To what extent is Lord of the flies a pessimistic book?

Lord of the Flies highlights the flaws in human nature and shows how they affect the societies we create. Lord of the flies has a pessimistic atmosphere throughout. Although to begin with the book seems to be quite positive, (the boys have fun and are optimistic about being rescued) the atmosphere is slowly transformed into one of savagery, fear and betrayal. The ending of the book leaves the reader feeling pessimistic about human nature and sorry for Ralph.

The first time the boys meet together there is a positive atmosphere, the boys are excited and their progress towards constructing a civilized society makes us hopeful. They vote for a leader and Ralph is chosen,‘ This toy of voting was almost as pleasing as the conch.’ The way both the conch and voting are expressed as ‘Toys’ reminds us that these are small children. They need toys to keep them busy. It is almost as if they are playing a game and this is Golding; first ominous hint that there is trouble ahead- the language suggests that the boys do not see the seriousness of the situation.

In chapter 1 Ralph Jack and Simon search the island. It seems beautiful, ‘every coign of the mountain held up trees—flowers and trees’. This optimistic atmosphere is increased by the description of the island and the mood of the boys, ‘this time Ralph expressed the intensity of his emotion by pretending to knock down Simon; and soon they were a happy, heaving pile in the under-dusk.’ However this is a great contrast to later in the book, the violence becomes real rather than playful when, ‘Roger sharpened the stick at both ends.’ The last time this had been done was to stick a pig’s head, which Jack and his hunters had killed, into the ground as a sort of peace offering to the beast, so he wouldn’t harm the children. This time it is intended for Ralph- they are going to hunt Ralph and want to stick his head in the ground. The boys have positive outlooks: Jack is excited about hunting, ‘we’ll get food.. hunt. Catch things’. And Ralph is sure they will be rescued, ‘He’ll (Ralph’s dad) come and rescue us.’ however Piggy supplies a more realistic voice when he says, ‘nobody knows where we are’ This shows Piggy’s brains but also creates fear for a moment within the group, which is then broken by Ralph ‘but this is a good Island.’ However by now the reader is not so sure.

The boys meet at the call of the ‘conch’ which Ralph fishes out of the lagoon at the beginning of the book. In heralding the meetings the conch becomes a symbol of democracy, which is later to be broken. Ralph feels powerful when he blows it ‘his face was dark with the violent pleasure of making this stupendous noise’. To begin with all the boys treat the conch with respect and they answer to its call. However later on in the book, when Jack breaks up an assembly the conch starts becoming less important, ‘If I blow the conch and they don’t come back; then we’ve had it.’ Ralph doubts that the boys will return to him and the conch, he also knows that if the conch becomes unimportant everything will fall apart. This is because the just as democracy holds our society together today, the conch holds the boys society together. Golding shows their society falling apart bit by bit; first Jack goes hunting and ‘let the bloody fire out’ when a ship sailed past the Island. This causes conflict between Jack and Ralph. ‘Ralph brought his arm down, fists clenched, and his voice shook.’ Later when the conch is broken, democracy is no longer. They live like there are no rules, they can do what they want, and this leads to a man-hunt. This is one of the places Golding shows that human nature influences the area around it, this time in a negative way. As human nature is to do what you want, when there are no rules or you decide not to follow the rules, the results are fatal. It is quite a sad moment as the society the boys have created begins to fall apart. I think we also feel quite sorry for Ralph in this moment as the other boys have left him (to go with Jack) and he doesn’t have much chance of getting them back. The language used encourages us to feel sorry for Ralph, when Ralph sees the ‘dispersed figures’ that formed a ‘dense black mass’ He seems so small and helpless. He is alone apart from Piggy, and seems to give up hope. When Ralph says, ‘we’ll never be rescued’ the reader feels a pang of sympathy for him, he was so sure in the beginning that his dad would save him, now he has given up all hope.

