A Critique Of Instrumental Reason: William Golding's Lord Of The Flies

Since the publication of William Golding's Lord of the Flies, it has received various interpretations, among which most of them talk about the theme—the darkness of human nature more or less.And the majority of these critics deem that Jack is evil and savagery without reason for him and Roger's killing Piggy, hunting Ralph, and finally destroying the whole island by the fire.This thesis is going to demonstrate that Jack does all these things under the guidance of instrumental reason. With the only end of becoming the chief. Jack manages to find out the most probable and correct means to meet this end. Finally he becomes the leader successfully and creates an authoritarian regime, which results in the hegemony of instrumental reason. And the hegemony of instrumental reason ultimately leads to destruction, barbarism and the alienation between man and nature, man and man.This thesis consists of five parts:Part one is a general introduction to the critical receptions of Lord of the Flies and to Max Horkhemire's critical theories on instrumental reason this thesis based on. Instrumental reason is concerned only with the question of the correct or most efficient means to a given end—utility, in which self-interest criteria, calculability and reification are extremely important factors. This part also contains the reason and significance of choosing the topic as the topic of this thesis. Part two tells that during his implementation of instrumental reason. Jack knows clear his end:to be the chief. He does everything based on his own profitability. Jack's counterpart Ralph is the representative of objective reason,the opposite of instrumental reason (subjective reason). Ralph,a fair boy with responsibility, paid lots of attention to the task of rescue and cares a lot about the littluns.whereas. Jack cares nothing but hunting and becoming the leader. As Jack's hunting provides meat for the boys and his announcement of protecting the boys from the beast,the boys deserted Ralph one by one.Finally hunting substitutes rescue as the only thing the boys care about. Therefore. Jack's final defeating Ralph implies the complete transition from the objective reason to the subjective reason. Part three shows Jack's finding probable means to be a chief. His instrumental reason at first is shown in his hunting skill.In order to be the chief,he reifies nature and even people as his instruments. He uses the signal fire to toast the pig meat and to bum down the island in order to kill his opponent. His follower uses the rock to kill Piggy who gives no support to him. He also needs the best and the pig as tools to help him to get leadership.The pig provides meat and the beast gives him chance to protect the frightened children. His reification of human being to some extent is like the Nazi to the Jews. Part four discusses the result of Jack's instrumental reason. Jack's gang hunts the other boys like hunting the pig and kill Simon as a beast. The killing of Piggy and pig is more like the Nazis' killing of the Jews. These Nazi-like actions finally lead to the destruction of the island and the alienation between man and man.The boys regress to barbarism. The Nazi-like Jack changes the society from democracy to anarchy, and himself becomes a Hitlerian totalitarian. Based on the previous analysis and his bitter war experience. Golding in this novel tries to illustrate that the proud English has no difference with the cruel Nazis. The war between the boys has no essential difference from the atomic war. or the World War. which leads to the death of lots of people and destruction of the world or the island.This thesis concludes that Lord of the Flies is a critique of instrumental reason.