The document discusses whether human nature is good or evil based on examples from Lord of the Flies and philosophers' thoughts. It presents evidence that human nature can be both good and evil, as people are influenced by their environment and society. While people have an innate sense of right and wrong, they can assimilate surrounding influences and suddenly change from good to evil or vice versa.

1. Human
Nature…
Good…?
Bad…?
By: Tommy Lee

3. Man is both good AND evil
Human nature differs from how people view on
things and what they believe in.
Basically, “good” is the name we give when a
person does things that humans in common like
“evil” is the name we give when a person does
things that humans in common DONOT like.

4. Man is GOOD…
http://www.google.com.hk/imgres?q=happy+emoticon&
um=1&hl=ko&newwindow=1&tbm=isch&tbnid=m9uxf9N
J0ZkpdM:&imgrefurl=http://onsoftware.en.softonic.com/
create-the-worlds-greatest-emoticon&docid=VvxLG-
E_Q1O-
iM&w=150&h=145&ei=A5GNTsyELYGUiQeIvdiYDg&zo
om=1&iact=hc&vpx=140&vpy=198&dur=1201&hovh=11
6&hovw=120&tx=104&ty=95&page=3&tbnh=98&tbnw=
101&start=18&ndsp=10&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:18&biw=673&
bih=443

5. Importance of laws and orders
within a society
“Which Is better, to have laws and agree, or to hunt
and kill?” is said by Piggy in Chap 11. Piggy asks a
rhetorical question to indicate that human nature is
meant to have laws and orders in order to form a
society.
http://www.google.com.hk/imgres?q=lotf+piggy&um=1&hl=ko&newwi
ndow=1&sa=N&tbm=isch&tbnid=R05QcOMBeF-
NYM:&imgrefurl=http://xxlizzxx.glogster.com/Lord-of-the-Flies-
Piggy/&docid=Z76yV8kRpvC7CM&w=400&h=300&ei=DZeNTpTGN6
iuiQew353lDQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=2&vpy=120&dur=3768&hovh
=194&hovw=259&tx=169&ty=164&page=1&tbnh=114&tbnw=151&st
art=0&ndsp=8&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0&biw=673&bih=442

6. Order and Cooperation
“ We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting.
(16:9).” Piggy states this to Ralph informing the
need of order and cooperation among people-
human nature is meant to work together to better
one’s condition.
http://www.google.com.hk/imgres?q=helping+each+other&u
m=1&hl=ko&newwindow=1&tbm=isch&tbnid=unBe0fO-
SG5ecM:&imgrefurl=http://cafelogos.wordpress.com/2011/03
/23/i-need-you-more-than-you-need-me/rock-climbers-
helping-each-
other/&docid=2ji1enRlCiwQCM&w=512&h=340&ei=9pmNTv
79JKihiAffuICeDg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=2&vpy=122&dur=9
43&hovh=183&hovw=276&tx=118&ty=163&page=4&tbnh=9
2&tbnw=123&start=29&ndsp=10&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:29&biw=6
73&bih=433

7. Adam Smith’s
(Philosopher) thoughts
"How selfish so ever man may be supposed, there are
evidently some principles in his nature, which interest
him in the fortune of others, and render their happiness
necessary to him, though he derives nothing from it
except the pleasure of seeing it."
(http://www.adamsmith.org/adam-smith/)
Human nature is complicated and complex.
People are self-interested, but at the same
time, we also like to help others too.

8. Conventions and Groups
Today, conventions and groups are organized
to help people who are in need of help.
UN (United Nations)
UNICEF (United Nations International
Children’s Emergency Fund)
WHO (World Health Organization)
Etc.
http://www.google.com.hk/imgres?q=un&um=1&hl=ko&newwindow=1&sa=N&tbm=isch&tbnid=jVLvP
b-OzFwQvM:&imgrefurl=http://www.peacewomen.org/peacewomen_and_the_un/&docid=Ppid7Yk-
D1gkEM&w=400&h=313&ei=IZyNTsv-I-
eciAf6i5GLDg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=2&page=3&tbnh=94&tbnw=101&start=16&ndsp=9&ved=1t:429
,r:4,s:16&tx=43&ty=1&biw=673&bih=433

9. Helping Others (Personal
Experience)
Back in the days when I was in Korea, I often had
friends who got hurt and needed help. Whenever
there were accidents, I helped them get to the
nurse. This suggested that it is human nature to
help others who are in harsh conditions.

10. Man is EVIL
http://www.google.com.hk/imgres?q=evil&um=1&hl=ko&newwindo
w=1&sa=N&tbm=isch&tbnid=btHi_ZlYOy8vWM:&imgrefurl=http://w
ww.designyourway.net/blog/wallpapers/collection-of-over-70-
excellent-dark-
wallpapers/&docid=MLmuA5Kzlg2bBM&w=430&h=344&ei=_MGNT
oXZDuq8iAf7ir3pDQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=381&page=1&tbnh=10
1&tbnw=130&start=0&ndsp=8&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0&tx=102&ty=59&
biw=675&bih=433

12. Robbery…
First of all, why are there
frequent robberies?
The answer to the
question is because
people are never satisfied
with what they have. It is
human nature to be
jealous or to be greedy of
something.

13. Murder…
Few month ago, in Korea, a wife in a family killed
her husband to earn the death benefit which was
about $100,000 and was caught few weeks later.
This kind of murder is due to the human nature of
being selfish and greedy and when considering the
frequent murders, it is evidently clear that human
nature is EVIL.

14. Thomas Hobbes
(Philosopher) thoughts
Thomas Hobbes was a Philosopher who
believed that human nature was evil. He
claimed that all humans have an evil side
in themselves and they would need laws
and orders to control what they do.

