Essay: Lord of the Flies – children can appear innocent but have evil within them

William Golding is recognized for his outstanding work in the Lord of the Flies. Golding was inspired by the World War. During the time period as Golding observed how the first World War happened Golding like many other thought that the war would change the people and end all of the problems with the nations. That idea however was changed when World War II began. Golding saw how the war had caused the good and evil to show itself in the people. Golding’s observation of how the people had changed because of the war would later be the main themes in Lord of the Flies. William Golding’s Lord of the Flies  is a story of how a group of British boys survive a plane crash on an island. The only people who survive the crash are young boys. When they realize that there are no adults they begin to discuss ways to manage themselves on the island. In the book there are many different challenges presented to the boys and especially the leaders. Golding uses the boys to show how children can be innocent on the outside but have darkness within them.
In Lord of the Flies, Golding symbolizes the conch as an item to show unity between the boys. Ralph and Piggy were the ones who found the conch and had the idea to use it to come together with the rest of the boys. “We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting. They will come when they hear us-.” (Golding 16) The conch is a sign of governing in the book. The boys make a rule that when one boy is holding the conch it is his turn to talk and all the boys must listen but can not interrupt. Golding displays the first way of self governing all the boys as they continue to use the  conch to come together. The conch from here will be used in every meeting they have on the beach.
As the boys come together to identify their situation and what to do they realize that they will have to govern themselves in order to survive on the island. The first decision that they make is to elect a leader. The elected leader is an eldest boy named Ralph. Ralph has maturity and structure to lead the boys in survival although the second eldest boy, Jack, sees that not being elected has him not happy with it but comes to an understanding as he is put into charge of hunting. Golding uses Ralph to portray a boy having good morals and strengths. “Ralph was elected the leader due to his positive attributes including psychological maturity as well as his physical abilities.” (Ultius) Ralph is quite aware that his duty is to lead the boys and keep them in their priorities.  As they govern themselves Ralph develops specific tasks for the boys to do to get rescued. “Ralph waved the conch.”Shut up! Wait! Listen!”He went on in the silence, borne on in his triumph.”There’s another thing. We can help them to find us. If a ship comes near the island they may not notice us. So we must make smoke on top of the mountain. We must make a fire.””A fire! Make a fire!” (Litcharts) While trying to survive on the island Ralph’s mentality is focused on the idea of the   kind of boys they are before they plane crash. Ralph strives for the boys to always acknowledge that they are in need of uniting in order to survive.  Ralph whose leadership instincts was first gather with all the boys. “That’s what you meant, didn’t you? That is why got the conch out of the water.” (Golding 16) Golding shows that Ralph takes initiative and gathers all the boys who had survived, and they convene to discuss the crash and what to do next on the island. Here Golding shows us that this is first part of all the boys having well.
Golding uses the second eldest boy, Jack, to portray darkness and evil. In which he soon begins to crave power that he does not have. Jack and the choir boys were put in charge of hunting. As Jack hunts a pig adrenalin overcomes him into wanting the power of a leader. Hunting a pig gives Jack that power feeling that he desires. While hunting they boys have a chant. This chant marks the first part of evil that is shown in Jack and his hunting group. “Kill the pig! Cut his throat! Kill the pig! Bash him in!” (Golding 114) Golding displays how their inner darkness comes out just by hunting a pig. Jack and his crew begin to replay how they caught the pig but they made a boy, Robert, pretend like he was the pig.  As the boys replayed Zhow their hunt happened Robert, who was portraying the pig, almost gets killed because the boys would see him as a pig rather than  himself. “The circle moved in and round. Robert squealed in mock terror, then in real pain.” (Golding 114) “Ralph, carried away by a sudden thick excitement, grabbed Eric’s spear and jabbed at Robert with it.” (Golding 114)  Golding shows how the killing of a pig made the boys actions start to turn evil that even Ralph got into the excitement for a minute in role playing their hunt of the pig.  The hunting group later on goes against Ralph and everything that he has done to ensure they would get rescued. Slowly darkness arises in Jack causing him to desire control over the boys. The boys after their hunt were filled with excitement even when they replayed how they killed the pig.   Here Golding shows how the darkness of Jack begins to pour out from other boys.
