The Real Purpose of Simon's Character -Alysa Stouch

As we all know, Simon from Golding's The Lord of the Flies has been given a spiritual purpose in many conspiracies. Some people feel as though his innocence, sacrifices, and natural instincts to help others represents a Christ figure, or even Jesus. However I feel very differently and this is why:
Throughout the novel different theme topics regarding human behavior are developed and demonstrated by the boys personal conflicts and conflicts with each other. The growth of each character is used to portray the different ways the 'beast' within us will soon take over and evil will always overpower the good.
Jack
It is clear the most viscous beast of the story lies within Jack. His character is used to show how evil will win through the power of fear. He gains dominance with aggression and force and turns to savagery.
Roger
Along with Jack, the growth of Roger shows how even the sweetest child can go wild under the power of darkness. He proves the idea that the beast truly lies within each of us, even the east expected.
Ralph
Ralph's interference with evil is less obvious than the other boys, he starts off as the elected leader and attempts to stay humane. He sets up rules and boundaries to keep peace but as stated before, the force of darkness will overpower  the good. Jack and his tribe resort to violence and Ralph suffers the consequences of not joining. He is chased through fire until he is rescued.
SamnEric
The twins, like Ralph, represent the consequences of resisting evil. In their attempts to stay humane, they are captured by Jack's tribe, tied to a tree, and brutally beaten. This shows how goodness cannot always lead to a happy ending.  
Simon & Piggy
Finally, we have Simon and Piggy. I grouped these two characters together because they demonstrate the same concept. Under the ruling of savagery, innocence becomes naïve and peaceful becomes weak. Both Simon and Piggy are kind and both become victims of evil. Golding wanted to prove that even though a small percentage of the boys on the island would remain sane, they would not survive under the monarchy and panic that develops. Perhaps, this pessimistic idea does not only refer to survival and can be witnessed on a much larger scale...

Painted Faces by Chloe Caldi

Painted Face

A face is a representation of the soul
The eyes are it's windows
The mouth is it's door
What happens when that face is covered?
When it is painted?

A face is part of a person
It is impressionable
Red, blue or yellow
Green, purple and pink
Colors that could mask a face

Warpaint that inspires the savage inside us
Butterflies on a cheek that brings out our childhood
Makeup for anyone who chooses to wear it
Paint in all colors and textures
That allows us to choose how we want to look

A painted face changes your appearance
And each and every person can use a brush
To paint on their chosen colors
And shape your own future
So what do you want to paint?
Who do you want to be?

Jack Before The Crash by Carlie Wilson

While reading the Lord of the Flies, I thought it would be interesting to look into the life of Jack before the plane crash. I decided that for this month’s post I would write a diary written from Jack’s perspective just days before his trip. The entries will not only show the everyday life of Jack before the island, but also reveal the meaning behind his behavior in the book.

Dear Diary,

My name is Jack. I am 12 years old and will be starting the 7th grade soon. I am writing in this diary because my mum and dad have decided to send me and a few other boys in my school choir to safe grounds until the war is over. I thought I would be a good idea to get a head start on writing about my life before the trip just in case I never come back and forget it one day.

Today after school I went straight Saint Pauls Primary School to pick up my little sister and walk her home. My father usually walks us home at 3:00 everyday, but ever since he got sick things have changed and mum says that I have to learn to be the man of the house. When we arrived home I made Emma and I a snack. My mum had just finished giving my father his medicine and I could hear his deep cough coming  from the next room. She always encourages me to go see him when I come home but I’d rather not to be honest, unlike Emma who runs to him as soon as we arrive home.

I found out at school today that I would be the official boys choir leader. It didn’t surprise me because my mum has always told me that I am a natural leader and when I put my mind to something it’s a guarantee that it will be done. When I was younger I often got in trouble for starting exclusive clubs during recess. Teachers would complain that I was exhibiting dictator-like behavior. I, however, don’t understand why it was such a big problem. In the real world there is always going to be someone on top, it’s just up to you to get there.

Dear Diary,

Emma took my stole my diary last night after she had seen me writing in it. I told her to give it back but instead she began to read out out loud and run around the our tiny living room. I told her that she would be sorry for embarrassing me and that I would get her back one day. I decided that day would be today. When she was off talking to dad I snuck into her room and ripped off the legs of her favorite stuffed animal. The ripping of the stuffed piglet only felt good for a short moment but when I was through I looked down at it and immediately regretted what I had done. I found a perfect hiding place for the pig inside a cupboard in my bedroom.

