Lord of the Flies and World War Ii - 1737 Words

Steiner Many things such as social and political environments can impact literature. British involvement in WWII directly influenced Goldings novel, Lord of the Flies. As all authors use their life and times as reference points in their works, Golding drew heavily on sociological, cultural, and military events. Lord of the Flies is an allegorical parallel to the world, as Golding perceived it. The island, the boys, and many other objects and events described in his work represent Goldings view of the world and humankind in general. He specifically incorporates characteristics and values reflective of the British culture. Â…The war taught me different and a lot of others like me, Golding said in the New Republic (Davis 28-30).†¦show more content†¦In Lord of the Flies, Jack and the hunters, who offer the luxury of meat and the comforts of a dictatorship, fill that role. In exchange for his protection, the other boys sacrifice any moral reservations they may have about his policies and enthusiastically persecute the boys who resist joining their tribe. These circumstances somewhat mirror Germanys economic suffering, which paved the way for the radical politics of Adolph Hitlers Nazism in the aftermath of World War I and in the worldwide depression of the 1930s. Based upon his wartime experiences in the British Navy, Golding asserted that the unlimited brutality shown by the Nazis was a capacity not limited to Germans or indeed to any particular group. While the world was horrified by news of the Nazi death camps, Golding felt that none of the nations was too far from committing atrocities o f the same magnitude. According to Golding, humankinds inclination toward evil and violence tied with the psychology of fear motivates humanity to act in unconscionable ways (Davis 28-30). When the United States used the atomic bomb in Japan, more than 100,000 innocent civilians were killed in three days by dropping two bombs. Overall, a total of 55 million people lost their lives in World War II. Such catastrophic violence and loss of life was clearly not lost on Golding: An atomic war causes the boys evacuation in Lord of the Flies, and the sign from the world of grown-ups that the boys so wish for turnsShow MoreRelatedSymbolic Objects that Reflect of World War II in William Goling ´s Lord of the Flies779 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Golding wrote the novel Lord of the Flies to draw attention to the chaos in society during the Second World War. Throughout the novel, there is a large amount of symbolism that gives the readers a better understanding of his ideas and concepts. There are many symbolic objects in the Lord of the Flies that help to expand his perception of the Second World War and his theme of there being a little bit of evil and savagery in everyone. T hree of the most important symbolic objects are Piggy’sRead MoreLord of the Flies: World War IIs Impact Essay1064 Words   |  5 PagesLord of the Flies: World War II’s Impact Lord of the Flies by William Golding was influenced strongly by his experiences as a naval officer during World War II. Golding’s wartime service gave him a darker and more realistic look on life, and contributed to the novel’s imagery. As Golding described, World War II woke him up from his falsified beliefs about human nature by showing him the true human condition (â€Å"Lord of the Flies,† Novels 175). Lord of the Flies, as Golding explained, is â€Å"an attemptRead MoreReflection Lord Of The Flies862 Words   |  4 Pages William Goldings Lord of the Flies as Reflection of Society â€Å"Man produces evil, as a bee produces honey, even in something as pure as a child.† --William Golding We come across things that change perspective and it really impacts how we live life. William Golding is a famous author for one of his well known books, The Lord of the Flies, where he makes everyday people change into evil human beings. Lord of the Flies by William Golding, was influenced stronglyRead MoreLord Of The Flies By William Golding1123 Words   |  5 PagesIn the novel Lord of The Flies by William Golding, the characters Ralph, Piggy, and Jack represent important World War II leaders Franklin Roosevelt, Adolf Hitler, and Winston Churchill. Golding, who had served in World War II, was well aware of the savagery created, and used it to base his book on. Ralph represents Franklin Roosevelt , Jack represents Adolf Hitler, and Piggy represents Winston Churchill. Ralph being of the novel’s main protagonist is important in the outcome of the story becauseRead MoreLord Of The Flies By William Golding1271 Words   |  6 Pagesfight in World War II. Golding has said of th e war, â€Å"I began to see what people were capable of doing. 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Its either about the inalienable underhanded of man, or mental battle, or religion, or personal inclination, or the creators emotions on war; however William Golding was in the Navy throughout World War II, or perhaps the greater partRead MoreWilliam Golding1565 Words   |  7 PagesCornwall, England and joined the British Royal Navy at the age of thirty-nine. Consequently, he was in World War II and witnessed the D-Day invasion at Normandy, which destroyed his optimism and scarred him for life. William Golding was a well achieved and admired person in British literature, and his life experiences, including WWII, greatly influenced his works especially Lord Of The Flies. Golding had a very fascinating life. He was born to Alec and Mildred Golding on September 19, 1911 inRead MoreThe Hangmans Horror: Roger, Sadism, and Psychopathy in Lord of the Flies1506 Words   |  7 Pagesdarkness in all men and first-hand experience with savagery and violence in World War II, William Golding used Lord of the Flies as not only a historical allegory and a pulpit from which to address the darkness in all men, but also as a metaphor and a example that no one is exempt from human nature. Golding’s characters in Lord of the Flies reflect this idea greatly, but none more so than Roger. Throughout Lord of the Flies, Golding uses the character of Roger to show the follies of mankind and theRead MoreLord of the Flies by William Golding1585 Words   |  7 Pages Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a fictional novel highlighting natural characteristics of man kind. The Book was created during the post World War II period. Before creating this novel, William had experience in the navy where he learned of the nature of mankind. The introduction of the book portrays a plane crash where a large group of boys are stranded on an island. Here they grow in character and human instincts such as leadership, brutality, and survival are displayedRead MoreLord of the Flies Comparative Essay (Film vs Book)1495 Words   |  6 PagesLord of the Flies comparative essay The novel, â€Å"Lord of the Flies† by William Golding was published in 1954. It’s the story of a group of boys stranded on an island with no adults. Since then, it has had two film adaptions. The first adaption was produced in 1963, directed by the Englishman Peter Brook. This version was filmed in black and white and follows the events of the book very closely. The second adaption came twenty-seven years later in 1990, which was directed by the American Harry Hook