“Man’s nature is not essentially evil. Brute nature has been know to yield to the influence of love. You must never despair of human nature,” (Mahatma Gandhi). In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, the story demonstrates that man’s nature is not essentially evil. Golding demonstrates that evil only comes out in human nature when fear takes over. The boys started out civilized, fear took over, and then made them savages.

In Lord of the Flies, the boys start out civilized. After a little one sees “The Beast” and tells Ralph and all the boys, Jack says to everyone, “Ralph’s right of course. There isn’t a snake-thing. But if there was a snake we’d hunt it and kill it,” (36). The little’uns were scared of the snake-thing so Jack and Ralph were civilized. They were civilized because they said they would hunt it and kill it. Jack saying this makes the boy and everyone feel safe. In the beginning Jack was civilized, than fear took over, and he became evil and savage. When they are done voting for chief and Ralph counted the hands of who wanted him to be chief, Ralph says to everyone, “I’m chief then.” (23). The boys are being civilized because they chose Ralph to be chief and think they should have a leader or a chief. Ralph is civilized because he cares, respects, and helps the boys. When Ralph and Simon are talking, Simon says to Ralph, “You’ll get back alright.” (111). Simon is civilized because he has a good soul, gave up his life to save others, and didn’t believe in “The Beast”. The boys also think they will get back until they become savages and have no hope they will get back.

In Lord of the Flies, the evil will come out in human nature and make the boys become savages. After Jack’s tribe kill’s the pig, they put it on a stake and gathered around and chanted, “Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood.” (69). This is an example of savagery because they are chanting something creepy and torturing the pig. Fear took over, making them become savages. When they think Simon is the beast, one of the hunters says to the tribe, “Kill him! Kill him!” (114). Simon is a civilized person and was going to tell everyone that the beast was a person who died parachuting but the boys killed Simon. They are savages because they thought Simon was “The Beast” and killed him. They were so scared of “The Beast” they killed a boy of their own. When Samneric come to keep watch of Ralph they say to Ralph, “Roger sharpened a stick at both ends.” (190). The boys tortured Samneric, they are going to kill Ralph, and put his head on a stick just like The Lord of the Flies. The boys became savages because fear took over and made them evil.

In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, the story demonstrates that man’s nature is not essentially evil. Golding demonstrates that evil only comes out in human nature when fear takes over. The boys started out civilized, fear took over, and the boys became savages. In our world today, people can start out civilized, get scared of something or someone, and then become savage and evil. Fear is a very powerful thing in human nature.