Monday 24 August 2015

What are the psychological, social, and religious allegories found in the novel Lord of the Flies?

The Lord of Flies can be viewed as a psychological allegory that portrays mankind's struggle between the superego and id. According to Freud, the superego's function is to control the id's impulses, such as aggression and sex. The id represents mankind's primitive instincts that often conflict with societal norms. Throughout the novel, the castaway boys' psyches shift towards their primitive human instincts that represent Freud's id. The boys paint their faces, which allows them to...

The Lord of Flies can be viewed as a psychological allegory that portrays mankind's struggle between the superego and id. According to Freud, the superego's function is to control the id's impulses, such as aggression and sex. The id represents mankind's primitive instincts that often conflict with societal norms. Throughout the novel, the castaway boys' psyches shift towards their primitive human instincts that represent Freud's id. The boys paint their faces, which allows them to feel unrestrained in their savagery. The id controls their behavior and enables them to partake in barbaric acts.


The novel can also be viewed as a social allegory between democratic and totalitarian governments. Ralph's tribe symbolizes a democratic society that values each member's opinion. Throughout the novel, the members of Ralph's tribe partake in elections and are given the opportunity to speak during assemblies. Jack's tribe symbolizes a totalitarian form of government that uses violence and intimidation to control its followers.


The Lord of the Flies contains symbolism that presents the novel as a religious allegory. The island symbolizes the Garden of Eden, and the "beastie" parallels the snake in the garden from the Biblical account. The Lord of the Flies symbolizes Satan, and Simon's character portrays the figure of Christ. Their meeting in the secluded spot in the forest parallels Jesus' temptation in the desert.

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