William Golding's Lord Of The Flies As An Allegory Essay

Let's say that you wanted a way to explain your beliefs and express other abstract ideas, but in a discrete tacit form. A written expression like this is called an allegory. In William Golding's dangerously revealing novel, Lord of the Flies, brutal truths are exposed about the boys’ inherited barbaric ways and ravenous urges, connecting to several biblical stories. In not always a discrete way, the book is a solid allegory and evokes some heavily linked stories such as those of Adam and Eve, of Cain and Able, and the life of Jesus Christ. All, three of these well known stories reveal the fundamental flaws in human nature just as in Golding’s novel.

Golding argues that the boys' constant disagreements throughout the book come from a bigger, more threatening evil inside them. This is an example of an allegory to the story of Cain and Able. Due to his charisma and strong belief, Ralph becomes chief instead of Jack. Jack's ascending "mortification" (22) seen previously in the book, is eventually released in a full-on attempt to kill Ralph; "He ran forward, stooping. 'I'm chief.' Viciously, with full intention, he [Jack] hurled his spear at Ralph" (180). In this way what was a petty jealousy becomes a motivation for murder. Furthermore, this attempted murder is done after Jack assumes the position of chief, revealing that his conduct stems from
Both stories take place in beautiful, natural settings that are described as very pleasing. The boys arrive on the island carefree and naive to any danger and as Adam and Eve have the potential to live happily. However, just like Adam, Ralph is the one that set the events in motion that change all the magic and innocence on the island by his desire for power and knowledge. Just as in the Old Testament story, the boys also see a ‘snake-thing’ which brings them fear and signals the potential for danger and