My assignment: In a well-develped essay that uses specific details from the text and our class discussions, present one lesson that Golding wants us to learn about ourselves as a SOCIETY. Can you give me an idea of what to write about????
2007-08-28 11:54:43 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Homework Help
Lord of the Flies Versus Humanism. Humanism says that man is basically good, and that what we perceive to be EVIL is really all an illness of either the genes, or the environment, and is not an inherent part of human nature, and can always be cured. In other words, all evil people are not REALLY evil, but just victims of their circumstances. I prefer the native American proverb about how all men have two dogs inside them- one evil, one good- and the one that will control the person is whichever one he feeds the most. Lord of the flies says that reason is neutral, but is always assaulted or shouted out by the irrational will of man to indulge his selfish desires. Ralph and Jack are two different approaches to hedonism ["if it feels good, do it"-ism]. Ralph is a good hedonist, because he subjects all of his desires to reason first in the form of Piggy. Note especially the way either Ralph or Jack react to Piggy when he has the conch. These reactions represent two approaches to government. Ralph's is democracy, which listens to reason almost all of the time, or at worst ignores it. Jack is totalitarianism, or tribalism (communism, monarchy, theocracy) as evidenced by his censorship of Piggy when he shouts him out and tells him the conch doesn't matter because he's stronger than him (might makes right), and then his outright assault and murder of Piggy. So, in any system of government, evil is a fact of life and inevitable in any kind of hedonism, but greatly reduced in a democracy when it listens to reason. Ralph displays a benevolent and rational hedonism, because ultimately his desire is to get off the island (for selfish reasons), which would be far better than staying there and building forts and hunting. Note that the story is an indictment of both humanism (an atheistic answer to religious ethics) AND religious/superstitious systems of morality. What alternative is left? None.
2007-08-28 12:36:03 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's been years since I read this book in the 8th grade. But isn't there sort of a, forgive me, fat guy character with classes who is always being singled out and picked on? O.K., here's my idea. With all the school violence and school related mass murders/revenge killings, why not focus in on this character and how he is treated by the "in" group.
Yes, in Lord of the Flies this guy does get pushed off a cliff. But, you should be able to create some sort of scenario where if this character was attending JR. high or high school how he might finally become so desperate and feel so isolated from his peers that he might choose a course of action similar to Columbine or Virginia Tech.
Best of luck.
2007-08-28 19:16:25 · answer #2 · answered by soulguy85 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Without rules, laws, and shared values a society will collapse upon itself. Check out: http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/flies/themes.html
2007-08-28 19:04:55 · answer #3 · answered by HRGal 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
....Golding insists that evil is inherent in man; it is a terrifying force which mankind must recognize and control....
Check out the MonkeyNotes
http://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmLordFlies07.asp
2007-08-28 19:09:10 · answer #4 · answered by u_never_learn_it 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you should write about piggy
2007-08-28 19:00:53 · answer #5 · answered by K 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