Authority Figure In Lord Of The Flies

In Lord Of The Flies, written by William Golding in 1954 it focuses on a group of young boys that have been stranded on anisland without any adult figures to protect and guide them. With this in mind, the author brings up the idea if the boys are able to successfully survive without an authority figure and be able to be sane. However, there is evidence throughout the novel that the group of children are unable too. Although the children are going to become adults one day, and are learning on their own about survival and communication with others, the role of an authority figure is important for the children to support a value system to live in; unfortunately, they are not emotionally, physically and cognitively developed, and chaos and disorder occur.

Firstly, all children need a guidance to properly distinguish what is right or wrong. They need to develop emotionally, physically and cognitively in order to fully meet proper adulthood.

‘Grown-ups know things,’ said Piggy. They ain’t afraid of the dark. They’d meet and have tea and discuss. Then things u’d be all right-‘ ‘They would set fire to the island. Or lose-‘ ‘They’d build a ship-‘ The three boys stood in the darkness, …show more content…
Instead they end up with failure and little knowledge of morals and judgment. “Piggy was so full of delight and expanding liberty to Jack’s departure, so full of his pride in his contribution to the good of society, that he helped to fetch the wood” (Golding. Page. 142) In this quotation, Piggy is starting to feel pride within himself because he feels that among the boys and himself he is creating a good society. Just like the adults he wishes that there is to be. Piggy is naturally driven to have an adult like world where there is a superior civilization. Similarly, Goldwing also provide another piece of evidence to help support these argument