Masculinity In Lord Of The Flies

The literary pieces, Bad Boy and “I Was A Skinny Tomboy Kid”, are similar and different in many ways. Both present common themes that girls and boys are expected to have certain roles. Girls are expected to play with dolls, wear dresses, and care about makeup. Boys play sports, hate books and schooling. As a child, it’s hard to be yourself and show your true colors. Being different is quite difficult. Everyone is expected to be this way or that way, we are all special and unique.

The four stories show how black males had different obstacles to overcome in gaining their manhood while living in the racist society during the mid 1900’s. The boys in all

The island in William Golding’s novel, Lord Of The Flies, is one of wonder and a great deal of natural resources. However what develops on this oasis is war, bloodshed and cruelty. This could also be said for Earth, as the same traits occur in the global society as well. Therefor, the island symbolises the entire outside world in three key ways, social relationships, war, and politics.

William Golding utilizes Lord of the Flies to prove that the inherent nature of man is truly savage and cannot be contained by any form of civil government. Characters, setting, atmosphere, and other elements are all used by Golding in the novel as metaphors and symbols to ultimately reveal the natural intention of man. In Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan, John Locke’s Concerning Civil Government , and Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s The Social Contract, they share their own personal interpretations on man’s inherent nature, with the closest to Golding being Hobbes. Although both Golding and Hobbes state that man’s true nature is evil and selfish, Hobbes advocates for an absolutist government as capable of controlling man through fear of punishment, as opposed to Golding’s belief that no form of government is sufficient to control man. Conversely, Rousseau argues that men are born with morality and inalienable freedom, and John Locke believes that man is free but is neither inherently reputable nor immoral but a blank slate. Both want the people to be in control to prevent corruption from changing man, although Rousseau insists that a direct democracy to completely give power to the people would be more effective rather than only a representative democracy where the people would have individuals represent them which Locke suggests.

In the beginning of the Lord of the Flies we are introduced to two young boys, who have survived a tragic plane crash. The aircraft was an evacuation plane and it was transporting the group of boys out of England. One of the boys named Piggy is trying to catch up to the other boy, Ralph. Piggy is described as being very fat and shorter than Ralph. He wears “thick spectacles” (William Golding 7) and he is the first to determine that they are on an island. Piggy is also the one that knows how to use the conch shell and comes up with the use of it, which is to call everyone else to the beach. He believed the conch created order. Once the conch had been used we are introduced to more boys and they gain interest in Piggy’s glasses. They discover that Piggy’s glasses can start fires and they refer to them as “burning glasses” (Golding 40). The boys also rejoiced when they discovered that his glasses could create the fires. They proclaimed, “His specs - use them as burning glasses!” (Golding 38). The spectacles symbolize Piggy’s intelligence, which distinguished him from the others. Without the glasses Piggy would be blind and he would not know what to do. Although Piggy is portrayed as being physically weak and not having a great chance at survival, he is the only one that seemed to know a few survival skills. He is the one that created the fire, sundial and shelter. Without his glasses he would not be ‘intelligent’. His appearance and personality cause him to be shunned

In one scene of the memoir, Allison describes her uncles and their need to be depicted as masculine and to act “hard” to the world around them. She also remembers her cousins as young boys and how quickly they seemed to turn into men. The time came for them to act as the world expected them to. This action shows how gender may oppress some males when they feel the pressures of the world to act a certain way. Otherwise, they are at risk for being seen as different and abnormal. Men who do not portray masculinity well are often seen as feminine and weak. When Allison describes her uncles she states, “If you didn’t look close, you might miss the sharp glint of pain in their eyes, the restless angry way they gave themselves up to fate,” (Allison, 28). These men already had their futures planned for them though the society and gender norms. Acting against these norms was seen as unusual, radical, and

Many people have their own views on humanity. They can either be that humans are essentially good but can become corrupt or that people are just essentially evil. They have their own opinions, some people can tell their perspective on humans in other fashions. If people are essentially good, they how do they become corrupt? Or if are truly evil, then why do some people seem like they are kind people and they can never do such things? To take both of these into account, a person may saw that people are good but deep down have evil within them. People may ask how does the evil within a person come out, the answer to that is that it is thanks to their environment. The environment around a person can undoubtedly draw out the evil within them

Laws and rules are what set people apart from savagery. Leaders are what keep a group alive in times of crisis. In Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, Piggy is the only character who remains civil and does not turn to savagery. The boys notice his appearance more than his brain which blinds them from seeing his intelligence, patience, and rationality.

