a redo: Survival Against All Odds (Lord of the Flies and Hunger Games analysis)

as my adolescence comes to a close, i cant stop thinking about my regrets and mistakes from the past 12 school years. the only thing that truly bothers me is from way back in sophmore year english. we were writing essays on the deeper meanings and relation between the book we were reading, The Lord of the Flies, and the movie we'd watched, Hunger Games. at the time, i wrote on how "all man is evil because these kids murdered each other" and now i understand my ignorance and privilege to be able to make such a statement. my real essay shouldve been along the lines of "humanity isnt inherently good or evil but rather desperate and will always find a way to survive" 

The children in Lord of the Flies were so desperate to survive and so fearful of never going back home that they invented a monster which served as not just the only stable thing they had, but also the very thing that tore them apart. (let it be known that i havent actually read the book since i was roughly 15/16 so my facts may be generally incorrect sorry) in The Hunger Games the kids arent evil for killing each other, they were forced into a corner by the government that groomed them into a corrupt system. 

(also let it be known that i am not a doctor) the human body has shown time and time again that it craves survival above all else. when starving, the body will break down muscles in attempt to feed and energize itself or it will hold onto any nutrients it gets, turn it into body fat, and feed on it. theres an entire ecosystem inside that will fight tooth and nail to stay alive and it doesnt just stay within the confines of the stomach, it extends to the mind. people with severe trauma will often forget entire periods of time in order to maintain homeostasis. people will take medication to help cure their various mental illnesses, and help with other illnesses like blood pressure, cholesterol, bacterial infection, and more. 

the body works tirelessly to maintain itself and just because it might extend to thing like murder and forced violence doesnt mean theyre any less human it just means their desperation is strong and they will never cease to give up unless forced. there is nobody rooting for your survival more than yourself and it takes a lot to realize it.