External Restraints In Lord Of The Flies

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Lord of the Flies Essay The idea of freedom with the absence of external restraints can cause a constant battle between civilization and savagery when it is thrust up on society. In some cases when individuals are free to do as they please and there are no consequences for their actions, they will turn to the easier choice, savagery. As more and more individuals turn to this choice, it becomes extremely difficult to remain civilized. There are two competing impulses that humans have, one is the civilized side; with morals, the instinct to abide by rules and live peacefully. The other side that all humans have is the savage side, where animal instincts rule, desires, impulses and violent actions dominate and overpower all morals. Sigmund Freud's…show more content…
The ego is responsible for dealing with reality, ensures that the impulses of the id can be expressed in a manner acceptable in the real world and is centrally based off the reality principle. The super ego is the morals in which you function by, it comes and develops from society as well as your parents. Many of the characters in the novel are easily identified into one of these categories by characteristics that start to dominate and overwhelm the personality. In the novel Lord of the Flies written by William Golding one of the themes shown throughout the novel is how an individual is affected by freedom, the absence of external restraints. At the beginning of the novel the children try to keep order and civilization, with assemblies, the conch, the hunters and the elected chief. Many characters make their own decisions driven by their morals, choosing to try to maintain order and civilization. Unfortunately the majority of the characters fall under the negative influence and control of others which leads them to savagery. Characters including Ralph and Simon remain civilized throughout the novel or until they are killed. Other characters for example, Jack quickly let their savage side take over
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