John Rawls: Finding Justice Through Impartiality and a Juxtaposition from Literature
“Each person is to have an equal right to the most extensive basic liberty compatible with a similar liberty for others.” (Rawls, 37). The disparity of injustice has been prominent in American history; but with the use of education, these prejudices can be eliminated and every person’s rights can be equal. The idea of being ignorant of a person’s circumstances was first brought to fruition by John Rawls. This concept has helped to implement anti-discriminatory acts throughout the latter part of the 20th century and into present day. In the book Lord of the Flies the stranded boys turn away from justice and come into a state of nature. If instead, they saw
…show more content…
“As they [the hunters] danced, they sang. ‘Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Bash her in.’ Ralph watched them, envious and resentful. Not till they flagged and the chant died away did he speak. ‘I’m calling an assembly.” (Golding ,75). The ever-growing hunters in the community have transformed into a bloodlust group of savages, or have they? These group of boys haven’t actually transformed, but rather they have shedded off the restrictions of their reinforced civilized society. In their new place ,with no law and order, the boys can do as they please and with this grows barbaric attitudes. The voice of reason, Ralph, is starting to lose democracy in the community with Jack’s threats of the beast. These threats make the boys seek protection and they start to follow the primal orders from Jack. With the downfall of their mannerly society, the boys are in a state of nature controlled by aggression and sadistic motives.
With a shift from a social theory of savagery to one with compassion and understanding of others, the boys would have made their time on the island a perfect opportunity to mature. ‘So this is a meeting to find out what’s what. I’ll tell you what’s what. You littluns started all this, with the fear talk. Beasts! Where from? Of course we’re frightened sometimes but we put up with being frightened. Only Ralph says you scream in the night. What does that mean but nightmares? Anyway, you don’t hunt or build or help- you’re a lot of cry-babies and sissies. That’s what. And as for the fear- you’ll have to put up with that like the rest of us.’
(Golding,
Jack had successfully killed his first pig and the hunters began chant a song “Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!” – (pg. 152) The kids dance around a slaughtered mother pig spilling the pigs’ intestines on the ground and rubbing the blood on each other’s faces. When all authority is taken out of the picture, the kids are free to do whatever they want. This is where their true nature is exposed. The boys don’t put into practice their teachings from school on the island, but become savage beasts. This shows us that man is civilized in our society, only because of the fear for higher authority, not because
In today’s society, many lives have been taken away due to police brutality and injustice. Many people of all races have been killed due to police brutality and injustice. In that case, when talking about police brutality and injustice not just black, but all lives matter. Police brutality today has become a serious issue around the world.The fact that Police believe they have the right to use abusive force toward innocent lives just because they decide to stereotype people based on their race is very inhumane and the people of today must find a solution, and stop this problem. In the book Lord of the Flies, there were problems occurring between all the boys that are similar to the problems of police brutality that are occurring today.
THE LORD OF THE FLIES – Essay If we were observing beings on another planet behaving like our own species, we would very likely call them monsters. We humans are capable of immense love and sensitivity, but we have been also capable of greed, hatred, war, murder and brutality. What is it that causes this ‘evil’ side of humans? “THE LORD OF THE FLIES” written in 1954 by William Golding illustrates the darker side of human nature. A plane carrying a group of British schoolboys is shot down over a deserted tropical island.
Alexander Hamilton presents his knowledge of human nature in this statement, “The sacred rights of mankind are not to be rummaged for among old parchments or musty records. They are written, as with a sunbeam, in the whole volume of human nature, by the hand of the divinity itself; and can never be erased”. In 1954 William Golding Published the novel Lord of the Flies in order to get a deeper look into the flaws of society that are related to the flaws of human nature. During WWII a group of British school boys were being transported by airplane, nevertheless the airplane was shot down, killing the pilot and leaving a group of boys on an island where there is no adult supervision. Today our topic will be focusing on the pessimistic views of
Through the study this term of the central text, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and related texts, films Rabbit Proof Fence by Phillip Noyce and In the Name of the Father by Jim Sheridan, my understanding of the concept of justice, or what constitutes justice, has altered considerably. We all think we know what justice is, or what it should be. In Australian colloquial terms, it is the principle of a “fair go” for everyone. In a perfect world, everyone is treated fairly. No-one is subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, sex or disability. But the reality is that the world we inhabit is far from perfect, human beings are by their very natures
It’s hard to recreate a society and make order when you are a young boy, all you want to do is to have fun and play. This is shown many times in the book by some of the characters, especially during times of hunting. Chapter 7, reveals this to us when the young hunters chant this at one of the boys (Robert,) “Kill the pig! Cut his throat! Kill the pig! Bash him in!.” This chant shows the childness and savagery that the boys went through.
