William Golding´s Lord of the Flies and the Human Mind

When a person makes a decision it is often with the values of society in mind, but without these morals as a guideline it is possible to imagine the world we would be living in. William Goldings Lord of the Flies is a literary exemplar of human nature at its core, as summarized by Sigmund Freuds theory of the mind’s three levels of psychological consciousness. The character of Jack represents the first level of consciousness that is only concerned with animalistic pleasures; called the i.d. Ralph symbolized the ego which uses basic cognitive skills and instills patience to seek the primitive wants to the i.d in the most effective way. The most intelligent of the boys, Piggy, represents the superego or the guiding power that encourages living by the morals and values that have the ultimate control over human instinct. Throughout the novel Lord of the Flies there are many instances where the characters exemplify the levels of consciousness theorized by Sigmund Freud. Jack shares the same desire to instantly satisfy his appetite for aggression and entertainment as the first and most basic level of psychological consciousness, the i.d. A prominent piece of evidence supporting this is his disregard for rules and order and the thoughts and feelings of others. When the biguns discuss their plan to get off the island he interjects with his own trivial ideas, saying â€Å"All the same you need an army- for hunting† (Golding 23). The i.d. can not function when it’s plans go awryShow MoreRelated Struggle Between Good and Evil in William Goldings Lord of the Flies1186 Words   |  5 PagesGood and Evil in William Goldings Lord of the Flies   Ã‚  Ã‚   Evil is not an external force controlled by the devil, but rather the potential for evil resides within each person. Man has the potential to exhibit great kindness or to rape and pillage. In the novel Lord of the Flies, William Golding deals with this evil that exists in the heart of man. 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