Rituals in Lord of the Flies

Rituals in Lord of the Flies Lord of the Flies centers around how a group of young boys deal with being stranded from civilization. They develop rituals, and as the boys convert to savages their rituals also alter from civil to savage. Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding, is a fictional novel that takes place on a deserted island. The time period is unknown; however, the novel occurs during a war. Lord of the Flies focuses on power struggles between two of the main characters, Jack and Ralph. Jack creates the sense of savagery on the island, and Ralph never gives up hope of rescue. This novel shows society the true nature of human beings and tells a tale of savagery. The rituals shown in Lord of the Flies change how the boys act and behave because these rituals convert from being civil to savage. When the boys perform rituals, they are strengthened and unified, which causes them to act violently and uncontrollably. When these solemn acts are performed, the tribe often behaves as one instead of as individuals. For instance, when the boys go hunting, their unity strengthens them, which enables them to support each other. Golding stated, “Roger became the pig, grunting and charging at Jack, who sidestepped. The hunters took their spears, and the rest clubs of firewood. A circling movement developed and a chant” (151). This quote demonstrates how the rituals cause them to act as a mob and not as individuals. When acting as a clan, they get a desire to kill, making their actions excessively violent. As a result, it is proven that rituals unite a group of people and cause them to act murderously. Rituals shown in Lord of the Flies expose the true nature of human beings because their inner self is liberated. Throughout the course of the novel, Jack and his tribe wear face paint. At first, they do this in order to camouflage, but as time passes and they become more savage, they wear it to prove their power. The face paint is colored in red and black,