Critical Lens

The statement "All conflict in literature is, in its simplest form, a struggle between good and evil." means, that any novel, when broken down is made up of two opposing forces, good and evil. Most literature is comprised of a struggle between the moral and immoral. More often than not though, the interplay between good and evil is really a matter of context, which makes the contrast between the two lines clear. This can be …

…at closer, it is seen that it was an act of good. In fact, Lenny's death is viewed as a merci killing. George killed Lenny "for his own good". He knew that if he didn't kill him, the other men would have. In "Lord of the Flies", by Sir William Gerald Golding, our initial feelings about group cohesion are positive, but by the end of the story it is the cohesion which turns then savage.