Reading Response 1: The Wall

The wall is a boundary that is especially noticeable in the character Ralph within the classic novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding. It is built from blocks of rules and the gaps are filled by common sense. The boys in the novel have varying degrees of strength within their individual walls, ranging from Jack's very weak mental wall to Piggy's very strong mental wall. Of course, a wall is either built to keep something out or something in, and I do believe these walls found within the minds of the boys serve both purposes. It is used to keep the 'beast' out and sanity in. Unfortunately, Jack's wall is very vulnerable to the 'beast,' and he as well as his followers soon become consumed by inhumanity and savagery. It seems as if his wall also had many gaps in its common sense as he becomes obsessive about hunting rather than rescue.

On the other hand, there are a few boys that have strong mental defences against the 'beast' including Sam and Eric, Ralph, Piggy and potentially Simon. Each boy, at one point or another, is consumed by the 'beast,' one of the most prominent times being during Simon's death. However, most of them seem to keep their common sense throughout the majority of the novel, and they remain focused on rescue. Piggy has the strongest wall of them all and he follows the rules even while the boys are in turmoil. He also shows Ralph sense when Ralph becomes distracted from their main objective: rescue and keeping the fire going. There is a point when Ralph, too, begins to lose his common sense in the thrill of the hunt, which makes him doubt his leadership capabilities. Indeed, he refers to this mental block as the 'curtain' that blocks his view. In a way this curtain has the opposite effect of the wall in the sense that it keeps out common sense and leaves Ralph shrouded in darkness within. This inner conflict in Ralph's mind makes their whole society vulnerable, and gives Jack his opportunity to rise up and take authority over all of the weak-walled boys.

In the end, the mental walls are not enough to keep out the 'beast' from their minds of reason, No amount of rules or common sense the boys possess can keep the 'beast' out, and as a result, they lose their innocence. It seems plausible that everyone of us could have a mental wall as well, ready at any moment to be broken down and invaded by the 'beast.' Maybe this wall is our only defence against the 'beast' and our only chance at remaining innocent. In which case, Golding's novel Lord of the Flies serves as a learning experience and a reminder of our vulnerability to insanity and inhumanity.