When placed in the right situations and circumstances, all human beings are capable of revealing a darker side of themselves, a side that almost everyone is afraid to show . No one will admit they have a dark side until nature forces them to face it. Lord of the Flies by William Golding and A Separate Peace by John Knowles are two books that emphasize the ferocity of man through their characters, themes, and plots. At first, all men harbor a hidden ferocity, then something triggers the ferocity within them and they complete the transformation. The human race hides a dark side within itself. In most cases, humans are unaware of its existence due to the high standards expected by civilization. "Where's the man with the megaphone?" The blond boy shook his head. “This is an island. At least I think it's an island. That is a coral reef in the sea. Maybe there are no adults anywhere” (Golding, page 1.9-11). As the boys immediately wonder where the adults are once they arrive on the island, Golding is suggesting that civilization provides a cloak to a man's essentially evil nature, and this is what the children in Lord of the Flies lose when they are alone on the island. with the order and rules of their home country stripped away. “Children were saved in their other life thanks to the “protection of parents, school, policeman and law”, but now all these facilitators were absent, thus being exposed to any extreme conditions” (Anjum, paragraph 2) A Separate Peace focuses on Gene, the main character, a normal boy who finds himself facing internal problems. “I was beginning to realize that Phineas could get away with anything and I couldn't help but envy him a little, which was perfectly normal. There was nothing wrong with envying even your best... middle of paper.. .n that I had ever seen him do” (Knowles, Gene's observation that he was the first). the clumsiest physical action he had ever seen Finny do, it almost seemed like in that moment he was satisfied with what he had done. Gene let his jealousy get the better of him and acted accordingly. This is what all men do. Ferocity is not something that is an eternal state, but for most people it is rather a process that repeats itself day after day. The characters in Lord of the Flies and A Separate Peace give readers a clear understanding of man's fall into the wilderness. Humanity faces problems and temptations every day and will give in to the darker soul within us that wants to act out and give in to our evil ways. Although it is impossible for man to be completely pure and ignore the challenging voice within us, it is possible to admit mistakes and fight the sinister force of nature that drags humans into.