The Role of The Superego in Lord of The Flies

In William Golding's novel "Lord of the Flies," a group of young boys are stranded on an island without any adult supervision. The boys must fend for themselves and figure out how to survive in this new environment. As the story progresses, the boys begin to form their own society and system of governance. However, as they become more and more savage, the concept of the superego becomes increasingly important. In this essay, I will analyze the role of the superego in "Lord of the Flies" and how it affects the behavior of the characters.

First, it is important to understand what the superego is. The superego is one of three parts of the psyche in Freudian psychology. It represents our sense of morality, and it is the part of our psyche that tells us what is right and wrong. It is the part of us that feels guilt or shame when we do something that we know we shouldn't. In "Lord of the Flies," the superego is represented by Simon, the most rational and kind-hearted character in the novel.

Simon serves as a voice of reason in the novel and is the only character who truly understands what is happening on the island. He is the first to realize that the "beast" that the boys are so afraid of is actually a projection of their own fears and insecurities. Simon's wisdom and insight are essential to the survival of the group, but unfortunately, the other boys do not seem to recognize or appreciate his contributions.

The other characters in the novel, particularly Jack and his followers, represent the id. The id is the part of our psyche that is concerned with primal instincts and desires. It seeks immediate gratification and does not consider the consequences of its actions. Jack is obsessed with hunting and killing, and he is willing to do whatever it takes to satisfy his desire for power and control. His followers are equally violent and impulsive.

Finally, the ego represents the part of our psyche that tries to balance the needs of the id with the demands of the superego. The ego is our sense of self-awareness and personal identity. In "Lord of the Flies," the ego is represented by Ralph, who struggles to maintain order and keep the group together. He recognizes the importance of the rules and regulations that they have established but is unable to enforce them effectively.

Throughout the novel, the conflict between the id and the superego plays out in a number of ways. The boys' descent into savagery can be seen as a failure of the superego. As they become more and more violent, they begin to lose touch with their sense of morality. The idea of the "beast" serves as a projection of their own fears and insecurities, as they struggle to reconcile their primal instincts with their sense of right and wrong.

As the story progresses, the importance of the superego becomes more and more apparent. Simon's death represents the loss of the only truly moral character in the novel, and the boys' behavior becomes even more savage and violent as a result. Without the superego to guide them, they are left to succumb to their most primal instincts.

In conclusion, the concept of the superego is central to the plot of "Lord of the Flies." William Golding uses the characters to represent the different parts of our psyche, and their interactions demonstrate the conflict between our sense of morality and our primal desires. The importance of the superego becomes increasingly apparent as the novel progresses, and Simon's death represents the loss of the only character who truly understands the importance of morality. Ultimately, "Lord of the Flies" is a cautionary tale about the dangers of giving in to our most primal instincts and the importance of maintaining a sense of morality and self-awareness.