Lord of the Flies

A Philosophical Approach

What are people really like in their true nature?

• Are humans inherently good or evil?
• Are we born innocent and later shaped "evil" by society?
• How would people act if there were no laws in place?
• Are governments or authority necessary?
• Why do people agree to put up with authority of kings, rulers, or even, gulp, teachers?

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When left alone, humans are essentially scumbags....

• This is Goldings POV.
• If it isn't clear yet, it will be as the novel continues
• We will begin to see the evolution of Jack and the Hunters from innocent choirboys to malevolent savages.
• The forthcoming events were foreshadowed in chapter 5, when the narrator states: "Simon [was unable] to express mankind's essential illness" (Golding 89).

Allegory

• REMEMBER!

Lord of the Flies is an

allegory—virtually

everything

and everyone is a symbol

for something.

Philosphy

• The novel was written after World War II, when people did some pretty awful things to other people and they were terrified by new weapons.
• This made many people wonder about what people are really like (their true nature) and why they allow and obey authority.
• They weren’t the first to ask these kinds of questions.

Thomas Hobbes

• 17^th Century British

Philosopher

Hobbes

• Kind of a cynic (someone who assumes the worst about things).
• State of Nature = how people would be if there were no laws or societies

• Believed that the state of nature is a state of war. No “natural” morality (good or bad)—just constant warfare and conflict.
• People are naturally cruel and selfish and will do whatever it takes to get what they want.

Hobbes

• No one is really “free”: anyone can kill anyone else; however, they are equal.
• In a state of nature, life would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”

• Government/society is designed to control people.
• People agree to authority (kings, governments, etc.) to avoid being killed.
• Basically: I will give up my right to kill you if you give up your right to kill me. If either of us breaks that rule, society can kill us.

Hobbes

• People give up their nature to the authority.
• To whom does the authority give up their nature?
• They don’t, which is why nations and kings are always at war. Get it?

When left alone, humans are essentially scumbags....

If we were to sum up Hobbes, this statement would definitely apply.

John Locke

• Another 17^th Century

British Philosopher

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Big influence on

Thomas Jefferson

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Locke

• Kind of a rational/ logical thinker
• Believed that the state of nature is absolute freedom to do whatever you want.

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Locke

• Believed people are naturally pretty peaceful because it is logical to be that way—safer for you and your stuff.
• Everyone is basically

equal.

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• State of nature is not necessarily good or evil, but it is chaotic—you are technically free to kill others and take their stuff if that’s what you want to do.

Locke

• Government is designed to help and protect people and their property. If it doesn’t, they should get rid of it.

• People agree to authority because it allows greater protection and advantage for them than the state of nature does.

When left alone, humans are essentially scumbags....

Locke wouldn't agree with this statement. He'd simply say humans would behave logically and use common sense.

Jean-Jaques Rousseau

• 18^th Century Swiss

Philosopher

Rousseau

• Kind of a hippie.
• State of nature: Man is basically a blank slate—it is society that makes him evil and corrupt.
• Also, everything

belongs to everyone; it is only when people start to try to own things that they begin to turn to the dark side.

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Rousseau

• Societies form a “General Will”
• Basically, as part of the society, I agree to do what is best for the society, not just what is best for me.

• If I break that rule, then society has a right to force me to obey because I already agreed when I became a part of the society that they would be right anyway.

Rousseau

• Government and authority exist to protect the “General Will”—to enforce whatever is best for everyone.

When left alone, humans are essentially scumbags....

Rousseau would say that humans aren't scumbags at all, and would actually be quite peaceful if left alone.

Philosopher Comparison:

Hobbes

*Mean/Cynical

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People= Animals/Cruel/ Warlike

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Power=Control

Locke

*Logical

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People=

Common Sense

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Power= Enforces Rules/ Cooperation

Rousseau

*Hippie

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People= Equal/Peaceful;

Society Makes us Bad/Greedy

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Power= Do what everyone wants

Back to Lord of the Flies

• As we continue to read, see if you can figure out which characters seem to fit each of these philosophies.

When left alone, humans are essentially scumbags....

• Are humans inherently good or evil?
• Are we born innocent and later shaped "evil" by society?
• How would people act if there were no laws in place?
• Are governments or authority necessary?
• Why do people agree to put up with authority of kings, rulers, or even, gulp, teachers?

​