Control In Lord Of The Flies Essay

The world is so used to having rules to follow and common morals that it’s unknown what life would be like without them. Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, demonstrates the effect on people when they’re removed from a structured society by going through the difficulties of some school boys when they crash land on an island without adults. With the scenario, the novel uses Ralph, the boys’ leader, and a conch shell to symbolize the idea that without leadership and basic structure a society will collapse. Control is a major component in civilized societies. Ralph tries to make sure control is always present, but soon finds out he is unable to maintain it. He takes initiative to organize the making of a fire to ensure boats can and will see them; “Each party of boys added a quota, less or more, and the pile grew… Ralph found himself on alone on a limb with Jack and they grinned at each other, sharing this burden” (38). To clarify, Ralph displays a leader’s ability to organize a group and maintain control. As a result, Golding is able to express his opinion of how an effective leader keeps their people in line and productive. Regardless, everything begins to collapse as the eldest kids, Ralph and Jack, …show more content…
In the beginning of the novel, Ralph establishes the rule of the conch, “He [who holds] it when he’s speaking… won’t be interrupted. Except by me” (33). As a result, order and the balance of powers comes to the group. These basic rules are in the novel to emphasize their importance in society as they keep everything aligned and in balance. Without intention, Roger destroys the conch; “There isn’t a tribe for you anymore! The conch is gone--” (181). These rules are the only thing keeping the boys from murdering each other. Consequently, the conch being lost means all hope for rules, structure, and safety go with it. In the long run, Golding means to stress how rules in society help keep balance and