The most significant theme in the novel "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding is the degeneration from civility to savagery. Sub themes to this novel would be power and

        During the boys’ stay on the island, the power of leadership changes hands. This novel shows that with great power comes great responsibility. The power on the island started with Ralph and ends with Jack. “‘Well then’ All at once he found he could talk fluently and explain what he had to say. He passed a hand through his fair hair and spoke” pg 30. Ralph depended on the conch to maintain his leadership. Ralph wanted to work together and have a democratic society. He as much possible thought of ways of getting off the island. Jack on the other hand wanted everyone to follow and obey his rules. “Conch! Conch! Shouted Jack, we don’t need the conch any more. We know who ought to say things. What good did Simon do speaking, or Bill, or Walter? It’s time some people knew they’ve got to keep quiet and leave deciding things to the rest of us-” pg 110-111. Jack wanted to do what pleased him. He really did not want to get off the island; he just wanted to kill pigs for their meat. Since there was corruption between Ralph and Jack, had their own policy, the state of the island depended on their use of power.

        Towards the end of the novel the boys’ fear played a major role. Their fear was about a beast which wandered through the forest. “We’ve seen the beast with our own eyes. No- we weren’t asleep-” pg 108. Every time they spoke about the beast, the fear within them grew. They try to believe that there is no beast but they know that something is lurking in the forest. “‘There isn’t a snake-thing. But if there was a snake we’d hunt it and kill it. We’re going to hunt pigs and get meat for everybody. And we’ll look for the snake too-,’ Jack said. ‘But there isn’t a snake,’ Ralph says” pg 35. Ralph tries to convince the boys that there isn’t any beast. Jack tells them that there is a beast and he will kill it. William Golding’s novel has no beast wandering on the island except for the beast within man. The fear of the beast is actually the fear of themselves.

        The degeneration from civility to savagery is the most dominant theme in this novel. Power and the fear of the unknown also play an important part in this work of fiction. The boys were innocent when Ralph was in power. When Jack began gaining power he spread fear to the boys and taught them how to be savage. “Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!-” pg206. Soon after most of the boys followed Jack and became him. Their savagery ways, abuse of power, and play with fear caused total ciaos on the island.