In this book review, I want to show
the contribution of the author in revealing to us the darkness of man’s heart
and the inner barbarity that humans possess. The author shows us that man’s
ferocity is not discriminated by the level of civilization or age.
This is why
he uses young English school boys to portray his message. Britain, the origin
of the young school boys, is also an epitome of etiquette and advancement. It also symbolizes a high rank of civilization and the children
symbolize the innocence of human beings. However, we see in the novel, that the
young Britons who are expected to act civil and have a lawful kind of behavior
turn into savages and start killing one another, fighting for power and
manipulating the rest of their colleagues. The purpose of the young school boys
is to reveal the innate evil that man possesses right from childhood.
It shows
us that man is born with a dark side and it takes boredom and indolence for it to function
wholly.
Ralph and Piggy’s first encounter,
Simon and Piggy’s death are some of the verifications to the innate evil that
man possesses. Piggy is bullied by Ralph who later becomes his only loyal
friend. We can all relate to this as most of our children or siblings suffer
bullying from their peers and this vastly affects them. Simon is killed by his
colleagues after being mistaken for the beast and Piggy is killed by Jack’s
hunters. Ralph who symbolizes good leadership, civilization and morality is
elected the leader of the flock, however, Jack who symbolizes selfishness,
amorality and greed for power finds a way to overthrow Ralph and such an act is
evident in our leaders today.
The author in this case sends us a message that,
all this malevolence and immorality that we witness in the government is not
something new, rather it is a situation where we let our evil side overcome the
good side. The most significant feature of this book is the imaginative
existence of a beast. Jack supports the existence of the beast even when he
knows it does not exist to manipulate the other boys into obeying him and submitting
to his will in exchange for their safety.
What they do not realize is that, the
beast is the evil that exists in each and every one of them. The
quotation below reveals Simon’s opinion on the beast.
‘What I
mean is……..Maybe it’s only us.’ Chapter
5 Pg. 89
This is what Simon says as the
other boys try to describe and give their own opinion on what or who this beast
is. The above quotation is a clear indication of mankind’s basic illness.
The schoolboys
always feared and searched for the beast not knowing that they themselves were
the beasts through their vicious activities and behavior.
The author discloses the role a
society plays in shaping man’s manners through the laws imposed by the leaders. This is because, the longer the school boys were away from the human
society and grown-ups, the more their moral sense eroded. This is the reason as
to why the appearance of the naval officer on the island makes the boys aware
of their misconduct and for the first time they are remorseful.
‘Ralph wept
for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the
air of a true friend, wise friend called Piggy.’ Pg. 202
That quotation is found at the end
of chapter twelve close to the finale of the novel when Ralph is saved from a
near death experience by the arrival of a naval officer.
The above quotation is
Ralph’s sudden realization that he is safe and has been rescued, however he
also realizes that he has lost his innocence as his life will never be the same
again after the island experience. This is because he learns of the evil that
exists within all human beings.
This book is significant because it
makes one understand the origin of man’s cruelty and the reason as to why our societies
are filled with crime.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR.
Sir William Gerald Golding was born
on the 19th September, 1911 and died at the age of 81. He was a
British novelist, playwright and poet. He won a Nobel Prize award in Literature
and he was also awarded the Booker Prize for literature. Golding was knighted
by Elizabeth II in 1988.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR.
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| Sir William Golding. |
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