Lord of the Flies Savagery and the Criticising of the English

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I largely agree that Lord of the Flies shows us that descent into savagery is possible for everyone-including English Boys. English boys meaning boys from the Victorian period who thought they were above everyone else and descent into savagery can be defined as a transformation from a civilized person to a beast not restrained by moral ethics of a normal human being. Golding explores the theme of savagery vs. civilisation and furthermore uses characters on each side of the conflict to emphasise that a descent into savagery is possible for the boys. Additionally, he critiques English opinion by specifically focusing on the boys being English and them descending into barbarity- contrasting to Ballantyne’s The Coral Island. Golding explores the theme of civilisation vs. savagery to show us the boys’ descent into savagery. Moreover, he uses various characters on either side of the struggle to highlight the difference between those that are civilised, such as Ralph and Piggy, to those that are barbaric, such as Roger and Jack. At the start of the novel, we see what Jack was before the crash, “I’m chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C sharp.” He was chosen out of merit to become head boy and values singing highly in his life. Roger, on the other hand, is quite the opposite to Ralph,”There was a slight fugitive boy that no one knew, who kept to himself with an inner intensity of avoidance and secrecy.” We can see that Roger is a shy boy and keeps to himself. Majority of the boys start a transformation but we can particularly see it in Jack, “the mask was a thing of its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-consciousness.” The mask and face paint remove any inhibitions the boys had. Piggy, a symbol for clear thinking and order, forewarns the boys about what they are becoming, “What are we? Humans? Or animals? Or savages?” Piggy is the first to
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