Lord of the Flies by William Golding and A Separate Peace...

When placed in the right situations and circumstances, all human beings are capable of revealing a darker side of them-a side that almost everyone is afraid to show. No one will admit to having a dark side in them, until nature forces them to face it. Lord of the Flies by William Golding and A Separate Peace by John Knowles are two books that emphasize man’s savagery through their characters, themes, and plots. At first, all men have hidden savagery, then something triggers the savagery within them, and they complete the transformation. The human race holds a dark side lurking within them. In most cases, humans are unaware of its existence because of the high standard expected in civilization.â€Å"Where’s the man with the megaphone?† The fair†¦show more content†¦Jack’s obsession triggers something within him that strives for power and control. â€Å"He tried to convey the compulsion to track down and kill that was swallowing him up†(Golding, Page 51). Jacks transformation from civilized bully to savage killer has begun. Rounding up the other boys, Jack pulls them into the addictive chase of killing the pigs. Even Ralph and Piggy, the two that wanted to keep order alive the most, get caught up in the hunt, proving that everyone can be provoked and only a few can resist the urge to give in to wickedness. Hunting has possessed Jack, and he will stop at nothing to kill the pigs and the beast at the expense of all else, even rescue. In A Separate Peace, Gene is triggered by his jeal ousy towards Finny. His jealousy seems harmless at first but continues to grow. â€Å"He had never been jealous of me for a second. Now I knew that there never was and never could have been any rivalry between us. I was not of the same quality as he. I couldn’t stand this† (Knowles, Page 59). The novel’s plot is the problem of Genes increasing envy of Finny. Incapable of the spiritual purity of Phineas, Gene finds himself jealous of Finnys ability to ignore Devon rules in his attempt to enjoy an unregulated friendliness with the adult world. â€Å"Gene has come to see that this enemy never comes from without, but always from within† (Ellis, Para 4). After being pulled into their own desires, the characters in Lord of theShow MoreRelatedThe Comprehensive Effects of War Essay1144 Words   |  5 Pageseffect of war and as only happening to soldiers, a simply counterfactual statement. The effects of war are seen throughout the novels A Separate Peace by Joh n Knowles and Lord of the Flies by William Golding, two books written about wars by men who were involved in war. Knowles went to school during World War II and then joined the Royal Air Force for eight months. Golding joined the Royal Navy in 1940 and fought a variety of battles for seven years. War has an impact on civilians as much it has an impactRead MoreWilliam Golding s Lord Of The Flies 1299 Words   |  6 PagesSavagery in Civilization: Symbolism in Lord of the Flies Symbolism as defined by the Merriam Webster Dictionary, is â€Å"the use of symbols to express or represent ideas or qualities in literature, art, etc.† (â€Å"Symbolism†). For this reason, symbolism is utilized in literature in order to make novels more interesting and convey notions that are usually either highly controversial or extremely philosophical. For example in the popular novel A Separate Peace, John Knowles uses Gene in order to depict the themeRead MoreWilliam Goldings Lord of the Flies and John Knowles A Separate Peace671 Words   |  3 Pagesevil. These types of counterpart characters are known as doppelgangers. A doppelganger is an alter ego of ones charisma. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies and John Knowles’ A Separate Peace, the characters Ralph/Jack and Gene/Finny represent doppelgangers, explaining how they complement each other and maintain supremacy. One significant pair of characters who separate is Ralph and Jack. Their dual natures cause differences among themselves due to various reasons. From a physical standpointRead MoreLord Of The Flies, By William Golding And The Perks Of Being A Wallflower1087 Words   |  5 PagesFor me, coming of age novels always grab my attention contrary to other genres. Novels such as Lord of the Flies by William Golding and The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky are among some of my most beloved. In my junior year, I read A Separate Peace by John Knowles for my AP U.S. History class while I read The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger over the summer. A Separate Peace explores the rivalry that can lie at the heart of many friendships and conveys the concept of individuality