Lord Of The Flies The Id Ego

Lord Of The Flies- The Id, Ego Essay, Research Paper

The ID, Ego and Super EGO

Many have looked at Freud’s description of the human mind as something that describes people and the way of their behavior. Freud s division of the human mind consists of three things: the ID, the Ego and the Super Ego. In William Golding s novel, Lord of the Flies, these Freudian concepts can be compared to the characters of Jack, Piggy, Simon, and Ralph. Jack fits into the concept of the Id that overpowers the Ego and Super Ego, as is seen in his violent urges and carrying out of killing things and the negative steps he takes in getting there. Piggy and Simon fit into the concept of the Super Ego, in the sense that Piggy is logical and proper in his actions, and Simon cares about other people and is and good-willed in his ways. Ralph fits into the concept of the Ego, as he is caught between the Super Ego (Piggy and Simon) and the Id (Jack). Ralph knows what is right and what is wrong, but at times he can be mean or not feel sorry for people. Overall, many of the characters in Lord of the Flies portray Freud s description the human mind, the id, ego, and super-ego.

To begin with, the id is what provides the most primal urges and drives that want to fulfill desires, even if those desires are not allowed or are looked down upon by society. Jack represents the id, as his main goal on the island is to Kill the pig! Cut her throat! Bash her in (page 75)! This is very violent and primal, and in his eyes is meant as a source of joy or pleasure. It is bad enough to have the desire to kill things, but it is entirely another to actually go ahead and do it. The first time Jack kills, he brutally slaughters a mother sow, her belly fringed with a row of piglets that slept or burrowed and squeaked (page 134). Jack was on top of the sow, stabbing downward with his knife then [he] found the throat and the hot blood spouted over his hands (page 135). This is horrifically awful. The pig is a mother and is nursing piglets. The death of any pig on the island is unnecessary due to the fact that there are plenty of fish to be caught and there is plenty of fruit to survive on. If the death of a pig was necessary, it doesn t have to be killed in such a violent manner as this. This shows the id in Jack due to the fact that his urge is to kill. In order to fulfill his desire and wanting, he must kill. The id does not only have to do with violence and killing; however, it combines all drives that demand instant gratification, despite the consequences. Jack decides to form his own tribe, and says to Ralph You go away, Ralph. You keep to your end. This is my end and my tribe. You leave me alone (page 176). This statement by Jack is not violent or very threatening, but it does show the Id being the most powerful part of Freud s theory in Jack. By breaking away, Jack is disregarding the fact that he is destroying the island s society and decreasing their chances of rescue and survival, simply so he may feel more powerful; that is the id at work.

Another one of Freud s theories of the human mind is the Super Ego. The Super Ego can be described as the the [division] which reasons, masters impulses and most of the time controls the environment around it. It helps us come to terms with reality, with the world as it is (quote from Stevenson of Brown University, it well summarizes the Freudian concept of the Super Ego). In Lord of the Flies, the two characters that best portray the Super Ego are Piggy and Simon. Though they are two very different characters, they both have the same basic morals. Piggy, to begin with, is logical and intelligent; he thinks things through. In example of this is when Ralph states I can t think. Not like Piggy Piggy could think. He could go step by step inside that fat head of his, only Piggy was no chief. But Piggy, for all his ludicrous body, had brains (page 78). The ability to think things through in a logical way is a characteristic of the Super Ego. Piggy has always been around adults his whole life, and constantly talks about his auntie, and this is shown when he says My auntie told me not to run on account of my asthma. (page 9). This shows how he lives with in reality and rules, just like a Super Ego. Another Super Ego-based character in the book is Simon. He is bright, but not in a book smart kind of way. Simon can well-understand emotions and the way people feel. He takes action when people are treated poorly and sees the good side of things. When Jack kills the first pig, he does not distribute any meat to Piggy. Being the kind person he is, Simon shoved his piece of meat over the rocks to Piggy, who grabbed it (page 74). This quote shows that Simon in a way is like a parent. He notices that Piggy does not receive any meat, so he forfeits his meat, to feed the stomach of someone else; much like the role of a parent. Another example of when Simon portrays his parent-like figure is when he is building huts for everyone along with Ralph; as everyone splashes around and plays in the water. This is shown when Ralph says to jack And I work all day with nothing but Simon and you come back and don t even notice the huts . Simon physically sees the good of the island, and he often visits an enclosed clearing in the jungle where Nothing moved but a pair of gaudy butterflies danced round each other [and] the white tips of the flowers rose delicately to meet the open air (page 57). Ja