In some inland post feel the savagery, the utter savagery, had closed round him -- all that mysterious life of the wilderness that stirs in the forest, in the jungles, in the hearts of wild men. There's no initiation either into such mysteries. He has to live in the midst of the incomprehensible, which is detestable. And it has a fascination, too, which goes to work upon him. The fascination of the abomination--you know. Imagine the growing regrets, the longing to escape, the powerless disgust, the surrender, the hate.
Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness, Part 1
What does it mean?
How does it relate to Chapter 12?
What concrete example of this idea can you find in the novel?
To me, this quote means that when someone spends too much time in the jungle, forest or wilderness, they slowly become savages. The people that become savages can't necessarily help it. But once you become sain again and looking back at how you acted, it could almost seem surprising or you could be disgusted in yourself.
RépondreEffacerThis quote can easily relate to the book LOTF. At the end of the novel, everyone seemed to turn into savages. From trying to kill Ralph and lighting the whole island on fire. "Samneric were savages like the rest; Piggy was dead, and the conch smashed to powder." (p.207) Nobody really know what made the boys turn in to savages but it seemed like they couldn't help it. In the end, if they were to look back on the things they have done, they might have regrets. I believe that if they were to do this over again, they would definitely act differently
What you say is good. And to add to your list, its not just in the wild that someone might lose their humanity, but anywhere that you are secluted from society for a long period of time might result in savagery
EffacerLike Nick said, any situation where men are free from any repercussions, and forced to resort to their primitive survival instincts will most likely turn them into cruel, insensitive animals simply because that is what comes naturally to when.
EffacerThis quote means that the longer you are away from civilization, the more you will be accustomed to human nature, and that is to survive whatever the obstacle may be. If the only way to survive is to kill, then they will kill to survive. It's human nature and that's how it's always going to be .
RépondreEffacerThis quote relates mostly to Jack and his little hunters, after a while of having no civilization, no one will be telling them how to act properly, after some time, the human nature will come in and they will start to do anything to survive. The person that shows the most change is Jack, he is willing to kill a bunch of people, and for no reason. Ralph realized that they were becoming savages when they killed Simon, they did not think about the future, they were shook up about the beast roaming around camp and killed him. When SamnEric told Jack about Ralph hiding right beside the fort, it showed that Jack was making an influence on everyone and now since they knew that they would die if they did something to Jack, they were starting to change to and they knew that the only way to survive was to stick with Jack and tell them where Ralph was hiding so they could save their lives.
In my opinion, the remaining kids will all have brain damage from living alone all that time without anyone raising them properly. I don't think they will ever recover from that disaster.
i completely agree with you. Jack has claimed the role as leader of the island. he knows all the landscape, the animals and he can rally the hunters behind him. He has turned into a savage by feeding off of the thrill of the hunt and dragging along his hunters with him. They now have unearthed that savagery. The thrill of the hunt, for humans and animals alike.
EffacerBasically when men are faced with a difficult situation they resort to the fundamental rule of nature and life: "survival of the fittest". Jack wasn't necessarily a bad person, he jut did what was required to survive in this situation.
Effacer*Personally, I find this quote to be quite confusing as it sums up many principles. Nevertheless, here is my interpretation:
RépondreEffacerTo begin, you can read that savagery is present in places that have no civilisation, such as a in a jungle or forest, however it can also be found inside of us. The main being we are not savage like animals in these forests or jungles simply because we have been conformed to social graces and etiquette, taught civility and raised with rules in order to live in a more safe and stable environment. On the other hand, places of wilderness have been untouched, so the savagery has grown and may even increase without any set restrictions. I believe that, if you live in such a savage state for a certain period it can transform (even destroy) the individual created by society, without our knowledge.
The island on which the boys are on encompasses all of the featured elements in the quote above; the island is a mystery (the unknown), living in fear and uncertainty, struggle for power and an escape, will power and the resentment they feel for their peers.
In this final chapter, the island does not seem all fun and games anymore, it has become a place of death, hate and tyranny. (ex. Jack & Roger... On a power craze) Without civilazation to keep an eye on the boys, they make the island their own and let evil and savagery consume them. You can notice - as did Ralph, the transformation in the boys from their stay on the island (brutality); it is fascinating to see young seemingly innocent boys capable of such actions and becoming beasts without any tangeable explanation.
‘ Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of the true. wise friend called Piggy.’ (p225)