Environment Influencing Behavior in Lord of the Flies Essay

Lord of the flies is a novel rich in allegory every word has been chosen for a reason and when put together they form a seamless masterpiece that conveys the authors thoughts on human nature. One of the queries that may come to mind whilst reading the novel is whether environment affects behavior.

Indeed this question can have a variety of answers, but most will probably follow in the lines of yes. It is quite certain that the surroundings of a person play a crucial role in the development of their character but how exactly is that so? The novel gives us a plethora of examples which can help us in our inquiry of this topic.

To begin with, Piggy is one of those boys who has always been raised through careful guidance and considerable scrutiny. He was brought up by his aunt who was always very delicate with him due to his soft nature and physical constraints. Never was he allowed to raise a finger and truth be told it doesnt seem as if he ever wanted to. He is under the impression that without adults, their lives are sure to come to forfeit and it is through the use of science [as is seen through the eyes of a little boy] and intelligent thinking that the survivors can maximize their chances of being rescued. He isnt very fond of the wilderness but this can be traced to the fear of the unknown as much as to environment. Ralph on the other hand comes from a higher class background where he was probably obligated to uphold a standard therefore he is much more appreciative of this newfound freedom. He is much more at ease to discard the remnants of his old life than piggy but that isnt to say he is not aware of the importance of a peaceful hard-working democracy. He is also quite oblivious to problems around him, as is apparent from the fact that he was unable to recognize the condition asthma. Jack, who has become used to having a battalion at his command, does not take well to being under another. This too is an effect of environment, as when we get used to certain things it becomes difficult to experience or even accept change.

Therefore I conclude that the environment one grows up in has a remarkable affect on his or her behavior. The environment plays a significant role in the individuals experiences thereby influencing the individuals pattern of behavior.