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##titudes Of Civilization In William Golding's Lord Of The Flies

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We all consider ourselves civilized. We think this because we are sophisticated and cultured, and have laws and order. In Lord of the Flies, William Golding explores a scenario where schoolboys enter a lawless and orderless paradise. Through his depiction of characters, Jack, Roger, and the naval officer, he reveals his attitudes towards civilization and civilized behavior. Golding shows that civilization and society are only masks, a constraint for human’s true selves because no one is truly civilized, but instead innately uncivilized and savage.
From the beginning of the novel, Golding uses Jack Merridew’s development and actions to present his attitudes of civilizations and its constraints. Jack begins as a normal choir boy, with respect to rules and against uncivilized behavior: “We’ve got to have rules, and obey them. After all, we’re not savages. We’re English and the English are best at everything.” (42) He believes in civilized actions and following rules, which is continually contrasted by his behavior in later chapters. He neglects his duty to keep the signal fire going, and he doesn’t follow the rules of the conch. However, the one duty he doesn’t neglect to do, is hunting. But the way Jack feels about doing it, does change. Jack, Simon, and Ralph all go on the first adventure trip of the island, and they find a pig without even searching for one, but it is Jack’s responsibility to hunt and kill it, as he was designated as one of the hunters. However, he

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