False Dichotomy?

 

At its core, the juxtaposition between savagery and civilization in literature is a reflection of our own internal conflicts - the battle between the id and the superego, the desire for freedom and the need for structure. This theme is explored in the “Lord of the Flies” through little boys and their descent into savagery. Although this book is a well-respected piece of literature, I would have to argue that the dichotomy Golding tried to establish is completely FALSE.

The novel suggests that humans are either inherently good or inherently evil and that these states of being are completely separate and mutually exclusive. This theme is shown through the boy’s struggle with their innate desire for refinement and their natural impulses toward violence. Even the most civilized boys like Ralph and Piggy eventually abandon their rationality and join the others in killing Simon. However, in reality, once survival is on the line, there is no dichotomy. We don’t call survivors of Flight 571 savages for saving themselves by eating the bodies of the dead. We do things that are considered violent every day whether it be calling somebody names or hitting a person to defend ourselves. 

And if we really think about it, the conflict (violence vs. order) also exists within society because, if anything, civilization is savage. Certain people have fewer rights just because of their race. Minority groups are oppressed every day. Literally just last week, a muslim woman was jumped because of her hijab. The things we created within civilization is so much scarier than anything we could find in the real world.

Overall, I find Golidings's (for the lack of a better word) thesis really disagreeable. While the duality between savagery and order exists, these two concepts are not separate; rather, they are the same- especially if survival is involved.