Lord Of The Flies Maslow's Hierarchy Of Needs
There are many things in life that humans prioritize. This includes physical and mental needs. However, different people find different things more important than others. For some people, love and appreciation are needed in order for them to feel complete while others may only need basic life necessities to feel whole. In the novel “Lord of The Flies” by William Golding, a group of schoolboys crash land onto an island and develop their own sense of society, including valuing certain needs. However, as the story progressed, it became apparent that some of the boys allowed their desires to overtake their needs. Abraham Maslow, a psychologist of the 20th century, developed the theory of hierarchy of needs which examines what people need to prioritize in life in order to maintain a substantial and healthy life.
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The order of his system of needs from most important to least important are physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualization needs.
The first three needs are seen as defecit needs, while the others are more so considered as wanted needs. In the the book, most of the boys acquire all of their physiological and safety needs which are most important by finding food and building shelter. One character, Piggy, prioritize these things first, while other characters, such as Jack, are more focused on power and esteem needs. If prioritization of wants rather than needs occurs in a society, then according to , Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, loss of emotional control will occur due to a lack deficit needs. This occurs in the book between Piggy and Jack and it determines how well they are able to function mentally on the
island.
Piggy is a shy and plump 12 year old boy who was previously raised in a civilized family that valued intelligence. Although he is at a physical disadvantage due to his asthma, he is the most practical and scientifically minded boy on the island, making him very useful. Piggy values the need of safety and understands that others may not feel safe. In the beginning of the book, Piggy finds a shell, or conch, and suggest that the other boy with him, Ralph blow on it to call the other boys. “‘It’s a shell! I seen one like that before. On someone’s back wall. A conch he called it. He used to blow it and then his mum would come. It’s ever so valuable’ [...] ‘We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting. They’ll come when they hear us—” He beamed at Ralph” (20). Piggy suggests that the conch be used to let the other lost boys know where they were. This refers to Maslow’s need of safety because this was only done since the boys did not feel safe. If Piggy felt that he and Ralph were safe and protected, then he would have kept quiet and and to himself and not have suggested calling all the other boys to ensure universal safety. Through this, it is clear to see that Piggy would succeed more by helping the society through his prioritization of safety needs.
Although most of the boys on the island found staying alive and healthy to be most important, others put their beliefs that power and esteem needs were most significant above all else. Jack is one of the boys who displays prioritization of esteem needs the most. He is around 12 years old and was the leader of a group of choir boys who landed on the island. Throughout the book, Jack is seen as a boy who harbors emotions such as anger and is very egomaniacal. Esteem seems to be one of the most important needs to Jack. He was very focused on receiving recognition from others but most importantly gaining power. A prime example of this need being fulfilled is when Jack forms his own tribe and makes himself chief. “Jack was standing before a small group of boys. He was looking brilliantly happy. “Hunting,” he said. He sized them up. Each of them wore the remains of a black cap and ages ago they had stood in two demure rows and their voices had been the song of angels. “We’ll hunt. I’m going to be chief.” They nodded, and the crisis passed easily” (191). Jack develops his own power by using boys who already looked up to him as their choir leader. Part of the reason Jack decides to form his own tribe is because Ralph was previously chosen to be the overall chief and was receiving more attention. Jack could not stand this and put his esteem above all else by manipulating others to establish his own power. The need of esteem is divided into more categories including mastery of a task, receiving attention and recognition from others, and the need for power. Jack had mastered hunting , but he abused this need in order to gain power. By doing so, he established that esteem needs were most important to him, which eventually causes him to be savage like and feared.
Human beings are all very different in their own ways in that they prioritize things differently. Jack and Piggy are primary examples of this as they have very opposing opinions. Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs best demonstrates what occurs on the island in Lord of the Flies. It displays the reasoning behind why each boy acted the way they did. Those who emphasized deficit needs over wanted needs were more intelligent and provided more wisdom on the island, while the boys who found wants to be above all were more likely to become savage and manipulative. Maslow’s theory applies to everyone. However, it depends on the person and what they prioritize most in order for them to make thoughtful and helpful decisions in life.
The order of his system of needs from most important to least important are physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualization needs.
The first three needs are seen as defecit needs, while the others are more so considered as wanted needs. In the the book, most of the boys acquire all of their physiological and safety needs which are most important by finding food and building shelter. One character, Piggy, prioritize these things first, while other characters, such as Jack, are more focused on power and esteem needs. If prioritization of wants rather than needs occurs in a society, then according to , Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, loss of emotional control will occur due to a lack deficit needs. This occurs in the book between Piggy and Jack and it determines how well they are able to function mentally on the
island.
Piggy is a shy and plump 12 year old boy who was previously raised in a civilized family that valued intelligence. Although he is at a physical disadvantage due to his asthma, he is the most practical and scientifically minded boy on the island, making him very useful. Piggy values the need of safety and understands that others may not feel safe. In the beginning of the book, Piggy finds a shell, or conch, and suggest that the other boy with him, Ralph blow on it to call the other boys. “‘It’s a shell! I seen one like that before. On someone’s back wall. A conch he called it. He used to blow it and then his mum would come. It’s ever so valuable’ [...] ‘We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting. They’ll come when they hear us—” He beamed at Ralph” (20). Piggy suggests that the conch be used to let the other lost boys know where they were. This refers to Maslow’s need of safety because this was only done since the boys did not feel safe. If Piggy felt that he and Ralph were safe and protected, then he would have kept quiet and and to himself and not have suggested calling all the other boys to ensure universal safety. Through this, it is clear to see that Piggy would succeed more by helping the society through his prioritization of safety needs.
Although most of the boys on the island found staying alive and healthy to be most important, others put their beliefs that power and esteem needs were most significant above all else. Jack is one of the boys who displays prioritization of esteem needs the most. He is around 12 years old and was the leader of a group of choir boys who landed on the island. Throughout the book, Jack is seen as a boy who harbors emotions such as anger and is very egomaniacal. Esteem seems to be one of the most important needs to Jack. He was very focused on receiving recognition from others but most importantly gaining power. A prime example of this need being fulfilled is when Jack forms his own tribe and makes himself chief. “Jack was standing before a small group of boys. He was looking brilliantly happy. “Hunting,” he said. He sized them up. Each of them wore the remains of a black cap and ages ago they had stood in two demure rows and their voices had been the song of angels. “We’ll hunt. I’m going to be chief.” They nodded, and the crisis passed easily” (191). Jack develops his own power by using boys who already looked up to him as their choir leader. Part of the reason Jack decides to form his own tribe is because Ralph was previously chosen to be the overall chief and was receiving more attention. Jack could not stand this and put his esteem above all else by manipulating others to establish his own power. The need of esteem is divided into more categories including mastery of a task, receiving attention and recognition from others, and the need for power. Jack had mastered hunting , but he abused this need in order to gain power. By doing so, he established that esteem needs were most important to him, which eventually causes him to be savage like and feared.
Human beings are all very different in their own ways in that they prioritize things differently. Jack and Piggy are primary examples of this as they have very opposing opinions. Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs best demonstrates what occurs on the island in Lord of the Flies. It displays the reasoning behind why each boy acted the way they did. Those who emphasized deficit needs over wanted needs were more intelligent and provided more wisdom on the island, while the boys who found wants to be above all were more likely to become savage and manipulative. Maslow’s theory applies to everyone. However, it depends on the person and what they prioritize most in order for them to make thoughtful and helpful decisions in life.