‘Golding knows exactly what boys are like’ (from a Times review, 1954). Discuss Golding’s portrayal of boys in the light of this comment

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Phil Cox – U4 KJM                Page  of

‘Golding knows exactly what boys are like’ (from a Times review, 1954). Discuss Golding’s portrayal of boys in the light of this comment

        What are boys like? This is a question often asked by various people. How do they behave both individually and in a group situation, particularly a dangerous and unfamiliar one like this?  Are they different to adults. What would happen if, during a full-scale nuclear war, a group of boys, of contrasting characters, were given the chance of a new start – a new Eden?  Would they behave any differently?  Is conflict inevitable? ‘The Lord Of the Flies’ was set in a period where the tensions between the USSR (United Soviet States of Russia) and the USA (United States of America) were at their height and this book attempts to answer all of these questions, but are the answers presented accurate, and if so, how far?

        The reader quickly becomes aware of the range of personalities on the island Ralph immediately is portrayed as a leading figure as he seems to command Piggy, “sucks to your ass-mar”, although it could be seen as a sign of frustration or a put-down, and surveys the situation that they are in realistically:

“He must have flown off after he dropped us. He couldn’t land here. Not in a plane with wheels”

        When Ralph uses the conch to call the other boys he proves that he is taking charge. He proves that he is cool-headed and able to rationalise. Most boys, when left for a time without the restraints of the adult world, develop a hierarchy, or ‘pecking order’ extremely quickly and when Jack appears, rivalry develops:

“I ought to be chief,” said Jack with simple arrogance, “because I’m chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C sharp.”

        Here jack doesn’t explicitly tell them that his future plans are to create a dictatorship, it is more a case announcing his leadership qualifications. Jack wants a ‘tribe’ where everyone worships him and obeys his orders, like the chapel choir. If boys were left in a situation like this, where a ‘gang’ of youths were forced to be with other boys, then they would assume that the others would follow their example. As Jack is the leader of this ‘gang’ then he assumes that he will lead the other boys. Ralph tells the boys of how they will be rescued soon if they build a fire and therefore the boys follow him as he is saying what they want to hear.

        Initially the boys behave well when they are placed outside the controls and restrictions of the adult world with no adult authority. Piggy is the first to attempt to sustain a civilised society, as he tries to imply the rules and laws of the adult society into the boy’s society. One instance is when he suggests writing down the names of the boys. In a group of boys, especially such a cross-section as Golding presents, there is always a realistic member who is determined to create the perfect society. Piggy is this member as on numerous occasions he tries to prevent the boys from descending into savagery, which will be rooted in the text later. This works initially, mainly because of the nature of their meeting, as this is, in effect, a disaster. After a major incident, boys seem to look to their leaders for encouragement and the message from Ralph is to create an ordered society. The reason for Ralph following this path is because his father was in the Royal Navy and therefore has had to mature quickly as he has probably not had a father figure and therefore is a great deal wiser than his years suggest. Ralph also offers the prospect of rescue.  In fact he promises rescue, he tells the boys what they probably want to hear and therefore they follow him.

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        The solution to the rivalry between Ralph and Jack is to split the ‘tribe’ of boys into two groups, the hunters and the non-hunters. This works initially as the dictator can never accept that people are better, or even equal to him and this allow Jack to follow his own ambitions. A famous expression demonstrates this aspect of political reality:

“You can please some of the people all of the time, and you can please all of the people some of the time; but you can’t please all of the people all off the time.”

        

Ralph is the ...

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