15. Evilness is something that is
within a human being.
“There isn’t anyone to help you. Only me.
And I’m the Beast. . . . Fancy thinking the
Beast was something you could hunt and
kill! . . . You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of
you? Close, close, close! I’m the reason
why it’s no go? Why things are the way
they are?”
The Lord of the Flies speaks these lines to
Simon in Chapter 8. These words informs
Simon that the “beast”, which symbolizes
fear and evilness, is within the boys. http://www.google.com.hk/imgres?q=bad&um=1&hl=ko&newwindow=1&tbm=isch&tb
nid=P5qp6AWHgLESRM:&imgrefurl=http://hrbeginner.blogspot.com/2011/01/ugly-
truth-about-having-bad-
day.html&docid=nXj1AoBzfY6UhM&w=1280&h=1024&ei=i4KRTtWMAqq6iAft-
6ibDg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=133&page=2&tbnh=119&tbnw=160&start=6&ndsp=8&v
ed=1t:429,r:0,s:6&tx=127&ty=58&biw=714&bih=479

16. The existence of laws and
penalties
When considering the existence of
laws and penalties and its
functionality, we can assume that
people need something to control
themselves in order to prevent crimes
and incidents from happening. As a
result, human nature is evil and
orders are prerequisites to maintain a
stable society.
http://www.google.com.hk/imgres?q=laws+and+penalties&um=1&hl=ko&newwindow=1&sa=
X&tbm=isch&tbnid=ZTxmZL014a1ewM:&imgrefurl=http://www.ehow.co.uk/info_8626134_so
uth-carolina-extortion-laws-
penalties.html&docid=jbW5UugJfk2joM&w=225&h=220&ei=N4ORTp7pBMG7iAeg2aCLDg&
zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=419&vpy=127&dur=40&hovh=176&hovw=180&tx=126&ty=109&page
=1&tbnh=139&tbnw=136&start=0&ndsp=7&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:0&biw=714&bih=479

17. BUT…
Man can also
be BOTH…

18. Roger
In the beginning of the
story, Roger is a civilized
boy who followed Ralph’s
rules. However, as Jack
starts to gain power among
the boys, Roger starts
treating Jack as his leader
and turns into a savage
boy.
This proves that man can
be both good and evil. http://www.google.com.hk/imgres?q=roger+lotf&um=1&hl=ko&newwindow=1&tbm=isch&tbnid=2-
oStSo-KpDI8M:&imgrefurl=http://jack-lotf.wikispaces.com/Jack-
Lotf&docid=h1DkwLfllHhBDM&w=400&h=300&ei=yoORTqGDKMWQiQfassn1DQ&zoom=1&iact=hc
&vpx=232&vpy=102&dur=1297&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=202&ty=176&page=2&tbnh=123&tbnw=1
64&start=7&ndsp=8&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:7&biw=714&bih=479

19. John Locke’s
(Philosopher)
thoughts
According to John Locke, human
nature is both good and evil and that
humans have an innate sense of
right and wrong. He claimed that
“Man is by nature a social animal.”
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=john+locke%27s+view+on+human+nature+good+
which means man are born in a clean
or+evil&um=1&hl=en&newwindow=1&sa=N&biw=714&bih=468&tbm=isch&tbnid=1_
elA_F3My-
xrM:&imgrefurl=http://www.ysursa.com/history/US%2520Hist/Liberalism_debate.htm
state and is influenced by its society.
&docid=pSCM_7yti7cfxM&w=189&h=204&ei=H4mRToOHAu-
PiAfLvbjoDQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=222&vpy=157&dur=86&hovh=163&hovw=151
&tx=88&ty=48&page=1&tbnh=122&tbnw=114&start=0&ndsp=10&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0

20. Conclusion
After reading LOTF (Lord of the Flies) and exploring some
philosopher’s thoughts towards the authenticity of human nature, human
nature seems to be both good and evil. When people are born, they are in a
clean state and they are gradually influenced by the society or even the people
surrounding them. John Locke, a philosopher, claimed that “Man is by nature a
social animal.” which supports the idea that “good” or “evil” is decided from
what one adapts to. Like Roger in LOTF, man can easily assimilate the
changed environment and can undergo a sudden change.
Moreover, the existence of laws and penalties prove that it is
impossible for humans to be just “good” or just “evil”. For example, if we
consider the law-breakers, we can’t say that they are good; conversely, if we
consider the innocents, we can’t say that they are bad. When analyzing the
forms of governments in different countries, it is evidently clear that people are
both good and evil since there is no utopia or dystopia. Therefore, people are
both good and evil.
As mentioned, this question is a very complex and philosophic
question to consider, thus there isn’t a correct or incorrect answer to it.

21. MLA
 "Locke versus Hobbes." James's Liberty File Collection Index. Web. 09
Oct. 2011. <http://jim.com/hobbes.htm>.
 Joyful Days. Web. 09 Oct. 2011. <http://www.joyfuldays.com/nature-of-
man/>.
 "Homer Good And Evil Wallpaper 800×600." Homer Simpson
Wallpapers. Web. 09 Oct. 2011.
<http://www.homersimpsonwallpapers.com/homer-good-and-evil-
wallpaper-800x600>.
 "Two Sides." Uyen Vu. Web. 09 Oct. 2011. <http://uyenvu.com/two-
sides-2>.
 "100 People Who Changed the World | Biography Online." Biography
Online | Biographies of Inspirational and Famous People. Web. 09 Oct.
2011. <http://www.biographyonline.net/people/people-who-changed-
world.html>.