Overcoming The ID By: Leah Whitaker, Michelle McCarthy, Alex Yragui, and Adam Albitar English II IDEA Mr. Mooney Period 3

Natural Selection Natural selection is the belief that the strong survive, while the weak are killed. In the case of Lord of the Flies the weak are unable to voice their opinions and therefore have no effect on society. “They (littluns) obeyed the summons of the conch, partly because Ralph blew it, and he was big enough to be a link with the adult world of authority; but otherwise, they seldom bothered with the biguns and their passionately emotional and corporate world was their own.” (Golding 49)

Natural Selection cont. “First off, you’ve got to give back Piggy’s specs. If he hasn’t got them, he can’t see.” (Golding 177) “You shut up, you fat slug.” (Golding 91)

Simon “Beyond the screen of leaves the sunlight pelted down and the butterflies danced in the middle their unending dance.” ( Golding132) – the surrounding environment is similar to that of Jesus’s in the Biblical story told, where he, like Simon has a special connection with the natural world. Christ also encounters a confrontation with Satan, which is similar to Simon’s encounter with the Lord of the Flies. “…and in front of Simon, the Lord of the Flies hung on his stick and grinned.” (Golding 138) “ ‘There isn’t anyone to help you. Only me. And I’m the Beast.’ “ (Golding 143)

Simon Cont. goodness/pureness A Rational “ ‘All the same. You’ll get back all right. I think so, anyway.’ “ “ ‘All day I’ve been working with Simon. No one else. They’re off bathing, or eating, or playing.’ “ This shows Simon’s positive outlook even when all of the other boys have become depressed and discouraged from spending so long on the island. He also was the only one to help Ralph with building the huts, instead of hunting and acting savagely like the other boys. He represents a rational for the group, since unlike the other boys whose morals and civility had been eroded away from their stay on the island, even Ralph and Piggy, he remains logical and levelheaded until the very end, always thinking positively and even saving the group from their misconception of the beast when he learns the truth about the parachutist.

Ralph “There was the brilliant world of hunting, tactics, fierce exhilaration, skill; and there was the world of longing and baffled commonsense.” (Golding 71) Ralph acts as the balance between the Id and Superego. “Ralph…would treat the day’s decisions as though he were playing chess.” (Golding 117) –Ralph is reasoning and thinking things through ahead of time

Fire The fire ironically is destruction yet the boys need it to survive and make it off the island. “But the island was scorched up like dead wood…” (Golding 202) “They might have seen us. We might have gone home.” (Golding 70)

Questions How did the fire play two roles? Why can’t Ralph keep peace on the island and accomplish the tasks necessary to survival? What role does natural selection play? What are some examples that show how Simon is a Christ-figure?

Conclusion These symbols add a deeper meaning to the book. Instead of the book being a simple story about boys trapped on an island. The story becomes symbolic for the nature of mankind and the evil that can overtake man...”yada yada yada.” Now the question is…Would you turn savage or be able to resist the power of the ID?