Psychology In Lord Of The Flies

Psychology in Lord of the Flies
In Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, a group of schoolboys become stranded on an island. The
novel describes how most of the boys change from civilized to immoral behavior. There are no adults on
this island to enforce rules and laws. As the boys loose touch with the standards of old they start to enjoy
the island more and more. Eventually they are completely free of the civilized ways they were taught.
When Simon came with news about the beast the others were dancing around a fire chanting, "Kill the
beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!" They turned on him, beating him to death. They had, in fact,
become the beast themselves. Like animals they had lost the feelings of compassion and remorse. The
book is a psychological study of the influence of the group on the behavior of individuals.
Upon arriving on the island the boys search for the necessities to stay alive. As in the psychologist
Abraham Maslow's theory of human needs each step must be satisfied before you go to the next stage. The
island provided plenty of food and water, satisfying their basic needs of stage one. The stranded
schoolboys tried to find security by finding a way to make fire. Gradually they began to develop some
rules and leaders. At an assembly only the person holding the conch could speak. As their physical needs
had been fulfilled they began to form groups. According to the theory this is stage three when people want
to be a p...

Psychology In Lord Of The Flies

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