Superficial moral systems exposed in William Golding's Lord of the Flies, Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, and George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion. nature of human moral systems" is a valid concern in today's society. This has always been a factor in society that authors have felt the need to address. People see hypocrisy in themselves and know it exists in others. Manners so commonly used in public they are rarely practiced in private. Most people are ashamed to say and do what they think is right when in public. This understanding makes people worry about what other human beings are doing outside from the public eye. If it were not for the opinions of others, most popular ideas about morality would not be implemented at all. In Lord of the Flies, the morality of the seemingly civilized boys seems to gradually fade in direct relation to the amount of time spent they are separated from society. They never understood why they did well before being stranded on the island. They just repeated their parents' moral systems like any other superficial gesture. As soon as they are on their own, they start doing what is easier rather than what is "correct". This concept is not far from what any person's reaction would be in this situation. If someone found out that they were suddenly no longer responsible to anyone, their life would change significantly from before. People do many things to please family and friends. People only do what is expected. If moral behavior is no longer expected, it will stop being practiced. A perfect example of this human hypocrisy is found in Arthur Dimmesdale from The Scarlet Letter. To his congregation, Dimmesdale is an icon of morality, but he knows it well. Every night he battles a “bloody scourge” because he knows that as he preaches against adultery, he was the one who committed this act. In his puritanical society, what he did is not allowed. Not only does he not want to be punished, but he also wants to maintain his influence in the community. Public opinion is dear to him. He has convinced himself that it is better for everyone if he doesn't confess, but he knows he is lying to himself.

Topic > Superficial moral systems exposed in William Golding's Lord of the Flies, Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, and George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion. nature of human moral systems" is a valid concern in today's society. This has always been a factor in society that authors have felt the need to address. People see hypocrisy in themselves and know it exists in others. Manners so commonly used in public they are rarely practiced in private. Most people are ashamed to say and do what they think is right when in public. This understanding makes people worry about what other human beings are doing outside from the public eye. If it were not for the opinions of others, most popular ideas about morality would not be implemented at all. In Lord of the Flies, the morality of the seemingly civilized boys seems to gradually fade in direct relation to the amount of time spent they are separated from society. They never understood why they did well before being stranded on the island. They just repeated their parents' moral systems like any other superficial gesture. As soon as they are on their own, they start doing what is easier rather than what is "correct". This concept is not far from what any person's reaction would be in this situation. If someone found out that they were suddenly no longer responsible to anyone, their life would change significantly from before. People do many things to please family and friends. People only do what is expected. If moral behavior is no longer expected, it will stop being practiced. A perfect example of this human hypocrisy is found in Arthur Dimmesdale from The Scarlet Letter. To his congregation, Dimmesdale is an icon of morality, but he knows it well. Every night he battles a “bloody scourge” because he knows that as he preaches against adultery, he was the one who committed this act. In his puritanical society, what he did is not allowed. Not only does he not want to be punished, but he also wants to maintain his influence in the community. Public opinion is dear to him. He has convinced himself that it is better for everyone if he doesn't confess, but he knows he is lying to himself.