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Theme Of Obedience In Lord Of The Flies

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There are situations where not many people have experienced before, and because of this, they struggle in what to do. Many people society believe they will act differently in a difficult situation in regards with hurting another person. However, this is not true, and there is a difference between who people think they are and who they actually are. In Lauren Slater's Opening Skinner's Box, there's an experiment that tests one's obedience. This experiment relates to the boys in William Golding's Lord of the Flies, through the instances that they follow Jack because he seems to have great authority, and he convinces them to do what he says. Also that the conch grants respect to whoever holds it. The experiment of obedience relates to the boys …show more content…
Thus, the conch grants respect to whoever holds it, which grabs others attention to the one who is holding it. Golding shows this by stating, "'I got the conch!' He shouted. 'I tell you, got the conch!'...the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments...'See? See?...There isn't a tribe for you any more! the conch is gone--'" (loc 2083). As a result of the conch, each person was silent and listened to Piggy, before he was killed by Roger. The conch was also something Jack did not have and was even more superior than him. Therefore, everyone turned to Piggy for a few moments of holding the "power." However, the conch being destroyed a few moments later, Jack was back to being the alpha. Thus, this evidently proves the experiment of obedience how by showing some sort of power, of authority in any way, people in general will obey that authority, which the boys do. In the end, this shows that the boys do relate to this subject in the experiment of obedience. The experiment of obedience relates to the boys in William Golding's Lord of the Flies through the instances that the majority of the boys on the island follow Jack now that he's superior, Jack convinces them to do what he says and that the conch grants respect to whoever holds it. In general, these instances confirm the result of the experiment and therefore takes place within the environment

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