Human Nature, Law, And English Boys - 2166 Words

Sam Anderson Ms.Ruiz Honors World Literature 0 Period 6 October 2017 Human Nature, Law, and English Boys Humans created moral law to govern themselves, and be able to exist in civilized society, but people are arrogant and break these rules in order to gain control and power over others. Lord of the Flies, a novel by William Golding, describes, using Hobbes’ theory of human nature needing laws in order to stay civilized, a group of boys attempting to create a society. Lord of the Flies is a story of a group of boys who crash landed on an island and are trying to create a functioning society with a government. Hobbes’ theory of human nature says that human societies need laws in order to stay civilized and not fall into savagery. The†¦show more content†¦From the very beginning the boys listen to Ralph’s suggestions. The group has heard suggestions from Piggy, Jack and Ralph but have only listened to the boy with the, â€Å"size, and attractive appearance,† which shows their low standards for leaders. The boy s base their decisions on the aesthetic appeal of Ralph instead of his capability of leadership. The most powerful thing affecting the decision was the conch, a major symbol of power and control. The conch is something that summons and silences the boys, and allows them to speak during meetings. Hobbes’ theory says that human nature is basically selfish and therefore they follow the leader who is most likely to give them what they want. Ralph demonstrates what the boys want in that he calls for a vote, giving all they boys control over their society. The boys are interested by Ralph which causes them to want to keep him around as something to marvel at so they make him the leader. Toward the end of the novel, Piggy criticizes the behavior of the boys in Jack’s society which causes them to become very angry. Roger, on the cliff above them, uses the lever to push a boulder aimed at Piggy. Golding wrote, â€Å"... the conch exploded into a thousand white fragmen ts and ceased to exist. Piggy†¦traveled through the air sideways from the rock, turning over as he went. ... Piggy fell forty feet and landed on his back across the square red rock in theShow MoreRelatedEssay on Their Inner Creature721 Words   |  3 Pagesprevents the boys from having a perfect and stable society. William Golding, the author of the novel, states â€Å"the theme is an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature† (204). His negativity about human nature and his idea that evil is an inborn characteristic can be seen through the story as the behavior of the boys brings their inner creature into existence. â€Å"Weve got to have rules and obey them. After all, were not savages. Were English, and the English are bestRead MoreThe Concept Of State Of Nature918 Words   |  4 PagesState of Nature A British philosopher and an egoist, Thomas Hobbes believes that humans are selfish by nature. He believes that we are all potential enemies and that we need authorities such as police, the military and courts of law to protects us from each other. He also believes that laws and morality only exist due to fear of living in a state of chaos and conflict. Hobbes describes life without any incentive to be good as â€Å"nasty, brutish and short† otherwise known as State of Nature. When HobbesRead MoreSymbolism In Lord Of The Flies824 Words   |  4 Pages were not savages. Were English, and the English are best at everything’ (Golding 42). Evident from the events that take place throughout the book, however, the opposite is true. 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In the novel, Lord of the Flies by William Golding there is a prominent theme of good versus evil which reveals that maybe humans are not the civilized human beings that they were said to be. William Golding carefully netted this themeRead MoreLord of the Flies was created by William Golding, an English novelist that studied at Oxford where1500 Words   |  6 Pages Lord of the Flies was created by William Golding, an English novelist that studied at Oxford where the experience allowed for his writing to grow and develop. The main purpose of the novel was to portray the struggle of a group of boys in the era of war. It is aligned off of personal experiences the author had in World War II, the severity and insanity allowed him to have a corrupted view on the world and everything inside of it (â€Å"William Golding,† N.P.). Much like Oxford, being apart of theRead MoreAnalysis Of The Novel The Great God Pan 941 Words   |  4 PagesArthur Machen and H.G. 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