William Golding, wrote a well known classic called ‘ The Lord Of The Flies. ‘ In this book he brought forth a story about the traumatic change in the human nature of children brought up in a proper British society. These children are faced with a crisis; a plane crash brings them to an island on which they have to survive. I will talk about some of the events on the island and I will build upon the two pivotal personalities of Jack and Ralph. This essay will address how Jack and Ralph’s ‘ traumatically changed’ physiological state will affect their competence in society.
Firstly, the two most traumatic things apart from the plane crash are the deaths of Simon and Piggy. The death of Simon was done in a group, where each boy would share the same guilty conscience. I think this would eventually turn into paranoia. At the end Ralph’s paranoia does in fact become a reality as Jack and his group are actually after him. Secondly, at the end of the book, in the last chapter, Golding describes Ralph’s feelings upon the cruise. Quote “ Ralph begins to weep for the first time on the island.
He weeps for the end of innocence and the darkness of man’s heart and for the fall of Piggy. I think the above line is self-explanatory. Ralph feels deeply for the loss of his friend Piggy. The loss of a loved one or a friend is bound to leave a scar of some sort. This could lead to schizophrenia, since Ralph’s mind would invent a character associated with those traumatic memories. Or, at the least, Ralph would become a chronically depressed person. Jack on the other hand, portrays the kind of person who has the ability to tell people what they want to hear. This trait helped him to overthrow Ralph as chief.
He uses this charisma to abuse his power. He then, commands his most faithful follower, Roger, to kill Piggy. The main reason I think, Simon and Piggy were killed was because they were a constant threat to Jack’s leadership and power. This leads to the assumption that; Jack would not suffer acute depression like Ralph. Also, he would probably not develop schizophrenia, as he probably does not comprehend fully the magnitude of his sins. The last chapter of the book talks to us about the officer’s reaction at what he sees in the boys and their surroundings.
He is shocked at how the boys could act in such a primitive way after being brought but in a British society. Percival is a good example for this primitive behavior. We know that at the start of the book, when asked his name, he rattles out a long sentence. But in the last chapter he can’t even remember who he is, let alone complete a sentence. The second shock to the officer would be the news that two boys have been killed. Piggy’s death was, the most horrific of the two as it was done by a group would have left a mark on all the boys and all those who hear of the story later.
However, will Jack or Ralph tell of these stories? I think one way or the other the truth will come out, if not from these two boys, then the others. When the truth comes out, I think society will look at each boy in a different light. Ralph first of all has to get medical as well as mental help. Society might see Ralph for who he really is and decide not to punish him for the insane acts on the island, mainly the group killing. Instead, they might put him in an Institution to treat his various physiological problems.
His problems would be paranoia because of Jack’s hunts, and/or he could have schizophrenia because of the trauma and the death of two friends on the island. But, Ralph being a charismatic person through out the island experience would not have a major problem surviving in society, but this can only be achieved with the physiological help that he needs. Jack will have a superiority complex at the rate he’s going, and get rid of anyone who poses as a challenge or threat to him. He needs a lot of physiological help, and a lot of medication to keep him on track.
Jack’s primitive ways might be pardoned, for he managed to look after most of the boys. Or; we could look at it the other way; Jack might go through some punishment because of the lives he couldn’t bring back. I would be a bit skeptical of Jack; after all he’s capable of accomplishing anything when it comes to taking power/lead with force. After killing a pig, he would do it again and would most definitely needs counseling or any mental counseling they can offer him. I think Jack will probably be found competent in society. If he gets the punishment he disserves. And the discipline he needs.
Good mental treatment would help ensure that he gets back to being nearly as normal as anyone else is. Ralph on the other hand cares too much about other people. Just as he cared for the boys on the island and hence will take a longer time to get back to the rhythm of civilization. Both Ralph and Jack will carry the burden of their experiences. These experiences have been engraved physiologically in their mind. Ralph will come to forgive himself but will never be able to forget. Jack will also remember but will probably be able to live with himself through each day, because he has surpassed the taboo of killing.
