January 22, 2012

Lord of the Flies - WR2: Significance of Facepaint


Humanity shields the truth behind masks, frightened of showing what lays beneath. Yet every so often their true colors shine through. Lord of the Flies by William Golding expresses how Ralph hides behind a painted mask cautious not to show the beast that’s within. The red, black and white paint on Ralph’s face signifies the concealed secrets behind the disguise.
            Society on the island gained an entirely new viewpoint, transforming Ralph into a beast just by the application of paint; paint he hides behind that conceals the creature within, the paint that covers the face of a stranger he turned out to be. However, the island gradually demolishes the barrier Ralph built that formerly masked the beast nobodies seen before. Although Ralph was portrayed as an innocent choir boy he proved the speculations wrong by showing the demon that rests inside him, “He looked in astonishment, no longer at himself but an awesome stranger.” (63) Finally the beast emerged from within. The mask could no longer hide the untamable animal, but allowed for the demon to show itself for all to observe.
           

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