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Piggy is always trying to protect the conch, from Jack. When Jack and his savages raid the camp for the first time Piggy straight away goes to protect the conch from Jack as he ‘was sure he’d (Jack)go for the conch.’. Piggy says, ‘I got the conch! Just you listen!’ in an attempt to keep the rules and protect the law and order of the adult world. It is also an attempt to get the boys to listen to him, maybe the fact that he is fat or his poor speech, for example Piggy says ‘I’ve got to have them specs’, that makes the boys show no respect to him and not listen to him. We like Piggy because of his attempts to protect the law and order and he gives the reader hope that everything might get better. Piggy’s loyalty and protection of the conch makes it even sadder when the conch is finally broken, whilst Piggy is holding it. It is symbolic that Piggy dies with the conch, he dies with the end of all law and order. Although we do like Piggy, he also does join in with the killing of Simon. Golding uses him to show how everyone is susceptible to the brutality within.

The first hint that everything will go wrong is during the second meeting when one of the ‘littluns’ speaks up about something he found. Through Piggy he relays that he saw a, ‘snake thing.. A beastie. In the woods”. Golding tells us that the boys, ‘stirred restlessly.’ This news disturbs the boys; it scares the 'littluns' and causes them to be kept awake at night, ‘They talk and scream (the littluns).’ Later on the boys discover that the boy who has seen the ‘beastie’ has disappeared 'that lilltle’un….I don’t see him. Where is he now?’ This creates a disturbing atmosphere within the group. ‘The boys looked at each other fearfully, unbelieving.’ As much as they try to ignore the fact that one of the boys has disappeared the fact will always be there. Ralph and jack ‘flinched when they heard the shameful syllable (snake).’ The boy’s fate is ambiguous, but we are left suspecting that he is lost or killed. This is sad as the boy was so young and innocent; we feel he didn’t really deserve to die.

The book’s pessimism is intensified when Jack shows the first signs of his inner savagery. The first time he sees a pig, he tries to kill it but he has never killed anything before so he holds back at the crucial moment. He says, ‘ “ it broke away-before I could kill it-but –next time!” Jack slammed his knife into a trunk and looked around challengingly.’ Jack implies that next time he sees a pig he will kill it. Jacks sentences are slightly broken and full of exclamations. This emphasises that he is angry, anxious and exhilarated that his emotions are over-whelming his civilized, natural self. Later on Jack becomes almost animal like, ‘Jack was bent double… his nose only a few inches from the humid earth.’ This Jack is used by Golding to illustrate his main theme; the society around us is shaped by our own natures. No matter how organised or democratic our society is, if the people involved in running it, those with power, are corrupt, the society will fail. Golding emphasisies this by showing how when we first meet Jack we presume he is a good person as he is a choir boy, but as his real nature comes out he goes astray leading the rest of the boys (except Ralph, Piggy and Simon) to a life of savagery. Golding seems to feel that Jack is the type of person everyone would become if left to do what he or she liked. He believed everyone has the capacity for brutality and this is what makes Lord of the Flies such a pessimistic book

I think this island is a representative of the world, so , the reader is given a pessimistic view of the world because so many things go wrong, such as, the fruit giving the boys diarrhea, the little conflicts about the fire and Jacks savagery beginning to show. To the outside world it seems like a game, ‘What have you been doing? Having a war or something?’ (The captain said). However this is a dangerous war, not merely a game, ‘Any dead bodies?’ Ralph replies, ‘Only two’. Golding suggests that both these deaths are a result of the beast’s work. I think Lord of the Flies is meant to be a representative of the devil. Beelzebub, the lord of the flies, is one of the manifestations of the devil. Golding’s point is that the beast is not something external which can be killed but the savagery and brutality within all of us. Society; indoctrination of the rules of civilized behaviour is the only thing that suppresses this instinct. This seems to be quite a pessimistic view as it makes the reader wonder whether it could happen to them and completely destroy their world. I think this is one reason the book is so negative.

