The novel relates to our lives through the themes that are shown and depicted throughout the story. These themes are very commonly seen in our lives. These themes are the darkness of the human heart, desire for power and control over others, cruelty, unkindness, and destructive instincts that lives within us.
The darkness of the human nature, for example, bullying, discrimination, the exclusion of someone and turning into savage-like humans, are very clearly depicted in this novel. This is very clearly seen by the way Piggy is treated. Jack says ‘Shut up, Piggy!’ several times in this novel. Jack also bullied him with hurtful words like ‘we don’t want you’ and calling him ‘Fatty’. The boys would look ‘at him with eyes that lacked interest’, ‘giggle’ and even laugh at Piggy to the extent that they were ‘shrieking with laughter’. It is very hurtful for anyone to receive such remarks and comments, especially with such straightforwardness. The boys would laugh at him, which can be seen from when ‘a storm of laughter rose’ and ‘even the tiniest child joined it’ to laugh and mock Piggy. This shows that Piggy is constantly being left out. Very importantly, ‘the boys were a closed circuit of sympathy with Piggy outside’. This can be related to those who are bullied and treated differently from their peers. Those of less appealing looks are more prone to such situations like Piggy. Piggy is unpleasant looking, with ‘thick spectacles’ and was very unfit due to his ‘ass-mar’, or asthma. This is very relatable to those people who are ignored and not given the same amount of respect to in our daily lives. We, as students, may go through such experiences where someone is being excluded, and bullied to the extent of being hurt physically by the violence the bully possessed within him. Young or old, such situations do happen. In this case, Jack is the bully, and one time, he even ‘stuck his fist into Piggy’s stomach’, as well as ‘smacked Piggy’s head’. This makes us feel a sense of guilt, sympathy and empathy for the person. The victim, in this case Piggy, goes through pain and suffering, just like what bully victims experience. Thus this novel relates to us through the theme of the darkness of the human nature which can be seen in the cruelty and unkindness that Jack shows to Piggy, and the boys excluding on particular person, Piggy.
The next theme is the constant desire of power and control over others. This can be related to our lives. For example, in school, there would always be someone who wants to take control and absolute power over his peers. This would be like Jack, who has control and desires for more. When Ralph was speaking, ‘Jack broke in’. This shows the eagerness of Jack to be heard by the boys. The choirboys do not dare to go against him as well. When voting for the chief or leader of the boys, all of them ‘raised their hands’ with ‘dreary obedience’. Even though some might want to vote for Ralph, they still voted for Jack. This shows the authority of Jack over the boys. Just like in some real life cases, the one who has the most authority and influence over his peers, would have his peers by his side at all times. This is the control that Jack has over the boys, which can be related to our own lives. When Ralph was setting up the rule of the conch, Jack mentioned that Ralph ‘won’t be interrupted, except for’ Jack himself. This shows that even though he was not chosen as the leader, he still wanted to have the right to speak his mind at any point of time, which is not what the other boys could do. This shows the desire of Jack wanting to have power and a say in everything. This is further supported by Jack whose ‘freckles’ ‘disappeared under a blush of mortification’. This shows that he wanted to be the chief but was not chosen as one. Our lives can relate to this as many often want to be in charge of others. During group work, for example, we usually have to appoint a leader, and more often than not, there will be more than one person wanting to be the leader. And this leader might be very controlling and authoritative, like Jack who controls his choir boys in a totalitarian manner. Thus, the theme of the desire to have control and power over others relates to our lives.
Lastly, there is the destructive, evil, savage-like instinct that develops within the boys, especially Jack, throughout the story. This relates to our lives as it tells us that all of us have the capacity to do evil, despite the good that is in us, that we all make mistakes and that evil is always within us. This can be see from Jack who had always thought about his choirboys being the ‘hunters’. He has a constant desire to hunt.
-Soomin
The darkness of the human nature, for example, bullying, discrimination, the exclusion of someone and turning into savage-like humans, are very clearly depicted in this novel. This is very clearly seen by the way Piggy is treated. Jack says ‘Shut up, Piggy!’ several times in this novel. Jack also bullied him with hurtful words like ‘we don’t want you’ and calling him ‘Fatty’. The boys would look ‘at him with eyes that lacked interest’, ‘giggle’ and even laugh at Piggy to the extent that they were ‘shrieking with laughter’. It is very hurtful for anyone to receive such remarks and comments, especially with such straightforwardness. The boys would laugh at him, which can be seen from when ‘a storm of laughter rose’ and ‘even the tiniest child joined it’ to laugh and mock Piggy. This shows that Piggy is constantly being left out. Very importantly, ‘the boys were a closed circuit of sympathy with Piggy outside’. This can be related to those who are bullied and treated differently from their peers. Those of less appealing looks are more prone to such situations like Piggy. Piggy is unpleasant looking, with ‘thick spectacles’ and was very unfit due to his ‘ass-mar’, or asthma. This is very relatable to those people who are ignored and not given the same amount of respect to in our daily lives. We, as students, may go through such experiences where someone is being excluded, and bullied to the extent of being hurt physically by the violence the bully possessed within him. Young or old, such situations do happen. In this case, Jack is the bully, and one time, he even ‘stuck his fist into Piggy’s stomach’, as well as ‘smacked Piggy’s head’. This makes us feel a sense of guilt, sympathy and empathy for the person. The victim, in this case Piggy, goes through pain and suffering, just like what bully victims experience. Thus this novel relates to us through the theme of the darkness of the human nature which can be seen in the cruelty and unkindness that Jack shows to Piggy, and the boys excluding on particular person, Piggy.
The next theme is the constant desire of power and control over others. This can be related to our lives. For example, in school, there would always be someone who wants to take control and absolute power over his peers. This would be like Jack, who has control and desires for more. When Ralph was speaking, ‘Jack broke in’. This shows the eagerness of Jack to be heard by the boys. The choirboys do not dare to go against him as well. When voting for the chief or leader of the boys, all of them ‘raised their hands’ with ‘dreary obedience’. Even though some might want to vote for Ralph, they still voted for Jack. This shows the authority of Jack over the boys. Just like in some real life cases, the one who has the most authority and influence over his peers, would have his peers by his side at all times. This is the control that Jack has over the boys, which can be related to our own lives. When Ralph was setting up the rule of the conch, Jack mentioned that Ralph ‘won’t be interrupted, except for’ Jack himself. This shows that even though he was not chosen as the leader, he still wanted to have the right to speak his mind at any point of time, which is not what the other boys could do. This shows the desire of Jack wanting to have power and a say in everything. This is further supported by Jack whose ‘freckles’ ‘disappeared under a blush of mortification’. This shows that he wanted to be the chief but was not chosen as one. Our lives can relate to this as many often want to be in charge of others. During group work, for example, we usually have to appoint a leader, and more often than not, there will be more than one person wanting to be the leader. And this leader might be very controlling and authoritative, like Jack who controls his choir boys in a totalitarian manner. Thus, the theme of the desire to have control and power over others relates to our lives.
Lastly, there is the destructive, evil, savage-like instinct that develops within the boys, especially Jack, throughout the story. This relates to our lives as it tells us that all of us have the capacity to do evil, despite the good that is in us, that we all make mistakes and that evil is always within us. This can be see from Jack who had always thought about his choirboys being the ‘hunters’. He has a constant desire to hunt.
-Soomin