During the 1930's, the myth of "the people" was born. This myth stressed the importance of unity, and glorified the notion of "average," as evidenced in a prize-winning essay describing "the typical American boy," written by an eighth grader named Alfred Roberts, Jr., for a contest sponsored by the 1939-40 Fair New York World's Fair. This document, which claims that a typical American boy should be courageous, dependable, and loyal to his beliefs, was "clearly reflective of the values the Fair held dear" (Susman, 1980, p. 22). Yet, for all the unity the Fair stressed, it was plagued by contradictions - Contradictions that can be closely associated with those found in the 1954 novel Lord of the Flies, by William Golding. To begin, I will provide a summary of this novel, as well as insights into the author's motivations for writing such a book. I will then discuss the contradictions found within the novel, and their relation to those found at the 1939-40 World's Fair and its streamlined view of human nature. William Golding wrote Lord of the Flies following his experiences in World War II when, after witnessing countless acts of man's inhumanity to man, he became disenchanted with human nature. Golding believed that humans, including children, were inherently evil, and if left without guidance, would revert back to savage ways. This is the premise for his most famous novel which opens on a deserted island following the shooting down of a plane carrying a group of boys. All the boys and none of the adults survive the crash, leaving the boys on an island heterotopia - a physical locale set apart from traditional public life where rules and expectations are suspended. Although the first character, Ralph, is originally excited at the idea of "No grownups!," his counterpart, Piggy is focused on the need for guidance and rules. This is when the boys encounter the conch, which is a type of shell, which if blown into in a certain spot, creates a sound loud enough to signal all the boys scattered across the island to a central meeting spot. The conch comes to represent authority, as it is decided that anyone holding it must be listened to. As the boys gather, Ralph is chosen as their leader, much to the dismay off Jack, another main character, and his gang, who refuse to submit to his authority. As the novel progresses, the conflict between Ralph and Jack, between good and evil, continues to grow. Eventually Jack and his gang separate from the rest of the boys, in favor of a life of savagery. By the end of the novel, all the boys, with the exception of Piggy, have abandoned Ralph's camp in exchange for the savage lifestyle that Jack and his gang have to offer.

Corona Gate North - One of nine gateways to "The World of Tomorrow", this entrance leads into the center of the transportation area west of Grand Central Parkway.

Now, I ask you to recall the essay discussed earlier, which defined the "typical American boy," in accordance with values stressed by the Fair. All the characters in Lord of the Flies start out as typical - each one was "average," a suitable poster-boy for Fair ideals. Yet as the story unfolds, the darker side of human nature surfaces. "In the end, in spite of the official battery of solutions, the people proceeded on their own way" (Susman, 1980, p. 22). While this statement refers to the masses of individuals who entered the Fair on only one of the ramps provided to them [see the card to the left, for example], it is also precisely what happened on the island in the novel. Despite the order and unity emphasized by Ralph and Piggy, the rest of the group proceeded on their own way, which according to Golding, was a natural progression to evil and savagery. Golding sets Lord of the Flies during World War II, although the war is referenced only twice throughout the entire novel. The activities on the island, on a smaller scale, represented the war, which is why the rescue at the end of the novel is so bittersweet. You see, a naval cruiser, who sees smoke produced as a result of a fire the savages had set to the island, discovers the boys. "The officer, having interrupted a man-hunt, prepares to take the children off the island in a cruiser which will presently be hunting its enemy in the same implacable way. And who will rescue the adult and his cruiser" (Golding, 1954, p. 238)? Through the progression of the World's Fairs, the focus shifted from progress and hope for the future, to consumerism and profit. This, in my opinion, shows a breakdown in the morality of the culture, which parallels the disillusion experienced by Golding following the war. Just as, "the contradictions of the Fair were the contradictions of the culture itself" (Susman, 1980, p. 26), the contradictions on the island mirrored those in the rest of the world. Unfortunately, however, there was no one present to save the Fair from itself . . .

References

Susman, W.I. (1980). The people's fair: Cultural contradictions of a consumer society. In H.A. Harrison's (ed.), Dawn of a new day: The New York world's fair, 1939/40 (pp. 17-27). New York: The Queens Museum.

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