NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
Mattie Elizabeth Milano The Balance Between Good and Evil George Orwell, an author of many novels, once stated that, Society has always seemed to demand a little more from human beings than it will get in practice. This is evident in Sir William Golding s 1954 novel, Lord of the Flies. A large group of English schoolboys find themselves on a deserted tropical island after their plane plummets from the sky. The boys construct a society that while in advanced, holds many characteristics of today s societies. Golding uses the literary tool of symbolism to show how each of the characters is a representation of a much larger idea. Ralph, the leader of the boys is depicted to represent an ideal human society.
However, even though it is an ideal society, it is human, which means it is not perfect, and like every society, Ralph possesses a balance of good and evil. The first chapter of Sir William Golding s, Lord of the Flies offers the reader a primary glance as to the significance of the balance of evil and ethics that exists within Ralph as well as within every human society. As Ralph and Piggy are wading through the water they come across a beautiful conch shell. Later in the novel the conch becomes instrumental to Ralph in declaring order among the congregation of boys. He uses it to obtain silence as well as to designate the privilege of speaking to a person.
Order and Milano 2 organization are important to Ralph, this shows his affection for official government, yet in spite of this, he often limits the freedom of speech to those he feels are worthy of it. After establishing the names of the boys, it is decided that the island must be explored. Ralph and Jack the obvious leaders of the boys choose Simon to accompany them and leave Piggy behind. In addition to this, Ralph had previously countered Jack s attack on Piggy, calling him Fatty, by revealing the painful childhood nickname given to Piggy. You re talking too much, said Jack Merridew. Shut up, Fatty.
Laughter arose. He s not Fatty, cried Ralph, his real name s Piggy! (Golding 21). Despite this act of cruelty towards Piggy that Ralph displays in an effort to become closer to Jack, he later shows signs of regret towards the unaccepted Piggy. Ralph, looked with more understanding at Piggy, saw that he was hurt and crushed. He hovered between the two courses of apology or further insult (Golding 25).
As the situation of the boys becomes more desperate and their hope of being rescued drifts farther out to sea, Ralph decides that a signal fire is needed to alarm any passing boats of their presence. He and Jack decide that the hunters, or choir will be responsible for keeping the signal strong. In this effort to unite the boys, Ralph can be seen through the eyes of some as a strong, determined leader. However, his beastly side shines through as, much to Piggy s horror, Ralph allows Jack to snatch the spectacles off of Piggy s face in order to start the fire. Later on in the novel, Ralph s strong desire for fire weakens in the presence of corruption and evil.
After the death of Simon, Ralph seems to forget about ever being rescued. Golding explains, Ralph tried indignantly to Milano 3 remember. There was something good about a fire. Something overwhelmingly good (Golding 163). In her critical essay on Lord of the Flies, Amanda Berberich comments that, Evil is often the more predominate trait, it is the stronger, the more manipulating, and the easier of the two. People start out with the greatest intentions, but often end up being sidetracked by the inviting forces of evil (3).
This is quite clearly seen in the indecisive behavior exhibited by Ralph. Throughout the course of the novel we read about how Ralph often struggles with himself to do what is best for the boys despite his human instincts. After time however, lack of civilization and support lead Ralph to actions that he would have considered ghastly at the opening of the novel. On one particular afternoon, on one particular pig hunt, Ralph manages to wound the pig by heaving a crude spear at it. He is proud of himself, and glad to have earned the respect of boys and so continues to boast about his accomplishment, I hit him all right.
The spear stuck in. I wounded him! (Golding 113). In this one instance, Ralph leans closer to evil then ever before. The thrill of power enthralling him and his former disdain towards hunting abandoned.
Ralph too was fighting to get near, to get a handful of that brown, vulnerable flesh. The desire to squeeze and hurt was over-mastering (Golding 115). The last chapter of the novel finds Ralph rescued and finally ends the terror of the Lord of the Flies. Despite the many times he mocked Piggy s ass-mar, and the role he played in the extinguishing of the fire, and in the death of Simon, Ralph finds himself back to the first day when they arrived on the island. More good than evil, more boy then beast. Ralph cries for the loss of his friend Piggy, who after all symbolized law Milano 4 and goodness of man.
Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man s heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy (Golding 202). In the end, Ralph s long struggle between good and evil is over, and he is left alone, as the last reminder of a perfect human society. Years ago, a student of psychology, Sigmund Freud decided that the human psyche could be divided into three separate parts. The ego, id, and super-ego.
These parts are responsible for our actions, desires, and morality in society. In Sir William Golding s Lord of the Flies we are given insight into these divisions. It is unquestionable that Jack represents the id of human nature, for he is highly involved with brutality and the more savage behaviors of man. On the other hand, quite opposite from Jack is Piggy, who strives for a lawful, ethical society and therefore is representational of the super-ego.
Ralph is left in the middle, at some times he gives into his primal instincts to hunt and kill, yet at others he struggles to do what is best for the group of young boys. The character of Ralph is truly symbolic of the balance of good and evil that exists within each person, as well as each society. Milano 5 Works Cited Berberich, Amanda. The Struggle Between Good and Evil.
Burris, Skylar Hamilton. What Makes Things Break Up the Way They Do? 1999. Gibaldi, Joseph and Walter S. Achtert.
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 1977. Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: Berkley Publishing Group, 1954 Jones, Tod E. MLA Style and Documentation.
web Radkovsky, Pavel. A comparison of Ralph and Jack. 1996.
Free research essays on topics related to: struggle between good, lord of the flies, ralph and jack, death of simon, good and evil
Research essay sample on Struggle Between Good Good And Evil
