Lord of The Flies Essay

Cameron Berkowitz

Mr. Juhl

English 6

27 May 2011

Rough Draft of LOTF Essay

A world without civilization is a savage world where democracy and law are completely gone, a world where tyranny and blood rule. Civilization is necessary; without it, we are all just savage beasts with no more self control than a hungry bear. In Lord of the Flies by William Golding, Golding believed that civilization is good because it is our only hope of restraining people’s naturally savage and evil natures. Under Ralph’s democracy, there was hope of rescue and a sense of order and rules. When Jack became the new chief, the Lord of the Flies was born, a sense that evil has taken over the island. When Jack took over, he became so savage that he burned down the whole island and symbolically Earth. Civilization at first works for the boys, but once they’ve been away from an actual civilization for so long, they resort to savagery.

Some aspects of civilization still exist on the island. Ralph, with the help of Piggy, led the island to become an orderly democracy. On the first day, when the children had first been stranded on the island, Ralph and Piggy formed a democracy and made the conch system. The conch symbolizes democracy, and during conch meetings they discuss problems in a patient manor and solve their problems. The children wanted to be rescued, and were completely focused on that, so they followed Ralph’s system. The children followed Ralph, and had a large respect for him, thus they stuck up for him and obeyed him. “I agree with Ralph. We’ve got to have rules and obey them. After all, we’re not savages. We’re English, and the English are best at everything. So we’ve got to do the right things” (42). This clearly shows the significance of a democratic leader. They obey Ralph out of respect, and are still trying to act like the civilized English society has taught them to act. They don’t know it yet, but they are all turning into a more savage and violent tribe as each day passes by.

Jack becomes more aggressive towards the pigs he kills, and it’s only a matter of time until he needs to unleash himself upon a person. Jack started his own tribe, bribing his allies with meat and blood; he soon took many of Ralph’s loyal followers.  Jack doesn’t like the idea of democracy, and he instead uses a violent form of dictatorship. However, because Jack provides the tribe with meat, they show him a large amount of respect even though he doesn’t follow the democracy. Jack has turned his own tribe into a hunting pack with there own crazy rituals and dance, showing that he has completely left democracy. “Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!”  (152). This shows how Jack’s tribe has been turned into nothing more than a pack of hungry wolves, desperate for food and craving blood. Soon Jack and Roger will both start there own tribe and force there law on to the rest of the island.

Through terror and intimidation Jack will control his followers, and they will receive a reward of meat to compensate for their treatment. Jack took over the entire island, and with it all of Ralph’s followers and they took two innocent lives, those of Piggy and Simon; eventually Jack burns their small world all the way down. Jack, being overcome by jealousy and violence, is attacking Ralph by burning down the entire island including there food supply. Jack has taken control of every one and every thing, except Ralph. However, he plans to get rid of Ralph by any means necessary. Due to Jack’s violent nature and the fading influence of civilization, the boy’s savagery emerges. Jack and Roger had smashed the conch, the symbol of democracy, and murders Piggy. “The breaking of the conch and the deaths of Piggy and Simon lay over the island like a vapor” (184). This proves that all of Ralph’s allies are gone, and he feels guilt and sadness everywhere he goes, and so does Jack and every other person on the island. With Ralph all alone, and democracy destroyed, nothing will stop the inevitable takeover of savagery.

The only way to keep ourselves from becoming savage is to create civilization. Golding believed that civilization is great because it’s our only hope of restraining people’s naturally savage and evil natures, this is true because without a civilization our surroundings will turn us into complete savages. When Ralph was leader, the island was more peaceful and had a purpose, to get rescued and be safe. As Jack starts to take over the island, the Lord of The Flies is created and chaos develops and engulfs the island. Jack, having been blood-drunk, soon becomes all-powerful and burns his island to the ground and with it their food and chance to survive. Golding was correct, civilization is very necessary for us to control our id and do the right thing, because if we do not then war and savagery are unavoidable.