Piggy in the story is the opposite of Jack and Ralph. In Lord of the Flies, Piggy is someone who resembles  weakness and easy to target. Piggy who wanted to become friends with Ralph had  a something s “The fat boy waited to be asked his name in turn but this proffer of acquaintance was not made.” (Golding 9) Piggy who displays weakness tries to become close to Ralph who has strong image. Piggy who assisted Ralph in ways to govern themselves had the personality of a person that can’t stand up for themselves. Piggy had agreed with the rules that Ralph had set especially because everyone was involved in what to do and as well as they can speak up for themselves at the gatherings they have on the beach. Golding uses Piggy’s death to signify that all the boys proper structure and sanity had been gone especially because of the fact that when Piggy died the conch had broken too. “The conch is gone-.” Jack speaks of the conch to signify that all rules and structure are now gone. Piggy’s death was the end of the boys rules. The conch in the quote speaks of how all rules are now gone.  “This time the silence was complete. Ralph’s lips formed a word but no sound came.” (Golding 181) When Piggy dies Ralph is shocked, instead of uniting and looking after another for survival they turn against each other.
Golding uses Simon to portray someone holy in other words Christ like. “Simon represents the absolute good and kindness in society as he was the only main character who engaged in moral behavior independent of adult supervision and consequences.” (Ultilus) He had the charisma of making sure everything between the boys worked out, he even looked after the littluns.  Simon is first observed holy and innocent when he discovers a part of the island that he admires. He chose to keep it to himself and not tell the other boys. When Simon finds that part of the island Golding symbolizes that as the Christ like figure. Golding’s vision of Simon is to have him be like a peacekeeper on the island. No matter what would happen between the boys Simon did his best to look after everyone despite not being the eldest. He did is best to watch over the littluns even when they were have nightmare of the Beastie. Simons death which was caused by Jack and his hunting member hurt Ralph as he was noticing that they boys were starting to forget who they were before the plane crash. Ralph in the same was as Piggy’s death,  was in shock and upset to have one of the boys die. “His death marks the end of innocence of the children.” (Galileo) This is Golding’s way to show that now all theirs in the boys except Ralph is evil. This is where Jack’s obsession for power and control of the boys.
In Lord of the Flies Golding uses a specific boy named Roger to display how evil can appear in a person. Roger who was a part of the choir was not like Jack at all. Roger had the personality of someone who does not strive to get power and is more lonely. “As the trappings of civilization begin to recede on the island, Roger begins to reveal himself, first by throwing rocks at littluns (and purposely missing).” (Litcharts) When Roger oversee their situation and realizes that trying to get rescued could be a while or it could come close,he lashes out and does actions that he would not do. This is his way of reacting to the mentality that they are stuck on the island. Roger’s character in the story goes back to the historical context of Lord of the Flies where Golding observes the people after the war sees that the good in one could easily be turned to evil. “While Jack loves power, Roger loves to cause pain.” (Litcharts) Golding shows that while one has the obsession of power the other has an obsession of pain to others.
The Beastie in the book symbolizes evil and darkness. “Simon recognizes that the Lord of the Flies is the savage monster buried in everyone.” (Litcharts) Golding for a reason chooses Simon to be the one to notice that the beastie is in everyone. The beastie is all the evil in the boys that they had never had.  In the book the beastie is portrayed as animal specifically a snake by the littluns. When it is indeed revealed by Simon who discusses to the boys who the beastie really is. It is for that reason that Simon was killed. This can also be referred to the crucifixion of Jesus because in the bible the town turns against Jesus. Golding refers to Simon and Jesus as the same they both were faced with their own evil on the island and in many occasions in Jesus life. Simon like Jesus was killed in showing everyone the Beastie.
In conclusion Golding uses the main characters and shows how children can be so innocent but still contain evil in them. Ralph in Lord of the Flies had traits to show him as the leader, although there were times were the evil in him got the best of him. Ralph managed however to stop and get rid of all the evilness that may come out from. Jack who is one of the eldest is filled with wanting power. Jack in many ways wanted everyone to listen and obey him and be under his demands. When some of the boys in the group die Jack turns to Ralph and declares himself as leader because of how Ralph had managed to let them die. Jack now believes that it could have all been prevented. The symbolizes Golding uses with conch shows how the boys in the beginning maintain their innocence until the Beastie begins to worry all the boys especially because their inner darkness reveals itself in the process.