Jack’s bloodlust for hunting contributes to his savage state of mind. The first time the boys went on a hunt in the story Jack pulled back his arm with one swift motion as his knife raised ready to kill a pig. As his arm was raised, Jack took a long pause, the “pause was only long enough for them to understand what an enormity the downward stroke would be” (Golding 31). Jack knew that the act of killing would be counted as wrong, or bad, or even evil in his “normal” society. Knowing that Jack took a pause shows how the boys saw through society’s eyes for the last time. Jack had a breakthrough, he lost all societal bonds after being in this moment of hesitation. The next time the boys go hunting there is no hesitation. Jacks next prey was a innocent carefree sow. Jack leads the hunters inch by inch closer to the sow before commanding the start of the kill
“Telling us to obey instinct is like telling us to obey ‘people.’ People say different things: so do instincts. Our instincts are at war...Each instinct, if you listen to it, will claim to be gratified at the expense of the rest” (C.S. Lewis). C.S. Lewis, a world-renowned author, believed that human instincts battle against each other in order to influence one’s decisions. Similarly, in the novel, Lord of the Flies, William Golding describes a scenario in which animalistic instincts prevail over societal intuition when a group of boys are stranded on a deserted island without any adults. At first, the boys are generally civilized, working together to maintain a signal fire and holding assemblies. However, as time
Looks are deceiving and may fool us among who is innocent and who is guilty. Lord of the Flies, a novel by William Golding, is a famous novel filled with suspense, action, horror and especially murder. Three boys never made it out alive, Piggy, Simon and a boy with a mulberry birthmark. All three were murdered and all on separate degrees, first degree, second degree, and manslaughter. The evidence adds it all up and states who is guilty of each murder.
Cut his throat! Kill the pig! Bash!"(pg. 152).This is an example of societal influences on the hunters since they were once choirboys now chanting to kill a pig is a big change in their lives knowing that they are on an island which is a life or death situation for them. Later on in the book, the leader of the tribe and the leader of the choir boys (Ralph and Jack) get in a huge argument leading to the boys splitting into two groups. The conflict of this action was that Ralph doesn’t have meat without Jack and Jack doesn’t have fire without Ralph.They both need each other in order to survive but one or the other wants to win so they feel more important than the other person.The scene played between Ralph and Jack is like social media to us knowing people want to be popular and known around the world thinking they have more power than ordinary people. Therefore one won’t stop arguing with the other person until there is only one leader on the island even if it means one person dying. This won’t benefit anyone if they are just arguing all the time because there are little kids relying on either Jack or Ralph to survive but if they end killing each other that will just make the percentage of the little kids surviving
Discrimination is the unfair treatment of one person or a group of people because of their identity (including race, religion, gender ability, culture, etc.). Discrimination is an action that can come from prejudice. Within the society the boys fixed on the island, Piggy wasn’t allowed to do certain jobs that the commoners were able to. He was seen as a pathetic, vile outcast to everyone but Ralph and Simon. The majority of the society turned against Piggy in order to prevent theirselves from being targeted by Jack and Roger. When Ralph demanded a fire to be made, most traditional methods failed, but Jack had the brilliant idea to use Piggy’s specs. Soon after, Ralp points out how the fire was worthless considering there was no smoke. After listening to Ralph’s scolding, Jack directly blames Piggy for not helping, “he just sat” (Golding 42). On the other hand, Simon shows that Piggy did take part in the creation of the fire; it was “his glasses...he helped that way” (Golding 42). This evidence provides support to the claim that Jack intentionally discriminates Piggy and forces others to join him in his cruel ways. Moreover, Piggy is seen as being less than human in the eyes of Jack, based on his inabilities. Granted that Jack later on becomes the system, every action is pre-approved by him, which includes everyone collectively targeting Piggy. Not only does Jack segregate Piggy from everyone else, but he also economically discriminates him. He discriminates him based on
One of the things we fear the most is the loss of or lack of control. Even if we really don’t have control, we like to think we do, and when we lose that sense of control, fear rushes in. For example, an alcoholic will say " I can quit any time; I’m in control." The fear comes when he realizes for the first time that he is an alcoholic and that he is not in control. We all fear uncertainty and the unknown. We arm ourselves against it with candles in the dark, or faith against the uncertainty of death. Then, when we think we’ve conquered our fear, it comes invading our minds again, let in by a smell or a taste, a sound or a thought Fear is always there, just waiting right under the surface, to awaken those memories which frighten us the most.
“’Which is better – to be a pack of painted Indians like you are, or to be sensible like Ralph is? Which is better – to have rules and agree or to hunt and kill? Which is better, law and rescue, or hunting and breaking things up?’” (180) In the novel, Lord of the Flies, William Golding gives the reader a look into a society made up of a group of young British boys, all raised in a sophisticated and civil manner, who crash landed on a deserted island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. While fighting to survive on the island, most of the boys gave in to the Beast or their savage side that is inside them. Others, like Ralph, find themselves in a battle with their own mind and the rest of the boys. Without rules and order, the boys quickly change
Although the boys would prefer to have fun and play games, they follow Ralph’s rules at first. This order is maintained until Ralph loses his leadership role to Jack. After providing, or bribing, the boys with juicy pig meat, Jack asks “’Who’ll join my tribe and have fun?’” (211). This lure of enjoyment along with the promise of more food sways the boys to follow Jack. With the demise of Ralph’s leadership and under the leadership of Jack, the boys begin to turn towards savagery.
All of this fear starts at one of the very first assemblies when a littlun says that he saw a beastie in the forest. "Now he says it was a beastie"