I am going to fail english

[super-smashman]

Unless I do well on this essay.

So, please FFR. I need someone to critique this is any way possible so that I can improve it.

Grammer, structure, logic, whatever.



At some point in most people’s lives we ponder about the future of humanity and if there is something we need to do to ensure our continual existence as a species; some kind of cure-all for our greatest problems such as global warming, nuclear war or pandemic diseases. Well, there is. The novel “Lord of the Flies”, by William Golding, indirectly demonstrates that education can cure humanitie’s flaws. Being educated controls fear, suppresses greed and drives humans forward in evolution. The boys effectively represent the ignorant part of the human race.

It is human nature to be afraid of the unknown. It is an innate system that helps people survive immediate and dangerous situations. However it is this mechanism that often compels them to act in a way that harms others or that harms them in the future. This is precisely the reason why people need to be educated; to overcome their fears when they are malevolent. The boys are all at a meeting where they are discussing the possibility of a beast existing. Maurice interrupts by saying that the beast might come from the sea. “Daddy said they haven’t found all the animals in the sea yet… My daddy says there’s things, [squids] that are hundred of yards long and eat whales whole” (Golding, 96). Had the boys known more, they would understand that a squid could never eat a whale whole and that even if there were squids, they would pose no threat to them on land. Yet, because of their ignorance, they are now concerned about a giant, whale-eating squid attack. Piggy is allowed to speak at the same gathering. He begins: “Grown-ups know things …They ain’t afraid of the dark. They’d meet and have tea and discuss. Then things ‘ud be all right” (Golding, 103). Piggy was able to identify their need for education. He is aware that their ignorance about many things will cause them problems and that gathering their collective knowledge will be crucial in order to survive.

It is human nature to think of one self’s well being. It is just as necessary for survival as fear. Humans naturally prioritize themselves but it’s when they benefit themselves at the expense of another, this is considered greed and is a direct imposition on the rights of others. To be educated would indicate an understanding of this concept. Knowing that selfish actions hurt others makes a person less likely to perform them. Jack is the primary exhibitor of greed in this case. Ralph is heading back to Castle Rock at night to speak with Sam and Eric who are guarding the area. They tell him that he should not be near there, as Jack and the rest of the hunters are searching for him. “”But I’ve done nothing,” whispered Ralph, urgently. “I only wanted to keep up a fire!”” (Golding, 208). Ralph demonstrates his knowledge by saying he needed to keep a signal fire lit. This altruism is in perfect contrast with Jack’s greed. Ralph knows that to get rescued he would have to act selflessly in situations such as keeping the fire lit. He could choose to join the other boys in play and games but he decides not to because he wants him and the other boys to return to civilization. He then proceeds to act in selflessly and tries to keep their signal fire burning, even at his own expense of time and effort. Immediately after the last cited event, Ralph asked: “”Sam – I’m going to be all right, aren’t I?” The twins were silent again. “Here!” said Sam suddenly. “Take this –“ Ralph felt a chunk of meat pushed against him and grabbed it.” (Golding, 209). Sam and Eric are both aware of Jack’s motives in hunting Ralph and risk their own allegiance by giving the “enemy” their food. They do not challenge Jack, however, because they know how determined Jack is to keep his power and they fear for their safety. This behaviour has been seen many times in oppressive and totalitarian governments in history. Jack and his hunters are attempting to push a boulder down onto where Ralph is hiding in the hopes of crushing him. ““Heave! Heave! Heave!” […] The rock bounded on, thumping and smashing towards the beach, while a slower while a shower of broken twigs and leaves fell on him. Beyond the thicket, the tribe was cheering” (Golding, 213). By this point in the novel, the boys have absolutely no legitimate reason to kill Ralph. They would have been better off leaving Ralph alone to try and get rescued, as this would inevitably mean their rescue. However, Jack does not want to be rescued. He is content staying on an island in complete social control of a group of children and, because of his greed, will stop anyone who tries to change this.

Humans are evolving faster than any other species ever because of a simple system we developed. Normally a species inherits slight alterations from previous generations because of genetics and nature. When humans developed language, they began to evolve at an unprecedented rate. They gained the ability to leave knowledge and experience behind, whereas before, they were at the mercy of their DNA. It is education that drives this accelerated evolution and without it, the race would evolve no faster than pond scum. Ralph is attempting to build shelters on the beach. To Jack, he begins to speak. “”Been working for days now. And look!” Two shelters were in position, but shaky. This one was a ruin” (Golding, 54). Ralph does not know how to properly build shelters out of the materials he has at his disposal. Had he known how, they would have lived more comfortably and safer inside huts. Jack and Ralph are conversing after the failed attempt by Jack to kill a wild pig. “”I was choosing a place,” said Jack. “I was just waiting for a moment to decide where to stab him.” “You should stick a pig,” said Ralph fiercely. “They always talk about sticking a pig.” “You cut a pig’s throat to let the blood out,” said Jack, “otherwise you can’t eat the meat”” (Golding, 33). Jack was ignorant about how to properly hunt which lead to his fallacy. The open exchange of knowledge between the boys teaches them, almost instantly, how to hunt better. It’s this rapid evolution that is necessary to maintain the dominance of humans in the world. The boys are celebrating after their first successful kill during a hunt. “”We hit the pig – “ “ – I fell on top – “ “I cut the pig’s throat,” said Jack, proudly” (Golding, 75). The success of the second attempt at hunting is a direct result of the sharing of information that took place beforehand. Jack was able to take the information from another and use it to improve his hunting skills and, therefore, his chances of survival; not only his chances but the chances of the other boys as well. This can be seen on a greater scale with concepts such as democracy or scientific advancements that can benefit mankind.

The knowledge and information people pass on to others promotes the betterment of the species. The more a person understands others, the more likely they are to work towards the betterment of others. The more people are familiar with the world they live in, the less they will fear it. These flaws can be eliminated simply by being educated. Continuing and evolving mentally as a species is the only way humans or any other species can ever hope to understand the most important questions. Is there a purpose to life? If so, what is that purpose? Can we ever accomplish it? The key to finding these answers has always been to be educated, evolve and to never stop searching for the answer to the question: Why?