1. Comparison of Golding’s Lord of the Flies and Freud’s Theory of Personality
English I
Mayfield

2. Who was Sigmund Freud?
Sigmund Freud was an Austrian neurologist and the pioneer for psychoanalysis, a system of psychological theory and therapy investigating the interaction of conscious and unconscious elements in the mind.
Authored many books on the topic and was one of the most controversial, yet influential thinkers of his time.

3. Freud’s “Theory of Personality”
States that the personality or human psyche is divided into three sections: the Id, ego, and super ego
These three coexist and interact with each other based on instincts (which must be tamed by civilization)
Id is entirely in the unconscious
Ego and superego exist in the conscious, pre-conscious, and unconscious
Freud compared the relationship between the ego and the id to that between a charioteer and his horses: the horses provide the energy and drive, while the charioteer provides direction.

4. Iceberg Metaphor
“The mind is like an iceberg, it floats with one-seventh of its bulk above water.”

5. The Id Present from birth
Very useful in infancy, when all of a baby’s needs have to be met
Believed to be the primary component of a personality
Contains all primitive needs and urges
When the Id has a desire for something, that desire needs to be satisfied at once
Operates on the “Pleasure Principle” and strives for all urges to be met immediately

6. The Ego
Operates on the “Reality Principle” – tries to satisfy id but in accordance with the real world
confrontation between desire and reality
Develops from the id
Tries to express the desires of the id in a socially acceptable manner
Mediates between the id and the superego
Freud theorized that the key to a healthy personality is a good ego strength
Ego strength – how well one’s ego can moderate between the id and superego (like coping skills)

7. The Superego
The superego is the last part of the personality to develop
Where internalized moral standards lie (learned from parents and society)
Contains a person’s sense of right and wrong; “judge” determines whether ego has been good or bad
Strives to suppress some of the unacceptable or immoral urges of the id
Tries to have a person follow a certain set of ethical standards

8. Parts of the Superego The Ego Ideal The Conscience
Contains standards for “good” behavior
These are often learned
If one follows these standards, the superego will have them feel emotions like pride and honor
Holds an image of an ideal self
The Conscience
Contains rules for what is “bad” behavior
If one indulges in this behavior, the conscience will make them feel emotions such as guilt and remorse/regret

10. In relation to Lord of the Flies
The boys lose touch with the rules and order associated with civilization.
It can be seen how, as a whole, the boys begin to abandon all reason.
They begin to act on the id of their personalities more than the ego and the superego.
Start to indulge in acts like brutal killings….

11. Jack & hunters = Id
The longer Jack stays on the island, the more primitive he becomes.
Jack wishes to operate by the “pleasure principle,” just as the id. When he wants something, he’ll take it without much regard for others.
Ex – he abandons the signal fire early on in favor for hunting
Ex – stealing objects and “exulting in his achievement”
He acts often impulsively and irrationally trying to fulfill his desires.
Totally disregards the lives of others towards the end
Violent and greedy nature

12. Ralph = Ego
The ego is the mediator between the id and the superego. When Ralph is elected chief, he sees how this affects Jack and gives him control of the choir, coming to a compromise.
Ralph tries to maintain a sense of order as chief, but he eventually gets caught up in the violence and savagery of Jack’s tribe on several occasions.
These instances can be viewed as the Ego giving in to the id and letting unacceptable behavior happen.
As much as Ralph tries to follow the rules instilled in him by society, he finds himself faltering, just like the ego.

13. Piggy as the Conscience
He wants to maintain a sense of civilization the most out of all the boys.
After Jack lets the signal fire go out while hunting, Piggy forgets “the timidity in the agony of his loss” and angrily confronts him about his overly reckless behavior.
Here, Piggy is acting just like the conscience would, trying to raise up feelings of guilt and remorse in the group for letting the fire go out.
After the group murders, their collective conscience seems to go out the window as well.

14. Simon as the Ego Ideal
The ego ideal is the part of the superego that contains the image of an ideal self, and this is the standard for behavior according to the superego.
He exhibited exemplary behavior and insight, picking the fruit for the littluns, giving Piggy his share of meat when Jack wouldn’t, being the only boy truly aware of the nature of the “beast,” etc.
Tragically, the boys hardly follow Simon’s example, relying more on their id than their superego,

15. Conclusion
In LOTF, we see just what human nature is capable of, given the right conditions.
Golding is suggesting that there is a bit of the “beast” in all of us. It is in the form of those irrational, savage, and violent impulses that are usually kept hidden from society, but are ready to come out when circumstances allow for it.
This view is anchored in Freud’s Theory of Personality which suggests that if there were to be an absence of civilized rules and laws for the superego to learn, then the deep, destructive forces hidden in the human mind would come to light, just as they did for the boys in LOTF.