Vol. 8, Issue 9, Part D (2022)
Decoding the Myth of Civilization in Heart of Darkness and Lord of the Flies
Decoding the Myth of Civilization in Heart of Darkness and Lord of the Flies
Author(s)
Nidhi Gupta and Pratibha Tyagi
Abstract
The dichotomy of ‘savagery’ and ‘civilization’ is one of the most disputed concepts in different areas of studies. Every man has a heart of darkness but is usually overshadowed by the light of civilization. However, when removed from the civilized society, the raw/inherent evil is unleashed in full force. Both Joseph Conrad and William Golding in their respective works have explored the idea of darkness and evil in humans caused by the hunger and greed for power and position. Conrad believed that if men are kept isolated from a civilization for a long time, they would be tempted by an inherent evil which would lead them to disastrous consequences. In Heart of Darkness, Marlow goes up the Thames River and as he gets further away from civilization, the more he journeys into the heart of darkness where savagery and barbarism has taken over. In Lord of the Flies, adolescent boys are stranded on a deserted island and the longer they stay on that island without the rules and dictates of a civilized society, the more they become savage and barbaric.
How to cite this article:
Nidhi Gupta, Pratibha Tyagi. Decoding the Myth of Civilization in Heart of Darkness and Lord of the Flies. Int J Appl Res 2022;8(9):264-268. DOI:
10.22271/allresearch.2022.v8.i9d.10166