Lord of the Flies
Discuss the things which make humanity civilised and show how the loss of each of these led to further trouble for the boys on the island. Discuss in 1000 words.The fundamental constituents which make humanity civilised are: an ordered social structure, equality, law and order and the control and balance of power. These things are important in maintaining harmony within a community. The loss of these elements within this structure would lead to entropy. This is shown in William Golding's novel, Lord of the Flies, where a group of English schoolboys, who are stranded on an island, attempt to form a democratic society. However, as the story progresses, the group splits and the ordered social structure crumbles rapidly.An ordered community allows people to live and communicate freely and peacefully. This social organization is based on rules, which are put in place to maintain order. The boys on the island were used to an ordered social structure at their schools back in England. These institutions would have enforced punishment and other disciplinary measures to make sure that the boys behaved and talked like civilised humans. Further, they would have been encouraged by their teachers and peers to behave properly. As a resul
However, the gradual decline in law and order and the breaking of certain rules, causes more trouble and unrest amongst the boys. Jack seems to embody many values, which are in severe contrast to civilised humanity. For Jack, it becomes a 'compulsion to track down and kill that was swallowing him up. Jack for example, refuses to respect what Piggy has to stay and punches him frequently. Finally, he steals his glasses which results in his death at the end of the novel. This continues throughout the story right up until Piggy's death. ' This indicates that without an organized social structure with rules and equality, humans are no longer civilised. Despite this, his tribe still regards him as a 'proper chief. Among these is the punishment of a boy by Jack for some vague and misunderstood offence and the acts of sadism by Roger. Civilised humanity is characterized by the appropriate control of power and its balance. Piggy is a permanent victim of Jack's bullying. An example of the increasing conflict between the two groups is close to the end of the book, when Jack and his tribe storm Ralph's camp and steal Piggy's glasses. Just like the real world, Ralph establishes a civilised democracy and prevents corruption by emphasising the importance of equality and justice among the boys on the island. Golding uses Piggy's last words to show the terrible results when the elements which make humanity civilised are lost. In Ralph's attempt to retrieve the glasses, Piggy is murdered and Ralph barely escapes with his life.
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