Question: How did the society of the island look like a political state?
Introduction
“Lord of the Flies” is an allegorical novel written by William Golding (1911-1993) in which he represents an important aspect of humanity. In this novel, the children turned the natural society of the island into a political state through their activities.
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This island is a symbol of the world
If we think of this island as a state or a world, we see that all the features of a state exist on this island. As a contemporary of today’s society, it does well to explain some of today’s issues like violence, laws, pride, greed, fear, religious power, and the conflict between living in a civilized society or savagery that represent today’s world.
Political group
The children become divided into two groups, as we do with political ideas. They face each other’s as people do in wars. They don’t reward intelligence nor look for a reasonable leader. Instead, they want a strong leader who can protect them from what they fear. Ralph is a leader chosen by the rest of the children and represents democracy, law, and order line. Jack opposes Ralph in leadership and represents barbarism, violence, and authority.
Jack always wants to be a leader and finally, he is successful in what he wants. This process is similar to a political state.
The society of the island
In the novel Lord of the Flies, the boys create a new hierarchy from scratch where we see different roles that remind us of the real world. We see that at first, they try to imitate the knowledge of the world and adults. They find a conch shell that considers a democratic symbol that they use to talk to others. They organize themselves to light fires and get food. But this democratic utopia fails.
Politics and lust for power
The two main sources of power are Ralph’s democratic power and Jack’s totalitarian power. In the beginning, Ralph is in charge, and island life goes relatively smoothly. Although Jack is trying to undermine Ralph’s authority. Jack displays his lust for power when he announces in an assembly that
“It’s time some people knew they’ve got to keep quiet and leave deciding things to the rest of us.”
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Conclusion
The Lord of Flies is an image of our society today. It shows the darkness of the human heart and where breaking the restraint can lead to murder and violence.
