36 THE FAITHFUL READER the fire erodes. The hunters let it burn out because they are hungry for meat. As the tribe fractures, there aren’t enough boys to keep the flame lit. Ralph understands the importance of the duty as he confronts the rogues. “The fire’s the most important thing. Without the fire we can’t be rescued. I’d like to put on war-paint and be a savage. But we must keep the fire burning.” Ralph’s arguments are ineffective because the boys are no longer motivated by duty but live to satisfy their lust for blood and meat. Yes, There Is a Monster Throughout the story, the small boys chatter and worry about a beast on the island. They fear rustling leaves and the blowing wind; they read malevolence into every movement. Later, even the bigger boys convince themselves they have seen a horrid brute out to kill them. Of all the boys, only Simon changes for the better on the island. He discovers his voice and learns to assert himself. He serves others even when it is dangerous. As the beast grows in the boys’ imagination, Simon sees the truth. He understands there are monsters on the island, but they are not beasts from the land, sea, or air. “What I mean is…maybe it’s only us.” At that moment, Simon is trying, says Golding, “to express mankind’s essential illness.” Human beings, the Bible tells us, are, unlike any other part of creation, made in God’s image. He looked upon his creation, including Adam and Eve, and called it good (Gen. 1:26-31). But we know the human story only begins there. In the Garden of Eden, God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Eve, tempted by the serpent, disobeys God, and Adam soon follows her into sin. Through sin, toil, pain, and death become part of the human condition (Gen. 3). The Apostle Paul tells us that because of Adam’s sin, we too were “made sinners” (Rom. 5:19). This sin stains everyone, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). Sin takes many forms, from the white lie to murder, and it cannot be avoided. Lord of the Flies reminds us that our “essential illness” can be found even among small, seemingly innocent children. Marooned in paradise, where food and water are abundant, they just have a few rules to follow. Soon, it becomes obvious that like us, the boys are in dire need of rescue. Like all human beings, they cannot save themselves.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM4ODY=