William Golding’s novel, The Inheritors, “reaches into prehistoria, advancing the thesis that humankind’s evolutionary ancestors, the Fire-Builders, triumphed over a gentler race as much by violence and deceit as by natural superiority”. (www.English_Nobel.ca, 1,1998) His thesis is much like his thesis used in his novel, Lord of the Flies. He constantly restates his thoughts on violence and its human involvement. The Inheritors exemplifies a scenario in which the last eight members …showed first 75 words of 884 total…

…showed last 75 words of 884 total…Golding’s eyes) into the past. When we view the novel’s characters, one can determine how truly barbaric they actually are due to their misunderstandings and misinterpretations. Also, the novel contains many large scale symbols for man and his innate traits such as the Neanderthals representing contemporary society. In general, In the novel, The Inheritors, the overall effect portrays human’s as being innately barbaric due to the novels anthropological perspective, characterization and symbolism.