What do you think Golding has to say about civilised behaviour in the novel?

Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, is a timeless novel juxtaposing primitive and
civilised behaviour. Through the use of civilised characters, he emphasises the
importance of their existence in today’s society and the significance of leaders to keep
order and civilisation. Golding establishes his belief of the power of savagery and the
power of our primitive nature. He conveys this through the use of uncivilised
characters, namely Roger and Jack, and their progressive change through out the novel.
Finally, he also expresses his belief that civilisation is fragile and can be easily lost
through the use of symbols like the conch and the Lord of the Flies.
Golding uses civilised characters such as Ralph to emphasise the difference between
civilised and savage behaviour throughout the novel. At the beginning of the novel,
Ralph says ‘” There aren’t any grownups. We shall have to look after ourselves…And
another thing. We can’t have everybody talking at once. We’ll have to have ‘hands up’
like at school…We’ll have rules…lots of rules!”’ The dialogue is in an authoritative and
ordered tone. This give the readers the impression that Ralph will be the leader and the
responsible one through out the novel. He creates rules and order in the society to keep
their natural primitive nature at bay. Golding demonstrates through this that civilised
behaviour is difficult to maintain, and requires many things such as rules, commitment
and a leader. In the middle of the novel, when Ralph realises things are falling apart, he
says ‘” Supposing we go, looking like we used to, washed hair and brushed—after all we
aren’t savages really and being rescued isn’t a game—well we won’t be painted…
because we aren’t savages.”’ Ralph as the natural born leader he is, demonstrates his
leadership through the repetition of the plural and inclusive words ‘we’. Through this he
demonstrates that civilised behaviour is all about being a single unit and working
together and in the same way to achieve things. He also indicates that he understands
that appearance drastically changes the mindset of the boys. He realises how important
hygiene and being clean truly is, in the context of feeling like part of a society. This is
juxtaposed to the other tribe of boys, who are unkept and painted. The paint is
something that liberates the other boys into savagery, and Ralph demonstrates extreme
maturity in not painting himself and his clan. Finally, Ralph ‘wept for the end of
innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise
friend called Piggy.’ The cumulative listing indicates how many things Ralph realises are
wrong, and Golding also demonstrates his opinion on society; it is hanging by a thread
and natural, primitive instincts are lying under the surface of every man’s heart. The
light and dark imagery also demonstrates how evil man truly is, and how evil the savage
boys were by the end of the novel. Through the Lord of the Flies Golding demonstrates
that he feels that civilised behaviour is extremely difficult to maintain, and man in its
natural state is truly a dark, evil and violent creature.
Another civilised character in the novel that Golding uses to demonstrate his
understanding of civilisation is Piggy. Through out the novel, Piggy understands the
fragility of civilisation and attempts to keep the boys in order. At the start of the novel,
Piggy ‘took off his shoes and socks, ranged them carefully on the ledge, and tested the
water with one toe.’ The long drawn out sentence, indicates that Piggy is going through
a process, something that he remembers from his past life in civilisation. He attempts to
continue to be civilised despite the circumstances he is in and has been taught that his
natural instinct is to remain ordered and civilised. Later, he says ‘” We’ve got to have
rules and obey them. After all, we’re not savages. We’re English; and the English are best
at everything. So, we’ve got to do the right thing.”’ The repetition of English emphasises
the fact that Piggy takes pride in his identity, and he was not going to forget his identity
any time soon. Through the short statements and repetition of punctuation, Golding
creates a tone of forcefulness and control. Piggy believes in civilisation and that they can
be civilised on the island, however this is not the case. Finally, Ralph ‘wept for the end of
innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise
friend called Piggy.’ The use of long sentences demonstrates Ralph’s pain and suffering
through the loss of Piggy. The loss of Piggy was a symbol for the loss of civilisation and
order, alike to the conch. Piggy was a firm believer of civilisation and Golding
demonstrates that without civilised adults or civilised characters, society can fall apart,
and humans can revert to their primitive nature. Golding uses Piggy’s character to
demonstrate the importance of civilised characters in today’s society.
Throughout the novel, Golding demonstrates his understanding of uncivilised
characters with the depiction of an uncivilised character in the novel; Jack. At the start
of the novel, ‘Jack had to think for a moment before he could remember what rescue
was. “Rescue? Yes of course! All the same, I’d like to catch a pig first.”’ The narrator voice
emphasises an important point throughout the novel; civilisation is fragile and can be
forgotten. He is already starting to forget his true identity, even at the start of the novel.
