Weve got to have rules and obey them. After all, were not savages. Is this true in "Lord of the Flies"?

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Dave Anderson        John Dawkins        Cameron Partridge

“We’ve got to have rules and obey them.

After all, we’re not savages.”

- Jack Merridew, (CHAP 2. PG 42.)

William Golding’s Lord of the Flies follows the tale of a group of boys stranded on an isolated desert island, after their plane crashed. It takes place during an unspecified nuclear war; which was a major threat post WWII. Throughout the book Golding explores how a difficult situation can transform middle class

English boys into having a much more savage nature, as well as splitting the ‘good’, from the ‘bad’.

By the end of chapter 1, Ralph and Piggy have already formed some sort of

order, and by the time Jack and his choir are introduced, Ralph is already

being looked up to by the other boys; especially the younger ones, or “littluns”.

Jack appears, and instantly attempts to take over Ralph’s role and enforce

his power by ordering his choir about as though he should be chief. The

choir at first appears orderly and immaculately dressed, soon after this they

are addressed as ‘hunters’, and due to the heat strip down their uniform,

which causes them to look much less civilised. This also happens with the

other boys in their school uniforms. The transformation of the choir marks a

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significant loss of order from the boys former lives. This could also symbolise

the first step in a slow change towards savagery on the island and influence

the behaviour of others.

Soon after the arrival on the island a clear hierarchy is visible with leaders

such as Ralph and Jack on top closely followed by Simon and the

other “bigguns” with “littluns” and Piggy being at the bottom; having to accept

insults and jeers from the other children, especially Jack, who seems to house

a special hatred for piggy from chapter one.

Near the beginning of the book ...

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