Essay: Lord Of The Flies – conflict between civilization and barbaric savagery

Can you imagine you and your class mates on a deserted island with no adults present. Who would be in charge with no adults there? Who would make the rules? What type of person would emerge as a leader? In the novel Lord Of The Flies such a situation occurs. William Golding has presented this real life situation in his novel. A group of British school boys find themselves struggling to remain civilized as they were in school. These British boys have crashed on a island that’s far from home. Yet, as the novel continues , the boys are faced with difficult decisions between right and wrong. The novel Lord Of The Flies the conflict between civilization and barbaric savagery are presented in contrast. Many other themes are presented through this novel but civilization and savagery was the most common them because the boys get use to living on a island after days and they start turning more animal like and non human. They start acting more like animals then human beings.The most important theme in the book and movie is civilization vs savagery. This theme is shown in both the book and movie by showing how the kids have became more animal like humans. When jack paints his face with pig blood and charcoal it shows that he is becoming more savage. “Jack planned his new face. He made one check and one eye socket white, then he rubbed red over the other half the other half of his face and slashed a black bar of charcoal across from right ear to left jaw”(Golding 63). Jack had his face painted through out the story showing he becomes more savage. Jack becomes animal like. The conch is also a way of civilization throughout the story. It’s a way the boys communicate. “No we’re having a meeting. Come and join in” (Golding 20). The conch leads the boys to group meetings. whoever has the conch has the right to talk. In the movie while all the boys where in the forest looking around Roger kills Simon’s pet Chameleon (hook). Roger just kills Simon’s pet just to kill it. Roger was just being mean. In the novel Piggy kept his clothes on the whole time while he was alive anywhere they went (hook). Clothes is civilization in Lord of the Flies. And Piggy was civil. In the novel jack wanted to be the captain but no one wanted him to be in charge. Jack says, “I’m going off by myself”(Golding). All the kids have a meeting on who should be chief and no one raises their hand for Jack because he is mean and savage. Jack becomes out of control at that point. In conclusion civilization vs savagery is a very important theme in Lord Of The Flies novel and movie.
Power and leadership is another theme in Lord Of The Flies. The early decision to select a leader between Ralph and Jack ends up with Ralph being selected by a vote from the kids “none of the boys could have found good reason for them, the most obvious was Jack” (Golding 22). Jack is disappointed from this but accepts being the leader of the hunters. Jack isn’t happy that he wasn’t selected as chief. Ralph as leader, sets up his own rules that is fair to all. All the rules Ralph make are specific rules that he wants everyone to follow. “Hands up like at school”(Golding 33).The conch gives the right to whoever has it to speak at a meeting or any time the have it. “I’ll give the conch to the next person to speak. He can hold it while he’s speaking”(Golding 33).  jack becomes really angry with the process of Ralph being leader. Jack begins challenging Ralph’s power at one of the meetings. “Jack, Jack, you haven’t got the conch let him speak and jack says “and you shut up” to Ralph. “Who are you anyways. Sitting there telling people what to do. I am chief I was chosen” says Ralph (Golding 91). This challenge to Ralph was just another step in Jacks wanting for powers and leadership. When reminded of the rules, jack says “bollocks to the rules!” (Golding 91). The break up of the group is final. Jack will set his own rules with his style of leadership as leader of hunters. The conch is latter destroyed when Piggy dies. This struggle for leadership and powers led to the destruction of the group.  Another important theme in Lord Of The Flies is Loss Of innocence. A civilized society, controlled by adults, provides for and protects its children. Thus, when the boys first arrived on the island, they feel that they will be rescued and set about to enjoy there freedom from adults and rules. The younger children when first called. “Toke there cue from the innocent Johnny and waited… the children gave Ralph the same simple obedience they had learned before” (Golding 18). The children swim, build sandcastle as children would . The older boys look out for the young ones. The longer they stay on the island, the older boys, Jack and Ralph start to argue and fight for control of the group. The hunters, lead by Jack, only enjoy hunting and killing pigs. In one hunt, there brutality and torture show how evil they have become. “ kill the pig’ cut her throat’ spill her blood’ (Golding 69). It didn’t stop with the killing of pigs. In a period of great excitement to kill the beast, the boys killed Simon. “Kill the beast’ cut his throat’ spill his blood’ do him in” (Golding 152). The savagery of the boys lead to the killing of Piggy.