The Pleasure Principle In Lord Of The Flies

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If humans are born with innate fears, these fears make us moral. They make us moral because when babies are born they have conventional understandings of good and bad. According to The Baby Lab, more than 80 percent of the babies in the study showed their preference for the good bunny, either by reaching for the good bunny or staring at it. This proves that babies judge good and bad in the actions of others. In the novel, Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding in chapter one when the boys plane crashed, they were all alone on an island. For example there were no adults to show the boys what was good or bad. This is an example of how babies are born with innate fears, because this consensus is symbolic to what the Yale University…show more content…
The reality principle is based on what people need in a way. The theory that humans can put off their critical desires to fulfill aspects of their lives. The pleasure principle is the part of human nature that motivates people to complete tasks. The pleasure principle is the aspect of pleasing ourselves. In the novel an event that represents the reality principle is when the boys vote for Ralph as leader. This is the reality principle because the boys needed order and civilization. This shows that humans need order, civilization, and structure. The pleasure principle is shown when the boys gather for the hunting circle and chant. For example, “The desire to squeeze and hurt was over mastering” (p.115). This is symbolic to human nature because the boys are driven to kill something. In the article, “The Evolution of Human Aggression,” researchers said that “most males channel their anger into violence.” The boys represent this, because they turn their anger into violence by killing Piggy and hunting Ralph. Piggy is an outcast archetype because he was banished and was destined to become a wanderer. Piggy is also a symbol of the mind of…show more content…
It is logical and easy to believe this theory because our society has demonstrated a desire to be an exemplar one consisting of seemingly self interested people. Hobbes states that western society, as a whole, is in mass denial about the future problems we will face as a result of violence. In the article, “The Evolution of Human Aggression,” Elizabeth Cashdan says, the truth lies somewhere in between human beings being naturally peaceful and those who think we are more naturally prone to violence. Cashdan states, “There is plenty of evidence to support both claims: violence, reconciliation, and cooperation are all part of human nature.” This proves that this range of emotions evolved because they benefited humans in some way in the past. In the novel, when Ralph calls the meeting, he does so because he realizes that his lack of power is starting to make things chaotic and Jack was trying to vanquish him. This is an example of what Hobbes says about people doing whatever they need to do to save themselves. This further supports that our society is not selfless and is ultimately interested in their own benefit. Likewise, the reality principle is also demonstrated when the boys need for structure resulted in them voting for Ralph as their chief. This further shows that people make decisions based on what is good for themselves without regard
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