Marcel Turra 9B

Mr. Owain Phillips

9B English
19 March 2014
The Human Mind as a Devil
Adventure book or theory of omission? Some readers probably think about Lord of the Flies
as a fable, but the truth is that there is a lot behind the book, instead of just an adventure book.
Golding participated in World War II, which makes him see what humans are capable of doing in
extreme situations. In his experience at war, he realized what people were capable of doing. Anyone
who moved through those years without understanding that man produces evil as a bee produces
honey, must have been blind or wrong in the head (William Golding). As soon as he returned from
the war, he wrote his first novel, Lord of the Flies, published in 1954, which tells the story of a group
of children who crashed their plane in a island. He uses the characters to represent each part of the
human mind, and what they are capable of doing in extreme conditions. Jack represents the Id, Simon
the Super-Ego, and Ralph the Ego.
It is explicit for those who know well the human mind, that Golding uses his characters to
represent each part of it. The id, having no morals and seeking instant gratification, is shown
through Jack by the horrendous things he does to get what he wants, the balance of the mind, ego
contains the abilities to calculate, reason, and plan, and that is Ralph, because he is the one who
plans everything in the island. As the responsible for the moral thoughts, the Superego is in constant
battle with the id and its instinctual urges (Humanities 360).
Golding uses the signal fire to represent civilization, and Jack to represent the natural instinct
that we all have, the Id. Jack completely ignores the fire, and through the book it is clear that Jack is
becoming a savage. For some, it can be considered normal, because in the situation they are in,
anyone would have transformed into savages. Keeping order in a situation like this, is an essential
factor, which Jack does not seem to care much about. And not only the reader, but the children in the
island notice that, even Piggy says to Jack that he said youd keep the smoke going (71). Jack
had completely forgotten civilization. The natural instinct is really difficult to control, even more
when you are lost in nature, which can be very wild to some, and Jack was not strong enough, and let
it take control of him and his actions.
Simon is just another child lost on the island, and some may think that his importance is
none. He is the first child that thinks intellectually about the beast, while other think about it
physically and some think that it does not exists. He says that ...maybe its only us (89). The
intellectuality of Simon is very impressive, he realizes what the children is doing to themselves, and
what they are being transformed in, a real beast.
Ralph is always trying to approach civilization by asking to the children law and rescue, or
hunting and breaking things up? (180). Maybe, he is only acting like this because he is considered
the leader. And as a leader, he can not show others any signs that he is losing control of himself,
otherwise the children would completely lose their hope. Even though he always gives the
impression that he is the only one who is still in control of his mind, the human being can not despite
the fact that they have an Id in their mind.
The majority may think that Ralph is representing the Super-Ego, because of his leadership
and will to maintain order in the island. Ralph for sure can be considered the Super-Ego, because of
the way he acts and talks, he can be seen as the government, reason, and morality, and that is true.
When it comes about the beast, Ralph always ensure others that it does not exists, just to calm down
the children, and keep order of the island, which is what a leader should do. Some may consider
Ralph as the Super-Ego, but he is, from a different point of view, a balance between all the
psychoanalyst terms
Although Ralph has all the characteristics to be considered the one that represents Super-Ego,
Simon represents the Super-Ego. The death of Simon may represent the scum of civilization, the Id
mind controlled ones, killing the morality that still exists in society, in some, and just having the Id
and the Ego lasting. They are not able to think as intelligently as him, and thinks about things
superficially, in this instance, thinking about the beast as a physical being, and not as their minds or
themselves.
Golding uses symbolism, a really good literary device, and in this book he uses the boys to
represent the human mind. Not only the children's minds, but the mind of every human being. Every
human being have the Id, the Ego and the Super-Ego. Not all are able to use the Super-Ego, and stays
on the Ego, which is the balance of the mind. In normal situations, the use of mind is required,
moreover in the situation that the boys are in. The point is, the human mind is very complex, and
keeping control of it is very difficult, especially for children, the Id, Ego, and Superego are
constantly clashing, and the conflict between the characters represent this constant mind battle.



















Works Cited
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: Coward-McCann, 1962. Print.
"William Golding Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
<http://www.biography.com/people/william-golding-9314523>.
"The Psychoanalytical Elements of Lord of the Flies." By Courtney Shay. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.
<http://www.humanities360.com/index.php/the-psychoanalytical-elements-of-lord-of-the-
flies-67018/>.