To What Extent Does William Golding Portray Mankind As Being Inherently Evil?
Although I do not think he shows humans to be completely, irrevocably evil, I think that Golding paints an increasingly dim picture of humankind. As his faith in humanity's intrinsic good fails, Golding's foresight of a dark future for man is reflected in the colour of his metaphorical oil paints as he writes this allegorical novel. Even supposedly innocent children are shown to be incredibly sinful and the rules and regulations they are brought up under fade away into insignificance. This mirrors William Golding's belief that people are born corrupt and malevolent, they are not influenced into bad ways; rather it is something about us as a species. Throughout his story, Golding demonstrates the true nature of people coming out into the open - manifesting itself more openly after being restrained by society for so long.
At the start of Lord Of The Flies, there is chaos amidst horrendous storms, with panicky schoolboys unregulated and vulnerable. Together though, they set about their predicament in a very well meaning, sophisticated way - everything is orderly and civilised in true boy-scout fashion. The boys act above their ages and decide they ought to "...call the others...have a meeting"(I, p. 22), to organise themselves and to build shelters after their adult 'election'. Like in Parliament, only one person is allowed to speak at once and the conch helps to enforce this. With the well meaning and democratic Ralph in charge, even specific jobs are allocated amongst the children with Jack's choir designated the island's hunters. However, even at this early stage, the children test the limits of this new adult-less world. Jack says to Piggy, "Shut up, Fatty"(I, p. 28). Then, the name-calling continues with Ralph even, abusing Piggy's trust and revealing his former private nickname merely for a cheap laugh. Even the tiniest child joined in the resulting combined uproar of laughter - every one glad that there is no authority to discipline them. Later, when Piggy approaches Ralph about his betrayal, Ralph is caught between "...apology or further insult"(I, p. 33) as his conscience begins to falter.
As the story progresses, incidences illustrating the immorality of the boys become more frequent and more prominent. Still in the first chapter, Ralph, Simon and Jack revel in the wanton destruction caused by their hands when they roll a boulder into the canopy below - they were transfixed by this "triumph"(I, p.37) and utter an excited "Wacco!"(I, p. 37). The first time the boys chance upon a pig, Jack crucially hesitates whilst considering the consequences of taking life. Though, as later on Jack renounces his social conditioning and overcomes his desire to protect living things, there are no such fatal pauses - "next time there would be no mercy"(I, p. 41). Also, the boys are so lost in the passionate fervour of the notion of fire, they all rush to the top of the mountain and are so engrossed in building the biggest fire possible, it gets out of control and devastatingly burns down a large section of forest scarring the island with mankind's touch. They forget its original purpose - rescue - and are so intent that a littleun is forgotten and burned to death in the jungle. Even when this fact arises in discussion, it is swept to the side, ignored and forgotten about. Ralph feels "unbelieving...shame"(II, p. 60) but still makes feeble excuses and is glad to erase the tragic event from his memory. Jack still has morality, and the effect of his childhood nurturing is present as he states, "after all, we're not savages"(II, p.55). Roger feels the "...invisible...taboo of the old life"(IV, p. 78) as he does not dare throw stones within a certain distance of Henry. The sensation of power surging through Roger's veins, as he knew the slightest muscle contraction could result in him, Roger, inflicting pain on someone else. This is especially telling as later, Roger overcomes this barrier and is able to end Piggy's life by pushing a huge rock crashing down on his head - the restraining hand is not felt then, and there isn't even the faintest hint of remorse. This megalomania and fixated power-craze is susceptible to corruption and when Roger is part of Jack's tribe, he revels in this feeling - when he sensed that "some source of power began to pulse..."(IX, p. 216), he killed Piggy with a sense of "...delirious abandonment..."(IX, p. 222). Even the young are not immune to the pull of power; Henry seems to get pleasure from "...exercising control over living things"(IV, p. 77) and another littleun observes that Percival cries when Maurice and Roger get sand in his eye. After realising the cause, he too, throws sand at the younger boy until he's crying again. However, Maurice still feels the "...unease of wrongdoing"(IV, p.76) after knocking over someone else's sand castle - evidence that despite the lack of restraint of a disciplinary adult, his conscience is still functioning. Nevertheless, many of the boys are exhibiting traits some could classify as near to evil. They exhibit the will to exert power: to exercise the power to control and, crucially, to hurt.
