The transformation from civilization to savagery. In the novel, Lord of the Flies, the impulse to hunt, the fear of the invisible beast and the splitting of the group have broken down the social order that the boys establish on the island and replaced th

The Transformation from Civilization to Savagery

By Guan Jie Xue

        Civilization, which is defined as a high state of society, and Savagery, in which barbaric and violent conditions occur, have consistently been the two extreme aspects of the controversial human instinct. A civilization forms slowly and is frequently imposed by laws and orders that are established at the hands of the leader on the people’s behalf. On the other hand, savagery takes place when the people start to break away from the sophisticated society and revert back to their primal human instinct. Owing to these facts, a civilization is as fragile as an eggshell and can easily descent into savagery just as democracy diminishes. In the novel, Lord of the Flies, the impulse to hunt, the fear of the invisible beast and the splitting of the group have broken down  the social order that the boys establish on the island and replaced them with chaos and violence.

        Hunting is generally regarded as a practice of pursuing the wild lives for food and trade; nonetheless, the hunting of the pigs, which is present on the island, has triggered the boys to become barbarians and ruthless animals. As an illustration, Jack, who used to be the most disciplined and civilized British choir boy, has become a savage and increasingly obsessed with hunting. In the beginning of the novel, he can barely kill the pig, since he, at that point, still has a sense of morality that he learns from the refined society. However, once he gets a taste of power from killing, it gradually becomes a ritual game for him rather than an activity that he has to participate in order to survive. It is thoroughly shown as he suggests his hunters to wear paints and chant “Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood,” while hunting. (Golding 72). Under the aegis of the dazzle paints, he creates a mask to cover up his civility and allow himself to be a total savage. Similarly, Ralph, who is initially focusing on being rescued and keeping a civilized society on the island, has been overcome with the exhilaration and excitement of the hunting. After he hits the boar with his spear in the first time, he screams, “I hit him alright. The spear stuck in. I wounded him!” (Golding 124). It implies that he is overpowered by the feeling of supremacy, and his innate violence begins to reveal. Additionally, the act of hunting causes them to lose their ability to recognize each other’s humanity. The boys are intermittently unable to distinguish themselves from the pigs, which they are killing for survival. It is depicted during their re-enactment of the process of hunting with Robert as a stand-in for the pig. At that point, they all get consumed by the excitement and almost kill him. Therefore, the practice of hunting the pigs facilitates their process of dehumanization.