Theme Of Civilization In Lord Of The Flies

The Need For a Strong Civilization in Lord of the Flies Essay

William Golding is an extraordinary author who adds deeper meanings to the novels that he creates. One of such is Lord of the Flies. Golding created this novel as a way to develop the need for a strong civilization as the theme. He fulfilled this through use of the boys’ actions and behaviour on the island. Golding portrayed their behaviour by establishing chaos, loss of order and presenting the benefits of having a civilization on the island.

To begin with, Golding shows the need for a strong civilization by presenting the chaos that is created in the absence of it. He hints at the beginning of the chaos by having Ralph, Jack and the other boys re-enact the boar hunt by making Robert

Up to this point in the novel, the boys mistook Simon as the beast and killed him without a second thought while they were chanting. This is Golding’s method of describing how savage the kids have become due to their loss of civilization. His use of diction, characterizes the boys and shows the contrast of who they were, to who they’ve become. Eventually, the boys reach the pinnacle of chaos and the complete and utter loss of civilization when Piggy’s death occurs. Piggy’s death not only presents chaos, but the destruction of the conch and its symbol for civilization represents the loss of civilized british boys on the island as shown in this quote. “… Roger, with a sense of delirious abandonment, leaned all his weight on the lever… The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist” (200). At this moment, Roger had deliberately activated the lever which made a large rock tumble over the cliff and smash Piggy. This not only killed Piggy, but the conch exploded too. Golding described Roger’s emotion as being delirious while he was knowingly about to kill Piggy since it was an attempt to display the chaos that is inside the boys.

He does this by using the conch and its symbol for civilization as a tool to give the power of speech and fair say to the people. This is shown in the following quote. “ ‘That’s what this shell’s called. I’ll give the conch to the next person to speak. He can hold it when he’s speaking.’ ” (31). At this moment, Ralph called an assembly and was explaining to everyone about the island and the rule of the conch. The rule of the conch and its symbolism was Golding’s method of showing to his readers how everyone can have their fair say in a strong civilization. This is done by simply holding the conch and giving your opinion. Additionally, in a firm civilization, everyone has equal power and rights which Golding expresses through this quote. “ ‘We have lots of assemblies. Everybody enjoys speaking and being together. We decide things.’ ” (85). Up to this point in the novel, Ralph was explaining about how they have assemblies and make decisions together during a meeting. Golding hinted towards equal power by having Ralph point out that all the boys on the island can make decisions, not just himself by having him say that we, decide things. If Ralph had said that he would decide things himself, than it would make him look more like a dictator figure. Instead, having him say that everyone decides on things together, makes him more like a democratic figure. This