Lord of the Flies

The absence of a disciplinary figure on the island caused the collapse of stability among the boys. Disciplinary figures, ordinarily adults, instill fear in children. They teach them to act well behaved or else they will be punished. Maintaining order in society is achieved through the principle, “There is a consequence for every action.” Without any adults on the island the boys were not worried

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Similarly, Ralph instructed the boys to take turns watching the fire so that it would never go out, but they knew Ralph would not punish them for neglecting their responsibilities. In the sweltering heat, the instruction, “Choir stand still,” was followed until a boy fainted and had to be carried to the shade (Golding 20). (Golding 135)

Here, the boys truly act like savages, killing the beast with the same impulse as their unfeeling cave dwelling ancestors. The story is laced with irony and symbolism representing real-life circumstances. Jack, on the other hand, was the villainous traitor and had red hair (Golding 20). Ralph’s power had completely diminished when Piggy tries to tell Ralph to call an assembly, “You could-“ but Ralph cuts him off saying, “Call and assembly? Ralph laughed sharply as he said the word and Piggy frowned” (Golding 156). Ralph was left to deal with a raging pack of savages, when all he wanted was a simple fire. So even when a criminal is committing a crime in the modern world, his conscience is present telling him not to do it, even if is too faint for them to hear.

Through symbolism, Lord of the Flies shows the reader faults of society and provides insight how order might diminish in everyday life. Upon arrival to the island, the choir was orderly and obeyed Jack Merridew’s commands. The sow collapsed under them and they were heavy and fulfilled upon her. The entire time the boys were on the island they were not worried about consequences and lost all morals. Fair-haired refers to a light color, yet is not specific. In contrast, red is a scary, evil color found in blood, fire, and the devil. Therefore, it was shocking to see them afraid of getting in trouble from the naval officer.

Common topics in this essay:
Lord Flies, Similarly Ralph, William Golding, Jack Merridews, Flies Ralph, War II, lord flies, Ralph Simon, Oxford University, william golding, human nature, naval officer, golding 66, call assembly, beast people, golding 20,

Approximate Word count = 1306
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

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