Government Vs. Anarchy In Lord Of The Flies

Government versus Anarchy Since the beginning of time, man’s inbred lust for power has been the driving force behind the destruction of civilizations throughout human history. As illustrated in the novel Lord of the Flies, civil order and a progressive society simply cannot coexist with conflict among its leadership. The boys, fleeing the unimaginable conditions of a war-torn Europe, find themselves stranded on an island without any adults to guide them. If the “grown-up” world cannot effectively resolve their conflicts in a peaceful manner, how could one expect a group of children to do so? With no adult influence or authority, the boys have unbridled reign of the island and its resources. Developing a hierarchical structure comes as first
But as they spend more time separated from the conformity of civilization and its structured set of laws and expectations, a sort of “King of the Mountain” complex arises - as order disintegrates, immorality and a battle for dominance quickly surfaces. In this book, the theme of “government versus anarchy” plays a central role in the boys’ initial reaction to their situation, their priorities, and the condition they are in at the end of the novel. Often order and structure are an individual’s inbred response, but with time and separation from a developed society, man’s natural thirst for power soon leads to the destruction of such order. The first distinction between government and anarchy in Lord of the Flies can be observed as the boys react to the wreck and come up with a plan of action. Their immediate response is to set up a governing body and establish leadership. Instinctively, they are all ready and willing to hold discussion and adhere to the authority of the sacred