- Published: September 11, 2022
- Updated: September 11, 2022
- University / College: Emory University
- Language: English
- Downloads: 19
Lord of the Flies Final Response I believe that people have a natural tendency toward evil- but with saving glimpses of goodness because people can choose to do the right thing or the wrong thing, but sadly, many go for the wrong option. Being evil is easier for humans since this comes naturally to them. Humans are lazy and we would rather be evil than good, man also has a tendency to think and put themselves before others, for example, when thinking about a problem or situation, it is natural for everyone to firstly think “ Will that help me? ” “ Will I be safe? ” However, humanity is not all evil, or at least, tries to do well. In Lord of the Flies, Piggy wanted to create rules and a government, Simon showed courage, kindness, truth, and humility, Jack stood up for his beliefs and emotions, and Ralph wanted order and attempted to make a society work between the boys. When the boys were away from civilization, their habits and emotions were different; and establishing laws did not work. Today, most of man’s evil habits are covered by society, such as a mask covers bad features and ugly ways. Some evil attitudes showed in Lord of the Flies when the boys teased Piggy “ Shut up, Fatty! “(21) In the book Lord of the Flies, Simon acts as a Christ-like figure because he thought of helping Jack build the shelters (thinking of others before himself), “ All day I’ve been working with Simon. No one else. They’re off bathing, or eating, or playing. ” (50) The other boys thought that Simon was crazy just like when the religious leaders and Jews thought that Jesus was crazy “ You’ll get back to where you came from. ” “ You’re batty. ” (111) Simon was also pure, kind, and innocent, he wandered alone in the forest without fear, he sees the beauty of nature rather than to destroy it, he was tempted by the Lord of the Flies as Jesus was tempted by Satan, and he was beaten and killed unjustly by the people who didn’t listen. Man is born with a sinful heart “ Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51: 5, NIV), and so as children we naturally do wrong things even when we have not been taught not to do so. When I was a child, I would naturally lie so I would not get into trouble for something I did, I had never lied before, and so I did not know it was wrong, but I still did it anyway, “ The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure” (Jeremiah 17: 9). Galatians 5: 17 says, “ For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want”, meaning that we do not choose goodness over evil without the Holy Spirit. Humans have a ‘ survival instinct’; this means that we will do anything for our own well-being, even if it is to kill another. For example, in our classroom activity about being marooned on an island, we kicked the crazy people out so that the ‘ normal ones’ felt safe and protected. Golding’s perspective on humanity lies up with a biblical view because he knows that all humankind is evil from nature, and the evil is in our hearts. In Romans 3: 10-12 it states, “ As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away; they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. “