Simon is a glimmer of hope. Before his death, he is a point of optimism in the book. Golding creates an interesting character in Simon; he is contrasted strongly with the other boys (some more than others) and seems unique within the group. I think he contrasts most sharply with Roger. The way Roger and Simon are contrasted is effective, because it illustrates ‘good’ and evil’ at two extremes, ‘Roger led the way straight through the sand castles, kicking them over, burying flowers, scattering the chosen stones. (Then later on in the book) Roger sharpened a stick at both ends.’ as he looked forward to his next kill (Ralph). In contrast Simon concentrates on building a community: ‘All day I’ve been working with Simon. No one else.’ Ralph tells us. They are also contrasted in their personal appearance,’ the shock of black hair, down his nape and low on his forehead, seemed to suit his gloomy face and made what seemed at first unsociable remoteness into something forbidding.’ However Simon is described as, ’a small, skinny vivid little boy and his eyes so bright that hey had deceived Ralph into thinking him something delightfully gay and wicked’. I think these contrasts dramatise the conflict between good and evil extremely well. Simon is presented as a type of Christ figure, and Roger a type of devil. Simon doesn’t exactly fit in or have any close friends but is happy to help when he is needed. He is also kind to others and reaches down fruit for the littleuns. Simon is a symbol of humanity and goodness. He doesn’t complain that he is the only one helping, he just gets on and does the job. It is a sad indictment on human nature that the other boys think he is ‘batty’.

Golding also uses Simon and his conversation with the pig’s head to illustrate his theme. The pig’s head covered in flies is a symbol for human malice and brutality. Simon is the only character that realises that the beast is within the boys, shown when his inner voice tells him, ‘fancy thinking the beast was something you could hunt and kill…. You knew didn’t you? I’m part of you.’ Golding is using this conversation to say that the reason everything is going wrong is because of the beast is not something external which can be killed. ‘I’m the reason why it’s no go. Why things are the way they are.’ Simon is warned, ‘so don’t try it on’ (don’t tell the boys about the beast.) ‘–Or else… we shall do you…and Piggy and Ralph.’ This is a grim prediction of what is to come.

Simon is presented as a Christ like figure, as when he leaves the beast he goes to tell the boys the truth, but is killed by them as they think he is the beast, just like Jesus was killed by those he came to save. However Jesus died to bring about peace and saving but Simons death disturbs and does not bring peace between the boys. As Simon ‘fell over the steep edge of the rock,’ the ‘clouds opened and let down the rain like a waterfall’. This is mimicking what happened at the death of Christ when the sky when black for 3 hours. The language used to describe Simon’s body being taken out to sea is a beautiful piece of description which reinforces Golding’s portrayal of him as a Christ figure. The pebbles are covered with ‘a coat of pearls’ and the tide is described as smoothing ‘everything with a layer of silver’. ‘The water dressed Simons hair with brightness.´ it seems even the water respects Simon making his hair shine, making him holy. His cheek is ‘silvered’ and his shoulder becomes ‘sculptured marble’. Using these expensive materials Golding makes Simon seem special or holy. The creatures are kind to him, they ‘busied themselves around his head…lifted the body a fraction..from the sand.’ They lift up Simon to help him into the water. They do this ‘gently’ this shows that the creatures have respect for Simon, as they would have respect for Christ.

In chapter six a parachutist lands on the island, and dies. ‘A sign came from the world of the grown- ups…a figure dropping swiftly beneath a parachute, a figure that hung with dangling limbs.’ He represents the adult world and reason. When the parachutist dies the beast is free to work in the children and let them run wild. The parachutist also emphasizes that the adult world is also in turmoil-at war. The dead parachutist increases the pessimism, there is no one to look after the children, and their inner beasts can come out.

Despite this Ralph, Piggy and Samneric are points of optimism in the novel. Ralph is twelve years old with blond hair, and is the most charismatic of the group; he is always trying to make things work on the island., he knows huts are needed so he builds them, he carries on until the job is done, ‘been working for day’s now.’ He doesn’t want the boys to ‘waste time rolling rocks and making little fires’. He has authority and takes charge. ‘Now I say this and make it a rule…we won’t have a fire anywhere but on the mountain. Ever.’ The last word ‘Ever.’ Is used by Ralph to make his point very defiantly. There is a full stop as if to say ‘End of discussion.’ Piggy has brains ‘Can you expect to be rescued if you don’t put first the fire and act proper.’ He has ideas and also wants the island to work well. It is a great tragedy when Roger kills him, especially as we like Piggy so much; Ralph reflects our own feelings when he mourns for the ‘true, wise friend called Piggy.’ I think Ralph is the person the reader can relate most to, as he is the oldest, and is very sensible. Ralph seems to be the most ordinary boy because although he seems to be basically good, e.g. he helps building the huts even when it is just him and Simon, and he doesn’t go over to Jacks tribe, he isn’t perfect like Simon, and joins in with the murder of Simon. Sam and Eric show the dependency of one human being on another, Eric says, ‘Sam-give us’ and Eric finishes this sentence with ‘-tinder wood.’ They are so like one person that they get called ‘Samneric.’ However Samneric also show the weakness of mans nature when they change sides, Samneric are forced over to Jack’s savage group, and also give information as to where Ralph is.

