Lord Of The Flies

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a double Lntendre in its

psychodynamic and physically sensual sense.

Jack's unwillingness to acknowledge the conch as the source of centrality on

the island and Ralph as the seat of power is consistent with the portrayal

of his particular self-importance. Freud also linked the id to what he

called the destructive drive, the aggressiveness of self-ruin. Jack's

antithetical lack of compassion for nature, for others, and ultimately for

himself is thoroughly evidenced in his needless hunting, his role in the

brutal murders of Simon and Piggy, and finally in his burning of the entire

island, even at the cost of his own life.

In much the same way, Piggy's demeanor and very character links him to the

superego, the conscience factor in Freud's model of the psyche. Golding

marks Piggy with the distinction of being more intellectually mature than

the others, branding him with a connection to a higher authority: the

outside world. It is because the superego is dependent on ...

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consistent with Ralph's actions, patronizing Jack's wish to

hunt with their collective need to be rescued, often turning to Piggy for

advice. Initially, in the relative harmony of the island society's early

emergence, Ralph is able to balance the opposing id and superego influences

in order to forge a purpose: rescue. It is only as the balance devolves

that the fate of the island's inhabitants is darkly determined.

Among Ralph, Piggy and Jack exists a constant struggle to assert their

particular visions over the island. As the authority of leadership by

default falls to Ralph, the conch then becomes symbolic of the

consciousness. Its possession rotates between Ralph and Piggy in ...

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