The Lord Of The Flies: Man Through The Eyes Of William Golding

“Man produces evil as a bee produces honey” (Golding). Humans do what they do base off of uncontrollable factors or instincts. Sigmund Freud classifies this as the Id side of men; acting on impulses and desires. Throughout Golding's novel, the boys are seen acting based on their impulses instead of thinking their actions through. Golding’s true feeling concerning mankind’s true nature reveal three things: the ideas that everyone has a dormant evil, that crossroads in life affect a situation, and humans will follow those who benefit them the most. After reading Lord of The Flies, it is easy to see why Golding feels everyone has a dormant evil. At the beginning of the book, the boys seem to be normal little kids who are just trying to survive through the making of a democratic civilization. As the book progresses we start to see the boys inner evil come into play. For instance, Ralph is the civil child while the other boys are savages, but he partakes in the murder of Simon “At once the crowd surged after it...leapt onto the beast screamed, bit, tore”. This evidence shows how Ralph and the other boys committed this evil act without even hesitating. Also it shows how a situation can bring evil intentions to the surface and cause a person to act on them. Another example of this is how Jack orders his subjects too torture and murder their prisoners of war “You’ve got to go because it's not safe-they made us. They hurt us”. Jack forcing impressionable children to torture others is taking it to a whole other level of evilness. This also shows Jack’s evil becoming stronger, awakening what is dormant. Golding uses Jack and Ralph to portray mankind’s true nature of everyone having a dormant evil. Since Golding served in both world wars his experiences play a key role in why he believes people will follow those who benefit them the most. While fighting in WWII Golding was able to witness Hitler helping his people through their economic downfall by being a provider, which led to them following him without question. The book also shows this by using Jacks ability to hunt and how he was able to provide food for the boys. “that's where they've gone. Jacks party. Let them go… I don't care. Just for some meat”. Since Jack was able to provide food it made it easier for the boys to decide who they wanted to follow between him and Ralph. This evidence also shows Jack was able to provide in ways Ralph could not which led to most of Ralph's followers switching camps, proving the theory that people follow those who benefit them the most. William Golding truly feels everyone comes to a crossroad that affects their situation. It is easy to see why he believes this based off of evidence that comes from the book. The Webster Dictionary defines a breaking point as the point at which a person gives way under stress; the point at which a situation becomes critical; and the point at which something loses force or validity. Ralph and Piggy are fed up with Jack and Ralph decides to fight him out of frustration “He charged...Ralph hit Jack in the stomach and made him grunt”. This shows how Ralph was tired of dealing with Jack and his terrible ways and was ready to put an end to them too make the situation better. During a meeting Ralph finally tells the other boys in the camp how he really feels about their terrible work ethic and how they abandon their responsibilities. “Not for these things. But too put things straight” “All this I meant to say. Now I've said it. You voted me for chief. Now you do what I say”. This appears to be his breaking point because he can no longer hide how he really feels about the boys in the camp. Also he’s telling the boys how he feels in hopes that it will change the groups dynamic and complicated situation because he can no longer deal with the groups actions.This evidence from the book shows why Golding truly feels that everyone comes to a crossroad that affects their situation. In conclusion William Golding's novel Lord Of The Flies gives insight as to why Golding feels everyone has a dormant evil and comes to a crossroad that affects their situation. William's involvement in both world wars clarifies why he would believe people will follow those who benefit them the most. All of these sources and different life experiences are what shaped Golding into believing that everyone has a dormant evil, that crossroads in life affect a situation, and humans will follow those who benefit them the most.