Theoretical Analysis of a Novel: Lord of the Flies

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Recommended: Introduction to modern and traditional societies

Over time societies have gone through many changes in order to function successfully. Through trial and error, it is evident that some societies succeeded in the way they were designed. In some cases, in order for a society to grow or for a new society to form, a group must fail to know what systems do not work. Systems such as the capitalist structure have present throughout history in early Egypt, the Greek Gods and morals, Kings and peasants, Hitler and his followers, any many other societies. Systems such as the capitalist structure has been modernized and changed in order to be current with what is going on now in a specific culture, to maximize efficiency, and to minimize failure. Societies can be broken down into sub groups and still have the same type capitalist structures, such as a business corporation with a small executive board and many subordinate workers. It takes experience and knowledge to know what kind of groups fail. When we are put in a situation where we must form a power structure or system of rank in order to survive, there are many ways this can be done. It is a matter of who takes on what roles and fulfilling each role properly. In Lord of the Flies, a story that takes places during World War II, a group of schoolboys are isolated on an Island. They must fend for themselves and set up their own society with certain roles in order to survive. In most societies there is always a known power structure or a leader who oversees all operations of the group and holds the highest power. In the book, Ralph is one of the oldest boys on the island and is chosen to be the leader. Ralph wants to split the boys into groups and give them certain positions to uphold until they are rescued. Ralph wants the boys to wo... ... middle of paper ... ...re as a leader of their society. It takes much trial and error for a society to function properly. It also takes a balance of skills and proper distribution of roles to keep a stable structure to avoid conflicts. When a group is socialized from birth and then forced to go through socialization again to fit a new societal structure, major problems may occur. Structures of societies have been built and mirrored over time and can be seen even in the smallest of societies such as the one discussed in the book Lord of the Flies. This society was formed out of desperation in order to survive and its overall destruction came from the combined actions of the boys. Works Cited/References Golding, W. (1962). Lord of the Flies . New York: Coward-McCann. Anderson, S. (2011) Simmel Slides. Anderson, S. (2011) Marx Slides. Anderson, S. (2011) Durkheim Chapter Slides.

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