The title of my project: William Golding - the Novelist of British Post-war Era allowed me to present one of the most imaginative writers of 1950’s of England from a several different perspectives. The decision behind choosing such topic was dictated by the previous interests which emerged as a result of my earlier contacts with the British culture.
Various British novelists and playwrights who emerged in the 1950’s expressed disaffection with the established socio-political order of their country. Their impatience and resentment were especially aroused by what they perceived as the hypocrisy of the upper and middle classes. They were called Angry Young Men - a journalistic catchphrase originally used by British newspapers after the success of the play Look Back in Anger by the playwright John Osborne.
Evil nature of human, religious symbolism and ever-present pessimism. Few novels as brief as William Golding’s Lord of the Flies raise so many fascinating questions. Are human beings evil and how does evil arise? What is the nature of isolation? Why and how do we choose our leaders and what are a leader’s responsibilities? The list could continue for several pages and still barely touch the peak of the mountain, yet each is a significant one worthy to be considerate.
Lord of the Flies, full of Christian imagery and symbolism, in the end has a very humanistic lesson - if the beast is within us we can cope with it. Rather than being under the influence of a supernatural devil – which in fact Golding claimed not to be the force present on the island - we are confronted with our own original sin and depravity. Once removed from the bounds and rules of civilization we have a strong tendency to revert to brutality and savagery. As Golding illustrates with Simon, though, there is goodness within people as well. If that goodness is reinforced, we have hope of overcoming the evil.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter One - Cultural Background to British Literature of 1950’s
1.1. The Angry Young Men
1.2. The New Theatre of the 1950’s
Chapter Two - William Golding – the Novelist of British Post-war Era
2.1. Early Years
2.2. The War and Its Impact on Golding’s Writing
2.3. After the War
2.4. Golding’s Early Works
2.5. Later Works by Golding
Chapter Three - William Golding’s Symbolism
3.1. Symbols and Their Meaning in Lord of the Flies
3.2. Brutal Homo-sapiens vs. Gentle Neanderthals – The Inheritors
3.3. Synthesis of Good and Evil – The Spire
Objectives and Research Focus
This thesis aims to explore the literary contributions of William Golding, specifically focusing on his perspective regarding the inherent nature of evil, human morality, and the loss of innocence as depicted in his most significant works. The central research question examines how post-war societal changes and Golding’s own experiences shaped his pessimistic, yet deeply moralistic, view of the human condition.
- The cultural and literary landscape of 1950s Britain, including the "Angry Young Men" movement.
- The biographical evolution of William Golding and the influence of his war experiences.
- Symbolism as a narrative technique to explore original sin and human depravity.
- Comparative analysis of human nature through novels like Lord of the Flies, The Inheritors, and The Spire.
Excerpts from the Book
3.1. Symbols and Their Meaning in Lord of the Flies
The first question to arise in connection with the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding is whether it can be treated as a philosophical novel. To some extent – it can. It might be treated as a philosophical story, referring to so-called anti-utopian genre, so common in the writings in the fifties. It is a description of the boys’ adventure story, who marooned on a desert island after a plane crash, quickly degenerates into cruel barbarism. The author skilfully links a swift action with a presentation of the philosophical thesis.
In the novel, William Golding deliberately does not agree with so-called naturalism – a philosophy which proclaims that only the man who shall abandon all of the knowledge he or she gained and will break with a modern civilization can achieve happiness and will be able to live in unity with both the other human beings and the nature.
One may say, that the novel is shaped by an intermixture of the Christian concept of original sin, a post-Darwinist pessimism, as many other novels of Golding. As I will present in the further part of my thesis, it also contains the elements of so-called uncanny. Lord of the Flies is a highly symbolic novel, and many of its symbols are easily interpreted. The symbols representing the main themes and how they evolve throughout the novel are: the conch shell, Piggy’s glasses, the fire-signal fire, and the lord of the flies or the beast. William Golding tries to prove his point by making each of the symbols represent something that is changing on the island. Symbols are objects, characters, figures, or colours used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.
Summary of Chapters
Chapter One - Cultural Background to British Literature of 1950’s: This chapter analyzes the intellectual and social climate of 1950s Britain, emphasizing the emergence of the "Angry Young Men" movement and shifts in post-war theatre.
Chapter Two - William Golding – the Novelist of British Post-war Era: This section provides a biographical overview of Golding, connecting his early life and wartime experiences to his later literary preoccupations with human nature.
Chapter Three - William Golding’s Symbolism: This chapter examines the core symbolism used in Golding’s major works to explore themes of original sin, the inherent nature of evil, and the tension between civilization and savagery.
Keywords
William Golding, Lord of the Flies, The Inheritors, The Spire, original sin, symbolism, post-war literature, human nature, Angry Young Men, Neanderthals, Homo sapiens, morality, pessimism, British literature, existentialism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this thesis?
The work explores William Golding’s literary contribution, analyzing how his novels reflect his conviction that humanity possesses an inherent dark, savage nature that challenges the concepts of progress and innocence.
Which thematic fields are centrally addressed?
The central themes include the clash between good and evil, the loss of childhood innocence, religious symbolism, and the critique of modern human civilization.
What is the primary research goal of this paper?
The goal is to analyze how Golding used symbolic narrative to demonstrate that evil is not an external force, but an internal component of the human soul.
Which scientific methods were employed?
The author utilizes literary analysis, historical contextualization of the 1950s era, and comparative thematic studies of Golding's major novels.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The body covers the cultural background of 1950s British literature, Golding's biography, his rejection of optimistic humanism after World War II, and a detailed symbolic analysis of his core trilogy.
What defines the core keyword set?
The keywords highlight the intersection of Golding's specific works (like Lord of the Flies) with universal philosophical and theological themes such as original sin and savagery.
How does Golding differentiate between the Neanderthals and Homo sapiens in "The Inheritors"?
The author shows how Golding portrays the Neanderthals as gentle and compassionate, whereas the emergent Homo sapiens are depicted as cruel, sophisticated, and ultimately destructive.
What significance does the "conch" hold in "Lord of the Flies"?
The conch serves as the primary symbol for the order and civilization the boys attempt to replicate on the island; its destruction marks their full descent into savagery.
Why does Golding characterize himself as a "universal pessimist but a cosmic optimist"?
This paradox reflects his belief that while humans are inherently flawed and savage, there is still hope for individual moral redemption and the realization of one's own folly.
- Quote paper
- MA Marta Zapała-Kraj (Author), 2018, William Golding. The Novelist of British Post-War Era, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/470984
