Power is like a two-edged knife; on one side it can be a tool when used properly. If it is not, it can become the cause of irreversible damage. The English Oxford Living Dictionaries defines power as “the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events.” Bryant H. McGill describes power as something “all a person has, so they will protect it even unto their own destruction, for without power they have nothing”. This quote describes how in Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the island society the boys create crumbles when Jack takes power and uses it for his own benefit. Golding shows the reader how the island society starts to fall when the boys start using the face paint and start descending into
…show more content…
A microcosm is a community, place, or situation used to symbolize something much larger. The island is a microcosm of the society that the majority of the world's population lives in. Lord of the Flies is a warning for society, advising that unless there is a change in society, there will be a societal collapse. Societal collapse is the fall of a complex group of people living together in a more or less ordered community, where there are common rules and beliefs. On the island, there are many fights and this caused division among the boys. As the naval officer arrives on the island, the boys chase each other with spears, their faces painted, hair long, and the naval officer describes them to look like savages. If the naval officer did not find them then, they would have most likely have killed Ralph. Ralph is the only one who cares about keeping the fire lit, in hope of rescue. With Ralph dead, the boys probably would not have been rescued, and they would die on the island; their society dying. In today’s society, there are many divisions among different groups of people. Golding reveals how today’s society could fall, in a creative way, using the point of view of young boys. Golding uses symbolism throughout the entire novel, to help readers understand his underlying message. Symbolism invokes the reader’s mind to draw further understanding to Golding’s message by connecting his complex ideas to common, well-known
A microcosm is a community, place, or situation used to symbolize something much larger. The island is a microcosm of the society that the majority of the world's population lives in. Lord of the Flies is a warning for society, advising that unless there is a change in society, there will be a societal collapse. Societal collapse is the fall of a complex group of people living together in a more or less ordered community, where there are common rules and beliefs. On the island, there are many fights and this caused division among the boys. As the naval officer arrives on the island, the boys chase each other with spears, their faces painted, hair long, and the naval officer describes them to look like savages. If the naval officer did not find them then, they would have most likely have killed Ralph. Ralph is the only one who cares about keeping the fire lit, in hope of rescue. With Ralph dead, the boys probably would not have been rescued, and they would die on the island; their society dying. In today’s society, there are many divisions among different groups of people. Golding reveals how today’s society could fall, in a creative way, using the point of view of young boys. Golding uses symbolism throughout the entire novel, to help readers understand his underlying message. Symbolism invokes the reader’s mind to draw further understanding to Golding’s message by connecting his complex ideas to common, well-known