Final answer:
In chapter 7 of Lord of the Flies, the boys are motivated to stick Robert like a pig and cause him pain because they have descended into savagery and have lost their sense of civilization and morality. The children's motivations in 'The Man in the Well' are driven by fear, curiosity, and a lack of empathy. The children's cruel treatment of others in both texts reflects their moral decay and lack of compassion.
Step-by-step explanation:
In chapter 7 of Lord of the Flies, the boys are motivated to stick Robert like a pig and cause him pain because they have descended into savagery and have lost their sense of civilization and morality. The boys, led by Jack, have become consumed by their desire for power and dominance, and they view Robert as a representation of their enemy and their need to exert control and assert their authority. In Sher's short story, 'The Man in the Well,' the children's motivations to leave the man in the well are driven by a mix of fear, curiosity, and a lack of empathy. They are curious about the man in the well and are unsure if he is dangerous, so they choose to leave him trapped out of self-preservation.
In both Lord of the Flies and 'The Man in the Well,' the children's cruel treatment of others reflects their descent into a state of moral decay and their lack of compassion. In Lord of the Flies, the boys' cruelty towards others, like Robert, serves to satisfy their inner savagery and make them feel powerful and dominant. In 'The Man in the Well,' the children's cruel treatment of the man reflects their fear and lack of empathy, but it also gives them a sense of control and superiority, as they have the power to leave him trapped and vulnerable.
The motivations and feelings of the children in both texts can be best described as driven by:
- Fear and survival