Entrapment of Dualistic Binaries in William Golding’s Lord of The Flies

Abstract

This essay analyzes how William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies creates the dualistic binary of culture versus nature and women versus men. I draw upon Marti Kheel, Val Plumwood and Sherry B. Ortner’s studies to examine how the novel reinforces the problematic dualistic binary of culture versus nature and men versus women. Through qualitative analysis of textual references, this essay discovered that selected fiction by situating masculine characters in dominant position and by placing feminine characters in an oppressed state, establishes the dominance over culture over nature and men over women. In addition, this essay uncovered how the novel by using feminine metaphors associates nature with women and culture with men and reaffirms the subjugation of nature and women in the hands of culture and men. This essay helps in identifying the crucial role of literature in constructing and maintaining the structures of domination leading to inequality in society.