His civil and posh way of speaking is demonstrated through this direct speech
quotation; however, this is juxtaposed throughout the novel as his speech deteriorates
and he becomes more savage like over the course of the novel. The narrator voice
interferes, stating ‘then dog-like on, uncomfortably on all fours…and for a minute
became less a hunter than a fugitive thing, ape-like among the tangle of trees.’ The
metaphor comparing Jack to a dog, emphasises how he is becoming more primitive and
savage. A hunter is generally a term to describe those who are indigenous, however
remain cultured and civilised, and the emphasis on the simile comparing Jack to an ape
also reveals how Jack is becoming less human like, and more like an animal. He is
starting to become like nature, and this is again emphasised through the alliteration
used. At the start of the novella Jack says ‘” I cut the pig’s throat,” said Jack proudly, and
yet twitched as he said it.’ The oxymoron of Jack’s speech and his actions indicate that
he is proud of his kill, yet still is uncertain of the morality of killing. This demonstrates
how Golding indicates that Jack still feels as if he is a part of civilisation, and he is a
valuable member to society. He also feels remorse and sorrow and feels uncomfortable
at this first kill. However, this is heavily juxtaposed towards the end of the novel when
Jack is blood thirsty and in a blind rage. When the boys from Jack’s tribe are chasing a
sow, ‘the hunters followed, wedded to her in lust, excited by the long chase and the
dropped blood.’ The sexual innuendo that William Golding has decided to use, indicates
the uncivilised nature of the boys and Jack and demonstrates how there is a fine line
between civilisation and primitive nature. They are also gaining pleasure from hunting
and torture of the sow, and they are hardly human any longer. The long, drawn out
sentence indicates that the boys are drawing out the chase for their pleasure, and they
are enjoying the hunt. The regular commas direct the reader to question the boys and
their ulterior motive; is it to get meat and food, or is it for their own enjoyment of
killing? The short, broken up phrases also creates an inconsistent rhythm to mimic the
heavy, irregular footfalls of the boys as they chase after the sow. Through out the
novella, Jack is a character that demonstrates a progress change through the novel and
allows Golding to indicate his stance on civilisation and human’s natural primitive
nature.
Golding uses another uncivilised character named Roger, to demonstrate again, his take
on civilised behaviour through out the novel. Roger’s behaviour at the start of the novel
is juxtaposed to the end, to indicate his progressive change as he forgot the protocol, or
how to act. The narrator voice states ‘invisible, yet strong, was the taboo of the old life.
Round the squatting child was the protection of parents and school and policemen and
the law. Roger’s arm was conditioned by a civilisation that knew nothing of him and was
in ruins.’ This quote directly encompasses the metaphorical sense of civilisation.
Golding indicates through strong visual imagery, the strong pull that civilisation still has
on all the boys. They are all subconsciously abiding by the rules they have been
conditioned to follow. However, as the boys slowly realise, this civilisation is not going
to find or rescue them, and they start to become more savage and primitive. The long
and drawn out sentence demonstrates that the time is passing slowly, because the boys
are having an immense amount of fun by themselves. Later in the novella, the narrator
voice again interferes, saying ‘Roger advanced upon them as one welding a nameless
authority.’ The weaponry language indicates that Roger is dangerous and is to be taken
completely seriously. This quote is also juxtaposed from the one before; no longer is
civilisation and policemen and the law gaining authority over the boys, in fact one of
their own is gaining authority. Roger has become much more primitive and independent
and has violent tendencies. Finally, the boys chant ‘” Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her
blood.”’ The chant is almost animal like, and the repetition and short, tapered sentences
indicate how the boys are not thinking before they speak. They are simply acting on
their natural, primitive instincts. The short sentences also emphasise the power of the
single unit they are becoming. The boys are bonding over the death and killing of
innocent creatures, and this is making them grow in power and authority. Roger’s
character is used through out the novel, Lord of the Flies, to show what Golding believes
about civilised behaviour.
Golding demonstrates through the use of symbolism, his belief that civilisation is fragile
and can be lost easily. The conch is a source of power through out the novel,
demonstrated when the narrator says ‘the group of boys looked at the shell with
affectionate respect. Piggy placed it in Ralph’s hands and the little uns, seeing the
familiar symbol, started to come back.’ The conch is a symbol for order and civilisation
throughout Lord of The Flies and when the boys see it, they are reminded of the
authority and power the shell has over them. The visual imagery accentuates the
importance of the conch. Later in the novel, the conch is described as ‘the talisman, the
fragile, shining beauty of the shell. The storm of sound beat at them, an incarnation of
hatred.’ The juxtaposition of the two items; the hatred for the storm and the innocent
conch, demonstrates the struggle for power through out the novel. Golding believes that
civilisation is always in a constant struggle and is highly debated. The pathetic fallacy
used with the visual imagery of a storm emphasises the darkness and evilness of
savagery and primitive nature in comparison to the fragile, innocent, yet authoritative
conch. However, the most important message Golding is trying to convey, is the fragility
of civilisation and how it can metaphorically and literally hang by a thread. Another
symbol through out the novel is the lord of the flies, or the pig’s head on the stick. As
Simon watched, ‘The Lord of the Flies was expanding like a balloon…The Lord of the
Flies spoke in the voice of a schoolmaster.’ Through the simile, the Lord of the Flies is
described as something that is expanding and is on edge. This allows the readers to
imagine the Lord of the Flies like a balloon, expanding and gaining authority, yet fragile
and ready to pop at any moment. This is compared to the authority that the Lord of the
Flies has over the savage boys. The metaphor and personification of the Lord of the Flies
demonstrates that it has authority over the boys and emphasises the power that
savagery and primitive nature really has on people over time. Golding emphasises the
natural primitive nature that the boys revert to through out the novel. Through the use
of symbols, Golding conveys that civilisation is fragile and our primitive and savage
nature is overwhelmingly powerful.
Golding demonstrates through the use of civilised characters; Ralph and Piggy,
uncivilised characters such as Roger and Jack and symbols like the conch and the Lord
of the Flies to convey his beliefs on civilisation. He believes that society needs leaders
and adults, or civilised people to maintain an ordered society, however society is very
fragile and can be destroyed easily. Golding also emphasises how powerful and
authoritative primitive and natural instincts really are. They easily overwhelm our
sense of civilisation and results in the easy loss of civilisation and order.