Even though Simon does offer some hope, he ends up dead. It seems that all the goodness on the island is killed or hurt in some way or another. Piggy is killed by roger, Samneric are forced to join jacks tribe and at the end of the book Ralph is hunted. He would’ve been killed if it had not been for the captain. This makes the book very pessimistic, as all the people we like most when we read the book end up either dead or damaged. I think this may be one of the ways Golding shows us that only those who are popular and manipulative survive, when reason is destroyed. As Samneric are small and vulnerable therefore seem weak. Morally I feel they don’t really survive as they end up in Jacks tribe. Roger says to Samneric, ‘You got to join the tribe’ then threatens them with a spear. Piggy is also quite a weak character, he has brains and liked by the reader. However I don’t think the other boys respect him, and he doesn’t have much authority over the boys. One of the other boys says ‘who cares what you believe –Fatty!’ The fact that they don’t have respect for Piggy implies they don’t have respect for rules either. Piggy does not survive, he is killed. Ralph however, is a strong character, and although he is hunted, he does survive. It makes us glad that Ralph survives, and gives the reader hope. However this seems to be the only optimistic thing about the ending.

After reading the book we come away quite pessimistic. The ending of the book is not a happy one. There is a captain on the island, who has seen the smoke caused by the boys’ attempt to burn the island. In one sense he rescues Ralph from being killed by the other boys, and rescues the other boys from the Island. However, Golding uses the mention of guns on his ship and makes us realise that he is merely saving the boys from one war, and taking them into another bigger one in the outside world, in which some of them may be killed. We also wonder as the captain saves the boys, who will save the captain from the war? This seems like a hopeless situation, and makes the reader feel hopeless too.

It is intensely ironic when the captain says; ‘Jolly good show, like Coral Island.’ As nothing could be further from the truth. ‘Ralph screamed, a scream of fright and anger and desperation. His legs straightened…He shot forward, burst the thicket, was in the open, screaming, snarling, bloody.’ The captain doesn’t realise what went on, on the island and views it as a game. I think that a dark humour is created as Ralph, ‘looked at him dumbly.’ I think this conjures up a great image as Ralph looks at the captain after all that has happened and the captain thinks it is all fun and games.

At the end of the book we are told that ‘Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of mans heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend a called Piggy.’ Here the reader feels very sorry for Ralph. He has lost his good friend. We feel sad for the, ‘end of innocence,’ we want the boys to be able to play and not worry about, ‘the darkness of mans heart.’ So we are left feeling sorry for Ralph and have a pessimistic view of human nature.

Thus Lord of the Flies is a very pessimistic book. It reflects Golding’s belief that everyone is fundamentally evil, (with occasional exceptions represented by Simon) and he shows in his book what happens when evil is free to run wild. This makes us wonder if such horrors could happen in our society. Moreover Golding shows us how the boys destroy their Island, just as we are destroying ours. To begin with the Island is beautiful, but by the end the Island was burnt and ‘the sky was black’. Just as our world was beautiful in the beginning, and gradually we are destroying it by pollution. Even though there are points of optimism in the book in the shape of Ralph, Piggy and Simon, they all end the story hurt in some way, by the evil of mans nature. I think that the bleakness of this ending may not overly pessimistic view of life as there is obviously evil in the world, and also there is evil within man. I think Golding’s point is quite a realistic one, society around us is shaped on the natures of the people with in it and how easily they are swayed or how manipulative they are. If they can manipulate many people they can do what they want and take control, however if a person is easily swayed they would make a weak leader. I found this book very interesting as it put forward many interesting views and questions. I found it quite pessimistic. I think this is because Golding concentrated on the flaws in mans nature rather that the positive aspects. Maybe this is because Golding thought that it is easier for man to do wrong than to do right and that the brutality within can come out with less effort then it takes to do good. Ralph certainly reflects my feelings when he ‘wept for the end of innocence and the darkness of man’s heart.’