the threat of the sky, found themselves eager to take a place in this demented but partly secure society. They were glad to touch the brown backs of the fence that hemmed in the terror and made it governable.”
These lines describe how Ralph and Piggy eagerly take part in Simon’s brutal murder, but the very next day they are unwilling to admit how they had given into savagery and try to cling back to civilization by denying it ever happened and keeping themselves busy by gathering wood to make a fire.
Marlow is also tempted by the wilderness, especially as he sails deeper into the jungle and further away from civilization.
An example is found on page 32, where it states that he itched to “go ashore for a howl and a dance” but he does not give in because his responsibilities of piloting and repairing the steamboat avert him from giving into savagery.
Ralph and Simon also are distracted from savage behavior by their responsibility of building the shelters, which none of the other boys help with because they all want to go off and play because they no longer have to follow any kind of work ethic.
Ralph voices his frustration about this on page 50, when he complains, “All day I’ve been working with Simon. No one else. They’re off bathing, or eating, or playing”. This shows that it is Ralph and Simon’s commitment to their work that helps them to remain civilized.
Ralph, Piggy, and Marlow are also independent thinkers because they come up with ideas to help better the situation. For example, it is Piggy who gives Ralph the idea of blowing the conch in order to call for the other boys and have an assembly on page 16, when he says, “We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting. They’ll come when they hear us.”
Ralph has the idea of having a fire as a signal for passing ships so that they can be rescued on page 38 “We can help them find us. If a ship comes near the island, they may not notice us. So we must make smoke on the top of the mountain. We must make a fire.”
Marlow also comes up with a simple solution to an immense problem when he scares away the attacking natives by blowing the steam whistle on page 42 “With one hand I felt above my head for the line of the steam whistle, and jerked out screech after screech hurriedly”. Marlow explains his idea on pages 48 and 49 when he states, “One good screech will do more for you than all your rifles. They are simple people”.
Both Simon and Marlow are very kind. Marlow shows his compassion for others at various times throughout the novel.
When he first sees the dying slaves who the other men ruthlessly overwork and beat, Marlow is horrified and his kindness is revealed through the quote “I found nothing else to do but to offer him my good Swede’s ship’s biscuits I had in my pocket”. This quote is found on page 14 and it describes how Marlow gives a young slave some food because it is obvious that they are starving.
The fact that Marlow cannot bear to see the dreadful treatment of the slaves and offers them food shows that he is different from the other men at the station, just as Simon is different from the rest of the boys on the island.
Marlow also helps the Russian later in the story and his willingness to help the young man is seen through conversation on page 58 where it reads ”Could you give me a few Martini-Henry cartridges? I could, and did, with proper secrecy. He helped himself to a handful of my tobacco and asked I say haven’t you a pair of shoes you could spare? I rooted out an old pair, at which he looked with admiration before tucking it under his arm.” In these lines, Marlow gives the Russian cartridges, tobacco, and shoes, which are all things, that the Russian believes, will help him to survive.
Simon is the only boy who takes care of the littluns and helps them survive. On example of Simon, helping them is on page 56 “Simon found for them the food they could not reach, pulled off the choicest from up in the foliage, passed them back down to the endless, outstretched hands”. This shows how Simon helps the littluns reach the better fruit that they are unable to reach for themselves. Another occasion in which Simon puts the needs of others before his own is on page 74 when Simon “shoved his piece of meat over the rocks to Piggy.” Simon lets Piggy have his piece of meat because Jack is refusing to let Piggy have any of the meat because he has not been working.
So basically, Simon’s kindness towards the littluns and Piggy parallels Marlow’s kindness to the slaves and the Russian.
Jack and Kurtz are the antagonists in the two novels and they clearly represent savagery. Both Jack and Kurtz come into the isolation from civilization as civilized men. Jack is head boy and generally respected among the boys. Kurtz comes from Europe as a missionary to help civilize the natives but ends up succumbing to the savagery. At first, Jack is hesitant about killing a pig, but soon he becomes a savage hunter. Kurtz is doing fine until the manager stops sending him food and trading supplies in an attempt to kill him, which turns Kurtz into a murderer who kills for food and ivory. Kurtz likes the power he gains and continues to degrade further into savagery.
In both cases, it is the desire for power that brings out their savage instincts. Jack’s desire for power is first seen on page 22 where it reads, “I ought to be chief said Jack with simple arrogance”. Kurtz ultimate desire for power is seen on page 60 when he pleads, “I had immense plans. I was on the threshold of great things” As he says this he is trying to convince Marlow to let him escape back to his savage life at the station because it is there where he can exercise his powers over the natives. Kurtz still plans on gaining more power but if he is taken back to civilization he will never have so much power ever again. Jack and Kurtz do gain the power that they desire and they are both almost worshiped like gods. Jack is described on page 149 as “painted and garlanded, sitting there like an idol. There were piles of meat on green leaves near him, and fruit, and coconut shells full of drink”. This shows how Jack has become almost a god-like king, to be worshipped and offered gifts. Kurtz actually is worshipped as a god among the natives. Kurtz great power over the natives is described by the Russian on page 53 when he tells Marlow that “he was not afraid of the natives; they would not stir till Mr. Kurtz gave the word. His ascendancy was extraordinary”. The Russian then goes on to describe how the native’s chiefs would even crawl in Mr. Kurtz’s presence. Marlow finds it revolting that Kurtz allows himself to be worshipped like a god.
