按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
wever； that Golding's intention is not simply to leave us in a negative state of horror。 Lard of the Flies has a tough moral and religious flavor；2 one which a study of its title helps make clear。
The term 〃lord of the flies〃 is a translation of the Hebrew word 〃Baalzebub〃 or 〃Beelzebub。〃 The Baal were the local nature gods of the early Semitic peoples。 In II Kings 1：2 Baalzebub is named as the god of Ekron。 All three Synoptic Gospels refer to Beelzebub； in Luke 11：15 he is called 〃the chief of the devils。〃 In English literature among those who refer to him are Christopher Marlowe and Robert Burton； though it is left to Milton to delineate his character at some length。 Weltering by Satan's side he is described as 〃One next himself ＇Satan＇ in power； and next in crime； /Long after known in Palestine； and nam'd Beelzebub。〃 His subtle services to the great Adversary of mankind are well known。 To disregard the historical background of Golding's title3 or the place of the Lord of the Flies within the novel is to miss a good part of the author's intent； it is； indeed； to leave us with nothing but horror。
2。Thomas M。 Coskren； O。 P。； in 〃Is Golding Calvinistic？〃 America； 109 （July 6； 1963）； 18…20； also speaks to this point at length。 The essay is reprinted on pp。 253…260 in this volume。… Eds。
3。 Golding seems to attach no particular significance to the historical Beelzebub but to regard him as simply another manifestation or creation of the human heart。 （See James Keating and William Golding； 〃The Purdue Interview；〃 p。 192 in this volume。） It is difficult to see how the 〃historical background〃 for the title enhances understanding of Golding's basic fable； although it certainly figures as a due to the theme。…Eds。
At the conclusion of the fourth hunt； after the boys have hacked the multiparous sow； they place its head on a stick as a sacrificial offering for some reputedly mysterious and awesome beast…actually a dead parachutist who had plummeted to the ground； now unrecognizable as his body rises and falls each time the wind fills the parachute and then withdraws from it。 Meanwhile Simon； whose love for his panions and desire to protect them instill a courage extraordinary； leaves them to search out the darksome creature。 He finds himself confronted by the primitive offering； by 〃the head grinning amusedly in the strange daylight； ignoring lie flies； the spilled guts； even ignoring the indignity of being spiked on a stick。〃 As he is impelled to stare at the gruesome object； it undergoes a black； unholy transfiguration； he sees no longer just a pig's head on a stick； his gaze； we are told； is 〃held by that ancient； inescapable recognition。〃 And that which is inescapably recognized by Simon is of primordial root。 Its shrewdness and devastation have long been chronicled： it is on center stage in the third chapter of Genesis； it gained the rapt attention of Hosea and Amos and the prophets who followed them。
As Simon and the Lord of the Flies continue to face each other； the nature of the latter is clearly and explicitly set forth in an imaginary conversation which turns into a dramatic monologue。 The head speaks：
〃What are you doing out here all alone？ Aren't you afraid of me？〃 Simon shook。
〃There isn't anyone to help you。 Only me。 And I'm the Beast。〃 Simon's mouth labored； brought forth audible words。 〃Pig's head on a stick。〃
〃Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill〃 said the head。 。 。 。 〃You knew； didn't you？ I'm part of you？ Close； dose； close！ I'm the reason why it's no go？ Why things are what they are？〃
A moment later； the Beast goes on：
〃I'm warning you； I'm going to get angry。 D'you see？ You're not wanted。 Understand？ We are going to have
fun on this island。 Understand？ We are going to have fun on this island！ So don't try it on； my poor misguided boy； or else…〃
Simon found he was looking into a vast mouth。 There was blackness within； a blackness that spread。
〃…Or else；〃 said the Lord of the Flies； 〃we shall do you。 See？ Jack and Roger and Maurice and Robert and Bill and Piggy and Ralph。 Do you。 See？〃
Simon was inside the mouth。 He fell down and lost consciousness。
The 〃ancient； inescapable recognition〃 is that the Lord of the Flies is a part of Simon； of all the boys on the island； of every man。 And he is the reason 〃things are what they are。〃 He is the demonic essence whose inordinate hunger； never assuaged； seeks to devour all men； to bend them to his will。 He is； in Golding's novel； accurately identified only by Simon。 And history has made clear； as the Lord of the Flies affirms； that the Simons are not wanted； that they do spoil what is quaintly called the 〃fun〃 of the world； and that antagonists will 〃do〃 them。
Simon does not heed the 〃or else〃 imperative； for he bears too important a message： that the beast is 〃harmless and horrible。〃 The direct reference here is to the dead parachutist whose spectrally moving form had terrified the boys； the corpse is； obviously； both harmless and horrible。 But it should also be remembered that the Lord of the Flies identified itself as the Beast and that it too might be termed 〃harmless and horrible。〃 Simon alone has the key to its potential harmlessness。 It will bee harmless only when it bees universally recognized； recognized not as a principle of fun but as the demonic impulse which is utterly destructive。 Simon staggers on to his panions to bear the immediate good news that the beast （the rotting parachutist） is harmless。 Yet he carries with him a deeper revelation； namely； that the Beast （the Lord of the Flies） is no overwhelming extrinsic force； but a potentially fatal inner itching； recognition of which is a first step toward its annihilation。 Simon bees； of course； the suffering victim of the boys on the island and； by extension； of the readers of the book。4
4pare Donald R。 Spangler； 〃Simon〃 on pp。 211…215 in this volume。…Eds。
IV
To me Lord of the Flies is a profoundly true book。 Its happy offense lies in its masterful； dramatic and powerful narration of the human condition； with which a peruser of the daily newspaper should already be familiar。 The ultimate purpose of the novel is not to leave its readers in a state of paralytic horror。 The intention is certainly to impress upon them man's； any man's； miraculous ingenuity in perpetrating evil； but it is also to impress upon them the gift of a saving recognition which； to Golding； is apparently the only saving recognition。 An orthodox phrase for this recognition is the 〃conviction of sin；〃 an expression which grates on many contemporary ears； and yet one which the author seemingly does not hold in derision。
Lecturing at Johns Hopkins University in the spring of 1962； Golding said that Lord of the Flies is a study of sin。 And he is a person who uses words with precision。 Sin is not to be confused with crime； which is a transgression of human law； it is instead a transgression of divine law。 Nor does Golding believe that the Jacks and Rogers are going to be reconstructed through social legislation eventuating in some form of utopianism…he and Conrad's Mr。 Kurtz are at one in their evaluation of societal laws which； they ag