The central theme in the novel Lord of The Flies, by William Golding, is that all mankind is inherently savage and the only aspect suppressing man's primitive behavior is the moral influences of civilization. It is society that holds everyone together, and when rules, values, and consensus of right and wrong are absent, a moral surrounding no longer influences one's actions. Thus, values, reason, and the basic understanding of morality are lost, and the true essence of human nature is revealed. The regression from a civilized society to savagery is portrayed through Golding's characters and symbolized by the downfall of...
conch, fire, and paint to depict his solemn views of humanity. Contrary to the belief that man is innocent and society is evil, Golding points out that man is the one who makes up society, and thus man is the one who is inherently evil. Therefore, laws and rules of civilization are needed in order to suppress the darker side of human nature. However, like the boys in the novel, if one is no longer under the enforcement and influence of civilized structure and morality it is quite easy to give into the savage desire of the Beast within.