Last year I decided to do my diploma paper on William Golding and the symbolism
of his work. While reading about him and by him, it happened to find this book that I personally, find a work of art. Usually Golding is seen as the author interested in the degradation of the human psychic and the critics, as well as the readers, see this problem beyond symbolism. But I found in this book my own opinion: the major theme in his work is the symbolism that implies this degradation.
Cleve Gunnel deals with this idea from a
mystical and
religious point of view. He underlines the fact that in almost all Golding''s novels there are mystic and religious characters. There are though few exeptions like:
The Pyramid , .....and I think that is pretty much the only one. The most important novels that Gunnel deals with are
Lord of the Flies ,
Pincher Martin , and
The Spire . In all three novels we deal we mystical and religious characters as well as elements (as the title mentions).
Lord of the Flies is the first of Golding''s novels and it is the most obviously religious and mystical of all. We are presented a purely religious character - Simon - who is compared by most of the critics with Jesus. And also appears the opposite of the rel;igious face - Satan - embodied in the Lord of the Flies - the boar''s head.
In
Pincher Martin the mystical character this time is not present, but he is just in Christopher Martin''s head and memories. His opposite is Pincher Martin himself, the main character, to whom God gives repeated chances to repent but who decides not to do it. He is possessed by a force stronger than himself. He embodies all the seven deadly sins.
In the last novel which Cleve Gunnel deals with,
The Spire , there is also a mystical character, and Gunnel considers him the most mystical of all Golding''s characters, Jocelin. We do not have a certain opposite character but the opposite is in Jocelin himself. There are strong forces that fight inside him: the good - the mystical part - and the evil.