In a society plagued by misogynistic and sexist overtones and beliefs, many have fabricated preconceived ideas on the right and wrong ways a person should act depending on a socially constructed gender. In Dr. Kathleen Young’s words, “Our culture over-values men and masculinity and devalues women and femininity in ways that are destructive for us all” (“Tough Guise”). This is the story of Jax, a fictitious character whose life is used to outline the hypermasculinity and sexist ideals pressured onto boys and young men by society and the effects of these pressures on them. Note that the reactions and end result may be stressed for dramatization, but are not wholly unrealistic outcomes.

“Maybe there is a beast… maybe it’s only us.” (Golding). This line comes from the book Lord of The Flies a book about a group of boys stranded trying to create a colony, and all of the troubles they face. A number of the troubles they actually face come from their own doing, arising because of the way that they learned to behave very “masculinely.” The boys are all trying to appear dominant and repress their emotions so they don't look weak or feminine to the other boys, much like how men in today's culture try to do. So, what would happen if boys were brought up in a more supportive and less harsh culture? Would men appear more communicative and open to their emotions, or would they stay the same? Boys and men growing and maturing in today's society should not be pressured into suppressing emotions and killing all semi-feminine parts about themselves.

Have you ever been on a beach and seen a conch shell and wondered if someone in time used this for civilization? Or even to show leadership? Well if you haven’t, then for sure you will be amazed! In the novel Lord of the Flies, the author William Golding specifically focuses on how a group of children ends up on an unknown island without rules and order in which they become savages and nearly act similarly to animals in one way or another. One symbol in this novel is the conch shell. The conch shell in Lord of the Flies represents leadership and civilization, in which allows Ralph, the leader of the group, to call meetings to order and gives the chance for others to speak; however, it becomes worthless and loses its importance as the story progresses and is shattered at the end, showing how without respect and authority things can lead to savagery.

What is the true nature of man? Are we as humans born naturally good, but corrupted by society? Or are we born partly evil and can be turned good through laws and life-lessons taught through society? That is a famous argument between writers William Golding and Jean Jaques Rousseau. They argued over the nature of man. Golding believes we are all born with some evil, and Rousseau believes we are all born as good people. I believe Golding has the best argument, that people born with some evil can be turned good through society. William Golding states his beliefs towards the argument through his famous book, “Lord of the Flies.” In his story, several young boys are left on an island alone and have to find a way to survive hunger, thirst, and themselves.

Imagine yourself in one of the characters shoes in the novel “Lord of the flies.” You would see yourself loaded with responsibilities, major decisions, etc. “Lord of the Flies” represents a microcosm of adult society. The island can act as a democratic government, demonstrate knowledge, and each character can demonstrate an aspect of adult society. William Golding was in the Royal Navy during WWII. He creates a smaller image for what’s really happening in the world.

“The Cold War isn 't thawing; it is burning with a deadly heat,” (“Richard M. Nixon”). Many remember the long period of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, as a time of heated tensions. Each country was suspicious of the other’s contrasting form of government: the democratic government of the United States was proud of the freedoms it granted its citizens; while the Soviet Union’s ruthless dictatorship greatly limited the liberties of its people. This era created lasting views of the concept of “good versus evil”. British author William Golding wrote his novel, Lord of the Flies, during this time and it reflects this uneasy atmosphere. The character development, along with the carefully chosen symbolism of the novel suggests that Golding wrote Lord of the Flies as an allegory to the people and events of the Cold War, but also to present his future predictions for the Cold War; both of these exhibit the views of the concept of “good versus evil” prevalent at the time.

Porter reminiscences about his childhood experiences and how he and other boys were to strictly follow a set of rules that make a man a “man.” No crying or acting weak in front of other men, for instance, would be idealistic for a strong man. Porter even recalls meeting a teen football player who was deeply saddened and wanted to express his emotions. The teen, however, was in front of his guy friends at the time and he just could not express any emotions in front of them because he would seem weak and girlish. Peer pressure and conforming to society has pressured the boy into falling into the trap once again. The teen learned to be tough since everyone else was tough and did not cry. This story is similar to Pollitt’s statement on how “people aspire to what is possible and conform to what is necessary.” The teen aspired to become a strong man but knew he had to conform to society in order to do so. Pressures from other kids and parents play a huge effect on stereotypes. The teen, if he did not conform to society, would be considered an outcast. People ccannot handle the fact of being called an outcast or abnormal.