Abstract: William Golding is a famous British writer in the 20th century. Lord of the Flies, as one of his most famous works, helped Golding won the Nobel Prize in 1983. Based on detailed text analysis, this thesis has analyzed the human nature through the life of the children in a desert island. The survival process of children under extreme living environment in the desert island produced a series of divergence, which reflected endless debate in contemporary literature: human nature. The thesis made a deep interpretation of human nature in Lord of the Flies in three aspects: duality, evilness and essence of human nature. 

Key words: dreadful environment; human nature; Lord of the Flies; essence; divergence

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1.-Introduction-1

1.1-William Golding and Lord of the Flies-1

1.2-Previous Studies on Lord of the Flies at Home and Abroad-2

1.3-Significance and Purpose of the Present Study-4

2.-Life in Desert Island-5

2.1-Chaotic and Absurd World-5

2.2-Changes and Contrast between Good and Evil-7

2.2.1-The Advocate of the Civilization, Ralph-7

2.2.2-The Practitioner of the Brutality, Jack-8

2.3-Choice and Responsibilities-9

2.3.1-Rational and Virtuous People, Piggy and Simon-9

2.3.2-Accomplice of Brutality, Roger-10

3.-Human Nature Reflected in Lord of the Flies-12

3.1-Duality of Human Nature-12

3.2-Evilness of Human Nature-13

3.3-Essence of Human Nature-16

4.-Conclusion-19

Reference-20