On The Breakthrough To Robinson’s-like Desert Island Traditions In Lord Of The Flies

As the UK’s first desert island novel, Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe begins a tradition for the later British island novels, called Robinson’s-like desert island novel traditions. These traditions are referred by many subsequent desert island novelists. However, William Golding goes against these traditions overtly. The desert island in Lord of the Flies becomes a proving ground of humanity between human civilizations and evil nature of humanity, failing to become the paradise people wish it to be. In this fight, the evil nature of humanity wins an overwhelming victory. It gets this deviation that expresses Golding’s deep concern about the fate of mankind’s future.On the setting of the desert scene, Defoe’s pattern of "Turn Desert Island into Paradise" has not succeeded in Golding’s creation. Golding combines desert island and "beast", and then his desert island becomes a lingering ghost to people on the island. At the same time, image of the desert island in Lord of the Flies has run out of the realistic, so it becomes a symbolic existence because of its distinct fiction. Otherwise, the link between the desert island and the civilized world has been enhanced by using symbolism and people’s fantasies about the civilized world. Therefore, Golding’s desert island becomes a miniature of the civilized world.On characterization, Golding realizes the character’s symbolization, deviating from Robinson Crusoe in typifying characterization techniques. In Lord of the Flies, Jack becomes a symbol of human evil nature and irrationality. Piggy becomes a symbol of reason and wisdom. Simon becomes a symbol of Christian charity and prophet. And Ralph becomes a symbol of democracy notions. Characters of Lord of the Flies are given abstract concepts, such as rational civilization, Christian civilization, and evil of human nature. Therefore, Golding has paid great attention to the whole of mankind. In other words, Golding’s concern is for the entire state of human survival in modern civilized society.By creating breakthroughs in desert island image and characters, Golding points successfully to the civilized society and all mankind. As to the theme, Golding fundamentally deviates from the view of good and evil in Robinson Crusoe, and in turn shows the lurk and transformation of good and evil of human nature in civilized people. The theme of the human evil has always been the critics’focus of attention, at the same time, we should also note that Golding’s insight into humanity is more than that. With a well-thought proving ground of humanity, Golding finds the evil of humanity is deeply rooted in the decline of two great civilizations, reason civilization and Christian civilization. Facing the survival situation of human, Golding tries to propose his unique way of salvation in traditional civilization. On the one hand, he thinks human should understand the evil hidden in their nature by Christian assistance. On the other hand, human should avoid falling into vicious abyss through rational methods. Only then can they achieve their own destiny salvation.