Although I do not think he shows humans to be completely, irrevocably evil, I think that Golding paints an increasingly dim picture of humankind. As his faith in humanity's intrinsic good fails, Golding's foresight of a dark future for man is reflected in the colour of his metaphorical oil paints as he writes this allegorical novel. Even supposedly innocent children are shown to be incredibly sinful and the rules and regulations they are brought up under fade away into insignificance. This mirrors William Golding's belief that people are born corrupt and malevolent, they are not influenced into bad ways; rather it is something about us as a species. Throughout his story, Golding demonstrates the true nature of people coming out into the open - manifesting itself more openly after being restrained by society for so long.
At the start of Lord Of The Flies, there is chaos amidst horrendous storms, with panicky schoolboys unregulated and vulnerable. Together though, they set about their predicament in a very well meaning, sophisticated way - everything is orderly and civilised in true boy-scout fashion. The boys act above their ages and decide they ought to "...call the others...have a meeting"(I, p. 22), to organise themselves and to build shelters after their adult 'election'. Like in Parliament, only one person is allowed to speak at once and the conch helps to enforce this. With the well meaning and democratic Ralph in charge, even specific jobs are allocated amongst the children with Jack's choir designated the island's hunters. However, even at this early stage, the children test the limits of this new adult-less world. Jack says to Piggy, "Shut up, Fatty"(I, p. 28). Then, the name-calling continues with Ralph even, abusing Piggy's trust and revealing his former private nickname merely for a cheap laugh. Even the tiniest child joined in the resulting combined uproar of laughter - every one glad that there is no authority to discipline them. Later, when Piggy approaches Ralph about his betrayal, Ralph is caught between "...apology or further insult"(I, p. 33) as his conscience begins to falter.
As the story progresses, incidences illustrating the immorality of the boys become more frequent and more prominent. Still in the first chapter, Ralph, Simon and Jack revel in the wanton destruction caused by their hands when they roll a boulder into the canopy below - they were transfixed by this "triumph"(I, p.37) and utter an excited "Wacco!"(I, p. 37). The first time the boys chance upon a pig, Jack crucially hesitates whilst considering the consequences of taking life. Though, as later on Jack renounces his social conditioning and overcomes his desire to protect living things, there are no such fatal pauses - "next time there would be no mercy"(I, p. 41). Also, the boys are so lost in the passionate fervour of the notion of fire, they all rush to the top of the mountain and are so engrossed in building the biggest fire possible, it gets out of control and devastatingly burns down a large section of forest scarring the island with mankind's touch. They forget its original purpose - rescue - and are so intent that a littleun is forgotten and burned to death in the jungle. Even when this fact arises in discussion, it is swept to the side, ignored and forgotten about. Ralph feels "unbelieving...shame"(II, p. 60) but still makes feeble excuses and is glad to erase the tragic event from his memory. Jack still has morality, and the effect of his childhood nurturing is present as he states, "after all, we're not savages"(II, p.55). Roger feels the "...invisible...taboo of the old life"(IV, p. 78) as he does not dare throw stones within a certain distance of Henry. The sensation of power surging through Roger's veins, as he knew the slightest muscle contraction could result in him, Roger, inflicting pain on someone else. This is especially telling as later, Roger overcomes this barrier and is able to end Piggy's life by pushing a huge rock crashing down on his head - the restraining hand is not felt then, and there isn't even the faintest hint of remorse. This megalomania and fixated power-craze is susceptible to corruption and when Roger is part of Jack's tribe, he revels in this feeling - when he sensed that "some source of power began to pulse..."(IX, p. 216), he killed Piggy with a sense of "...delirious abandonment..."(IX, p. 222). Even the young are not immune to the pull of power; Henry seems to get pleasure from "...exercising control over living things"(IV, p. 77) and another littleun observes that Percival cries when Maurice and Roger get sand in his eye. After realising the cause, he too, throws sand at the younger boy until he's crying again. However, Maurice still feels the "...unease of wrongdoing"(IV, p.76) after knocking over someone else's sand castle - evidence that despite the lack of restraint of a disciplinary adult, his conscience is still functioning. Nevertheless, many of the boys are exhibiting traits some could classify as near to evil. They exhibit the will to exert power: to exercise the power to control and, crucially, to hurt.
