Lord of the Flies: A Moral Tale

Morality is the basis of each individual's value system. According to Merriam-Webster morals relate to principals of right and wrong behavior, however Morality isn't quite that simple. The belief systems of Human beings can be difficult to characterize but Author William Golding makes a successful attempt in his novel, Lord of the Flies. The virtues of several young British boys are severally tested as they are stranded on an island.

Reading Golding's Work, I realized that there are three types of moral behavior. There are those individuals who are morally good only because they are taught to be, there are those who will throw away all of there morals at the drop of a dime, and then there are those who are truly moral. Simon represents true virtue and righteousness. He is a shy English boy who represents all that is good in human beings. He behaves nobly not because of a religious affiliation or lessons taught to him, but because in his heart, he is able to distinguish right from wrong. Some would argue that Ralph and Piggy are moral characters in the novel, and they are. Simon's morality isn't the result of rationality and civility though. He is able to distinguish right from wrong.

Simon is a character I can identify myself with. The English boy is far nobler then I am, however we share the same morals. I'm a good person because I want to be; I've never felt obligated to behave ethically. Religion is very important to me, but that isn't the only reason for my beliefs. If I was an atheist, I would still treat people with respect. All human beings should hold kindness, empathy, respect, loyalty and honesty, regardless of any religious beliefs. Golding's philosophy goes far beyond the beliefs of young English boys. An individual's morality even plays a role in political decisions, just look at the 2004 Election. George Bush won because he played on the beliefs of Millions of Americans. It is sure to be a main issue in the 2008 election as well. Morality is a major part of culture. Each culture has their own standards of morality. Lord of the Flies does an excellent job of analyzing the various aspects of morality. I recommend this book to anyone who has not read it! At this point, it is cannon. It is one of the best novels ever written , right up there with Catcher in the Rye and To Kill a Mockingbird.