Art_Essay

Fearing a Savage Goya’s painting, Saturn, comprises of a man being appalled by an unknown creature, as in Goldings novel, Lord of the Flies, the boys stranded on the island are in fear of a snake like beastie that haunts the island. Goya and Golding exhibit the emotional state of humans when intimidated by the unknown by creating a vivid series of images throughout with a unique style, mood, and a concrete symbol. The images that are in the painting, illustrate a very gruesome creature consuming a human being pleasurably. This thought can also be found throughout the novel, in the minds of the littluns. Once the boy with the mulberry mark on his face, claimed that he saw “a snake-thing”, all the littluns were terrified by this creature or “beastie” (Golding 35). The painting exemplifies this idea of imagination. Another way, both Golding and Goya exhibit the emotional state of humans when intimidated by the unknown is by setting a unique style. In the novel, Golding has a very simple style with deep subject matter. The painting compliments this, through a very simple picture. The painting of the creature isn’t too detailed but has a very disturbing thought. The mood in both the image and the novel are complimentary at definite times. The image through the use of very dark colors gives a dark, solemn, bloodcurdling & gruesome mood. This same mood can be found when the littluns dear is talked about. An additional technique that both Golding and Goya both use to exhibit the emotional state of mind when intimidated by the unknown, is symbolism. In the novel, the imagination is shown as very wild and impacting. Once the littluns heard, the boy with the mulberry mark on his face, talk bout the creature their imaginations created their own picture due to the lack of details provided. The image, illustrates one possible appearance of the “beastie”. Both the painting and the images in the littluns minds all symbolize man’s fear of the beastie. Fear of anything that can possibly harm him. Fear of anything unknown. Chapter 2, Fire on the Mountain, and in the painting , Saturn by Goya, both build a foundation to initiate the fear that spreads drastically throughout the novel. The painting exhibits fear of a creature. Which can lead to fearing anything unknown, this fear has been demonstrated that it can take away nobility and turn humans into dangerous savages. These dangerous savages can even take life away with no emotional or mental destruction, as exposed in the painting.