Order from us for quality, customized work in due time of your choice.
Lord of the Flies is a novel by William Golding about a group of boys who are marooned on an island. As the story progresses, the boys slowly transform into savages and lose their civility. The Freudian Theory addresses the three human personalities: id, ego, and superego. The id personality is based on desire and instinct, the ego personality is based on reason and common sense, and the superego is based on what is morally correct. William Golding utilizes his allegory, Lord of the Flies to emphasize the different aspects of the human psyche through the various characters.
One of the main characters, Jack, represents Freuds id personality. Jacks actions are fueled by his desire for power and control, and he uses the fear of the beast to support him and his hunters. For example, when he says Bollocks to the rules! Were strong-we hunt! If theres a beast well hunt it down (Golding, 79). Here, Jack puts down Ralphs rules and aggrandizes the power of him and his hunters. Jacks emphasis on the strength of the hunters makes the other children feel safe, which later encourages them to join Jacks tribe. Another example of Jack embodying the id personality is when the hunters kill the sow. Golding depicts the killing as a rape, with Jack finding the throat& and they were heavy and fulfilled upon her (Golding, 120). This rape alludes to the Freudian id personality because Jack and his hunters substantiated their desire to kill the sow. Furthermore, Jack and his hunters followed their primal instincts to kill and spill blood. Jack achieves his power by taking advantage of the other boys desires, or id personalities. Jack takes advantage of this by announcing, Me and my hunters, were living along the beach by a flat rock. We feast and hunt and have fun. If you want to join my tribe come and see us (Golding, 125). Jacks message entices the boys desire to have fun instead of following Ralphs rules. This enticement transfers the power from Ralph to Jack, thus fulfilling his never-ending id desire for power. Lastly, at the end of the book, the confrontation between Jack and Ralph demonstrates the evil, id personality of Jack. At the climax of the confrontation, Jack viciously, with full intention, hurled his spear at Ralph (Golding, 163). The three words: with, full, and intention, show that Jacks desire to eliminate any form of competition has fully overcome him and he only acts on his desire and instinct for power.
On the other end of the spectrum, characters like Simon and Ralph represent the ego and superego personalities of the Freudian Theory. Throughout the novel, Ralph stands up for Piggy when no one else does. For example, towards the end of the novel, Ralph confronts Jack about Piggys specs, stating, You pinched Piggys specs, youve got to give them back. You played a dirty trick- wed have given you fire if youd ask for it (Golding, 159). Here, Ralph shows his ego personality because he is reasoning with Jack for Piggys specs and also trying to find a logical situation where the two tribes could share the fire. Simon, throughout the novel, embodies the superego personality. For instance, when Jack refuses to give Piggy meat, Simon shoved his meat over the rocks to Piggy, who grabbed it (Golding, 62). Simon acts on what is morally correct; in this case, he gives food to starving Piggy, even though it means he wont be able to eat anymore. Furthermore, Simon is always helping and supporting Ralph, even when no one else is. Frustrated from attempting to build the huts, Ralph acknowledges that all day Ive been working with Simon. No one else. Theyre off bathing, or eating, or playing (Golding, 41). Simon helps Ralph even though none of the other boys are because he is doing what is right, which is following Ralphs orders. After all, he was voted chief. Most of the other boys do not exhibit superego qualities because although they voted Ralph as their leader, they do not listen and give him the respect he deserves.
Along with the Freudian Theory, Maslows Hierarchy of Needs encompasses the variety of characters personalities. Maslow believed that what first motivates our behavior are our physiological needs: food, water, warmth, and rest. Ralph fits into this category because he constantly advocates that the first thing we ought to have made was shelters down there by the beach (Golding, 36). Here we see Ralph addressing the physiological needs of the group: warmth and rest. This continually motivates Ralph to build shelters, even when the other boys are playing and having fun. The failure of the group to have the physiological needs led to the group’s split. Jack fits into the self-fulfillment category: achieving ones full potential. Jacks goal is self-fulfillment, but because the boys dont have the basic needs mentioned earlier, all that ensues is death and destruction, such as the death of Piggy and the destruction of the island. Another reason why the group wasnt successful is because they didnt have the basic needs of security and safety. Jack prohibits safety and security when he says, If theres a beast, well hunt it down (Golding, 79). Jacks if implies that there could be a beast, which preys on the littlest fears of the beast. However, Jacks emphasis that his hunters are strong, encourages other boys to join his tribe so that they can be safe from the beast in their fortress on the rocks.
William Golding uses his novel, Lord of the Flies, to allude to the different personalities of people. He also has the characters serve as symbols for the Freudian personalities of id, ego, and superego, and Maslows hierarchy of needs. The Freudian Theory states that people act either on instinct and desire, reason and common sense, or on what is morally right. Maslows hierarchy of needs is a motivational theory in psychology comprising a five-tier model of human needs. Maslow believed that once a basic need level is fulfilled, the next level up is what motivates us. The boys failure as a group to survive successfully comprised of some boys id personalities and the lack of fulfilling basic needs before moving on to other needs. As the Lord of the Flies progresses, the boys lose their grip on civility, and their moral compass, and ultimately degrade into savagery.
Order from us for quality, customized work in due time of your choice.