William Golding declared that “the theme [of Lord of the Flies] is an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature (quoted in Epstein par. 3), and you are going to prove him correct.

Directions for Writing: E.L. Epsteins article Notes on Lord of the Flies gives you the thesis for this essay. Using 2 examples from Lord of the Flies and 2 examples from a modern media example, prove Goldings view on human nature.

Modern Media Example (Must be an event after 1990)

Critically read the passage and focus on the authors claim. Pay close attention to any information that directly aligns with Lord of the Flies. Click here for some options or find your own.

The Actual Essay

Your introduction paragraph should include context for the novel and introduce Goldings view on human nature. First, decide on what examples you want to focus on in your essay: bystanderism, natural corruptness, group/mob mentality, etc. This will help you focus your thesis:
In an article by E.L. Epstein titled Notes on Lord of the Flies, Golding explains that the theme [of Lord of the Flies] is an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature (par. 3) and he shows this through _______ in the novel.

Your body paragraph should address 2 examples from Lord of the Flies to prove his viewpoint (make sure to prove that man is defective and that the society he creates is defective). This paragraph should be TPEC2.

Your body/concluding paragraph should address direct evidence from media source(s) that support Goldings claim in Lord of the Flies. This paragraph should be TPEC2.

You must have a Works Cited page for all sources (minimum of 3) you include in your essay.

MLA

Epstein, E.L. Notes on Lord of the Flies. Lord of the Flies. By William Golding. Library of
Congress Catalogue, Putnam Publishing Group, 1954. Print.
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. Library of Congress Catalogue, Putnam Publishing Group,
1954. Print.