Savage Contradiction in Heterotopia :: Culture Cultural Essays

Savage Contradiction in Heterotopia During the 1930's, the myth of "the people" was born. This myth stressed the importance of unity, and glorified the notion of "average," as evidenced in a prize-winning essay describing "the typical American boy," written by an eighth grader named Alfred Roberts, Jr., for a contest sponsored by the 1939-40 Fair New York World's Fair. This document, which claims that a typical American boy should be courageous, dependable, and loyal to his beliefs, was "clearly reflective of the values the Fair held dear" (Susman, 1980, p. 22). Yet, for all the unity the Fair stressed, it was plagued by contradictions - Contradictions that can be closely associated with those found in the 1954 novel Lord of the Flies, by William Golding. To begin, I will provide a summary of this novel, as well as insights into the author's motivations for writing such a book. I will then discuss the contradictions found within the novel, and their relation to those found at the 1939-40 World's Fair and its streaml ined view of human nature. William Golding wrote Lord of the Flies following his experiences in World War II when, after witnessing countless acts of man's inhumanity to man, he became disenchanted with human nature. Golding believed that humans, including children, were inherently evil, and if left without guidance, would revert back to savage ways. This is the premise for his most famous novel which opens on a deserted island following the shooting down of a plane carrying a group of boys. All the boys and none of the adults survive the crash, leaving the boys on an island heterotopia - a physical locale set apart from traditional public life where rules and expectations are suspended. Although the first character, Ralph, is originally excited at the idea of "No grownups!," his counterpart, Piggy is focused on the need for guidance and rules. This is when the boys encounter the conch, which is a type of shell, which if blown into in a certain spot, creates a sound loud enough to signal all the boys scattered across the island to a central meeting spot. The conch comes to represent authority, as it is decided that anyone holding it must be listened to. As the boys gather, Ralph is chosen as their leader, much to the dismay off Jack, another main character, and his gang, who refuse to submit to his authority.