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INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL OF ISSN (Online): 2454-8499
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Vol. 2, Issue 2, February, 2016
POWER OVER AUTHORITY: A HUMAN INSTINCT IN LORD OF THE
FLIES
Mr. Digambar M. Bhise
Research Scholar,
Pune – 28.
Abstract: The authority acts crucial part in social life to keep order. But human instinct of power
leans towards disorder by eradicating ethics. The eminent novel Lord of the Flies written by
William Golding is a great effort to distinguish man’s perception towards Authority and Power
at the time of its creation, in response to British middle-class standards and faith in moral codes.
It makes realization that how Golding has used satiric tone to attack public principles of the
period. It became a significant piece of literature to take a lesson by every nation of the world. In
a sense Great Britain was beating the drum as an empire builder and advancing rather
nationalistic prejudice that Britons had greater courage, higher moral and loftier goals than
lesser mortals. It points that religion disperses the forces of evil in the world. One who is not
religious will be evil. Here, Golding differs sharply as his choir boys, with their crosses on their
cloaks, become the most bloodthirsty of hunters. Once they remove their cloaks, they also throw
away their religion and give no subsequent indication that religion has had any effect at all upon
their characters. Golding’s work points that religious institutions have failed to eradicate
wickedness existed within human as an instinct. It strengthens with apt conditions and supportive
power. That can be controlled by the group of people only who believe in authority and not in
power. This authority categorizes Ralph & naval officer, savier.
Golding designs actual life on the island where the boys land. The boys had worn school
uniform when they landed on the island excluding Jack and his group. Jack’s nature awfully
leans towards revolt. He accepts challenge of hunting as he knows well that he can do it. This
confidence enables him to succeed in hunting pig. It associates Jack solely with hunting, even
leads him towards process of savagery & uncivilization by power hungry acts.
In contrast, Ralph and other boys had worn school uniform which symbolizes willingness
to maintain rule and order. Jack challenges Ralph’s leadership as he cannot hunt pig. He
believes authority should be powerful to feed all to survive, encourages him to demand
leadership. Ralph’s notion of survival is wider, encompassing sure life and not temporary. The
tussle between the two starts with the same issue. Jack’s taking all the power in hand and setting
fire to the whole island is an example of anarchy and beast in human nature, irrespective of
religious background. Both categories are available in society, first represents evil force in Jack
while second forms righteousness in Ralph. The first viewpoint carries destruction of humanity
itself while later ensures existence of the same and sustained progress. The question remains
unanswered, how Jack can be alive by setting fire to the whole island?
Key Words : Authority, instinct, savagery, disorder, beast, humanity.
Introductioin:
William Golding’s Lord of the Flies
first published in 1954, presenting general
psychology of man. He cleared novel’s
theme as “an attempt to trace the defects of
society back to the defects of human
POWER OVER AUTHORITY: A HUMAN INSTINCT IN LORD OF THE FLIES
nature.” To give more clarity, in the essay A
Moving Target, 1982 by him “The theme of
Lord of the Flies is grief, sheer grief, grief,
grief,” are his own words. At the end of
novel Ralph mourns over spot of evil in hear
of every individual. The earlier school going
boys tried carelessly to dictate others who
were not participants of their group. The
same obedient and cultured school going
boys exposed the urge to impose pain and
enjoyed the rush for power. They reject
values of the civilization represented by
Ralph and select indulgent savagery and
animality represented by Jack.
D.H. Lawrence once said, “This is the very worst wickedness, that we refuse to
acknowledge the passionate evil that is in us. This makes us secret and rotten.”
Golding wanted to illustrate in this literary piece the dark side of human nature and make
the point that each member of
humankind has this dark side. The boys
conceptualize the source of all their worst
impulses as a beast, some sort of actual
animal or possibly supernatural creature
inhabiting the island. Yet, all along the boys
take on the persona of the beast when they
act on their animal impulses. There is no
external beast.
In “lord of the flies,” flies feast on
dead animals. In that the fly who desire to
take major part to eat tries to empower upon
other flies. It resembles Jack, who tries to
become Lord or chief among boys either by
towards revolt. He accepts challenge of
hunting as he knows well that he can do it.
This confidence enables him to succeed in
hunting pig. It associates Jack solely with
hunting, and cannot see the necessity
of other things that can keep them alive. It
leads him towards process of complete
savagery, uncivilization and even anarchy
by power hungry acts. Golding corresponds
this to the vice and malicious people in the
world. In contrast, Ralph and other boys had
worn school uniform which symbolizes
willingness to maintain rule and order.
Ralph suggests that they should exercise