At dinner today Emma asked mum if she had seen her toy. When I had heard how upset she sounded I suddenly didn’t feel guilty about ripping the animal apart. Instead I felt like I had won and I liked that feeling a lot. As the new man of the house it was my responsibility to do the manly chores like take out the trash feed the dogs out on the porch. Although ever since the war started mum stays out and watches me, which doesn’t make me feel manly at all.

In a few days I will be on my way to America. I am very excited to leave but the thought of leaving behind my family is a bit scary. However, at least I’ll know that I will be safe. Mum and dad have been preparing me for this trip and I think that I will be ready in just a few days time.

Simon's Escapade by Emma Bova

          I need to get away. I need to get away from the cards that I have been so unfortunately dealt and I need to find peace away from these barbaric beasts that I am supposed to call my companions. In the far distance, I hear the little boys' shrieks of laughter as they have wrestling tournaments and "who can lift the heaviest log" contests. I can't help but wonder if I'm the only sane one here--as sane as you can be, at least. In all fairness, crash landing on a deserted island may drive you a tad wacko. Nonetheless, I trail off from the group seeking some well needed silence and rest.
        I mosey my way through the brush, gently pushing branches aside, minding my force so I do not break them. I ironically think about that one question that people always ask you, kind of like a personality test, the "if you were trapped on a deserted island, what three things would you bring with you?" Now that I am actually living through the situation, I realize my answers change quite a bit. I wish for a book, I wish for a bathtub, maybe some soap and a fresh pair of clothes. Seems silly, but living among savages can sometimes take a toll on you. I chuckle to myself.
          I plop down in a small clearing and put my feet in the creek. I watch as the water smoothly glides over the rocks and my feet and I listen to the babbling sound it makes as it rushes downstream. I can finally relax. I deeply inhale and the air smells of dew and honey. I take in the lush scenery around me and notice the vibrant colors of the flowers surrounding the creek; there are sizable red and yellow flowers the size of my hand, and peewee purple flowers bunched together and scattered around the clearing. A deep green blanket of moss covers everything: the trees, the rocks, the soil. There are tiny golden flecks of sunlight shining in random spots that managed to make it through the heavy, dense trees. This is a place of serenity.
          I give in to the heavy weight of my eyelids and listen nonchalantly to the sound of the birds chirping and the leaves rustling as a slight breeze blows through. I position myself so a ray of sunshine is shining down on my face and I feel the ray warming my skin and tanning my face. "I sure hope nobody finds me here," I think to myself. They would no doubt demolish this place of beauty. My thoughts trail off as I let myself doze off in my state of relaxation, and I am content.....
          .....For five minutes. I am suddenly and rudely awakened by a splash of startling cold water to the face. The next thing I know, I am being scolded by Piggy for "slacking off" as he drags me back to the beach. I trudge unwillingly behind him.

Good, Bad, or Both? By: Ashley Lasko

We have begun to read William Golding’s The Lord of the Flies in class recently. We haven’t read far into the book, but it's clear the book tells the story of boys crashed on an island, highlighting how they react to the environment and to each other in this scenario. Despite only reading to the sixth chapter (about halfway through the book but still nowhere near the climax), it’s clear William Golding wrote the book with the idea humans are inherently evil. His participation during WWII inspired this idea.

Similarly, Thomas Hobbes, a philosopher studied alongside John Locke, shared Hobbes's view of humans. He described human’s lives as “nasty, short, and brutish”. In contrast, John Locke believed humans were basically good and capable of controlling themselves. Both philosophers as well as Golding clump together humanity, arguing at whether they are good or bad group.

I’m not a philosopher who studied and mulled over the human race for the majority of my life, nor have I lived enough years to be considered an adult. Nevertheless, I’d like to add my ideas to this immortal debate. Humans are large and diverse group of people. There are around 7.5 billion of us on the planet, with many different cultures and languages to define us. With the numbers and diversity that surround us, why do we still try to group humans together?

There are awful people in the world. There are those who will hurt people. However there is also a group of compassionate people in the world. There are people who will devote themselves to the wellbeing of others. Just as there are those who will choose to take lives away, there are those who will chose to donate and bring lives back. However, the fact is that people, both good and evil, exist. Like I’ve said before, it's not easy to say that one group embodies the majority of humanity with the other group intermingled with it, not to mention those who do not fit into one group or another.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m nothing close to being considered an expert on this subject. However, I believe mentioning one group without the other fails to recognize the different aspects of humanity. By saying humans are inherently one thing or the other, the diversity of the human race as a whole is ignored. There certainly humans that fit perfectly into Golding's ideas; humans that will work for themselves and create evil where they go mirror a message from The Lord of The Flies. There are certainly humans that follow Locke’s principles as well, working for the good of everyone. We can argue that the human race is good or bad, but the undeniable diversity makes it impossible to truly say we are all one way or another.