Darkness Between Us
“I was in the mood for light. We’ll stumble around. . . We were on the hunt for this beast. . . It won’t have enough light. The archetypes of darkness and light appear repeatedly in Lord of the Flies. Ralph in this quotation is afraid to go up the mountain at night; he’s afraid of the evil and dark beast. Simon and Roger also have a conflict which mirrors the battle between light-dark. William Golding uses the play of light and darkness in Lord of the Flies to convey the allegory of good vs. bad and the personality of the individual.
Lord of the Flies has a multitude of allegories and symbols. One of the most significant is the use of dark and light to convey the meanings of evil and good. Ralph’s name is not revealed until the end of the novel. The reader is only introduced to him as “the fairboy”. Golding uses physical descriptions to make Ralph a symbol for good. Ralph gets the votes of the entire group (except for the choir) because of the bright qualities he possesses. The beast represents the fear of the unknowable in humans. The boys’ greatest fear is the beast in the night. The boys are afraid from the start, but it’s not until they see the pilot dead that they feel sure that there is something. Sam and Eric need to be able to see the pilot before dawn breaks, as the darkness can distort the boys’ vision. It is the darkness that makes them believe they have “seen the beast,” when in fact they could have easily understood what they were seeing if it was lighter. Roger, Jack’s killer is described to have a “shock of dark hair”. . . “[that] suited his gloomy appearance” Roger’s dark and savage tone is revealed first when he throws rocks at Henry. Roger thinks there’s a shield of protection surrounding Henry – the protection from parents, civilisation and law. Roger pulls a lever that sends Piggy tumbling to his demise. Simon is a picture of pure goodness. Simon’s goodness comes out when he helps to reach the fruit the little kids can’t get. None of the boys seem to care for the little kids, but Simon tries his best to help them all. The light is intensified when he meditates with butterflies, wildlife and in a tranquil forest. William Golding shows how archetypes like light and shadow can influence good and evil. Jack is the Freudian “Id”, the personification of savagery. The Id can be a source of pleasure and energy, which reduces stress through action. Jack is a person who has a lot of destructive and aggressive tendencies in his Id. Jack, hiding behind his painted mask, feels more powerful than ever. “He is liberated from self-consciousness and shame” as he cowers behind the mask. Jack and the hunters, who are unable to think, leave the fire and go hunting in spite of Ralph’s instruction to keep it burning. The Id is represented by a ship passing through the scene when the fire is out. It can cause trouble by acting violently, being aggressive, or having sexual desires. Simon represents one’s Superego (ethics and morals), in contrast. Simon, who is bubbly and bright, does only what is right. He has never hurt anyone and can be considered as a mystic. Simon is therefore the only person (apart Piggy) who is able to see that the beast lives in each boy. Ralph, on the other hand, is in between two extremes. Ralph is the Ego. The “manager” that balances out the Id and Superego. Ralph is a representation of the Superego. In his sermons, he stresses the importance of shelter, organization, and a burning fire to save himself. The Id is also entertained by him: he gets “full of proud” after he slays a boar. “I hit him alright. The spear got stuck. He says with delight, “I injured him!” William Golding’s brilliant writing makes it clear that light and dark are symbols of the human character.
Golding shows the interplay of symbols of light, dark and society in the island. Lord of the Flies has been crafted in a way that is both brilliant and allegorical. Simon and Piggy are the Superego, intelligence, protection, and civility. Jack and Roger are the opposites of good, representing evil, violence, the Id and dark desires. Ralph is the Ego and represents leadership, order, and a need to connect with the outside. Lord of the Flies can be related to by readers because everyone has their own Simons and Jacks. Golding wants readers to understand what happens when the Id – their desires and dark pleasures – takes over. Golding’s story, unfortunately, is one that is relevant to today. It may remain so as long as the society does not end wars or conflicts.
