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The role of power in the novel Lord of the Flies is very important to the storyline. In this tale, power takes on two different visages: good and evil. The balance of strength lies between Ralph and Jack, two elementary school-aged British children who battle for the right to rule the island on which they are marooned. They both have the potential to influence the rest of the stranded students with their seniority. Ralph is the well mannered, think-ahead type of boy who is usually right, but not always heard. Jack Merridew is the kind of child who is egotistical and short-tempered: a tyrant in the making.
Both boys were born leaders, and at first, both were morally straight. In the development of this book, both children will have their chance to affect the younger children, for better or for worse. At the beginning of the story, Ralph was the first to organize the boys and create a social order. By a democratic vote, he was nominated the island chief over Jack. His first agenda was to start a smoke signal at the highest point of the island for rescue. The irresponsible boys didnt want to tend the fire because of fear of the beast atop the mountain.
And, eventually, the boys did not want to be rescued: they had everything they wanted in this paradise. This was the first sign of mutiny towards Ralph. The symbol of authority on the island during Ralph's political reign was the conch. If you were in possession of the shell, you could talk and all would listen attentively. The conch system broke down when Piggy began to use the conch regularly and Jack controlled the body of the island. Nobody on the island took Piggy seriously, not really even Ralph, until it was too late.
Soon, what was left of order on the island collapsed when Piggy perished. Some of Piggy's final words were: I got the conch. As Piggy is struck by the rock that killed him, the conch was shattered. No more conch, no more rules. All of the children had not yet realized that no authoritative figure other than the older ones was on the island to order them around all day. Once the smaller children figure out that they could not be punished for disobedience, they flock towards Jack, who becomes the epitome of evil.
Jack gains his command by enticing the smaller boys to have fun rather than plan and conserve their resources. After Jack realized his power to change the boys, his attitude went from: weve got to have rules and obey them weve got to do the right thing, to: Im not going to play any longer. Merridew then forms a clique with most of the rambunctious kids. With his elite followers, Jack has the urge to start hunting the native pigs. Jack is the initially the only one of the island with a weapon. His knife is what he uses to slaughter the hog they first kill.
The hunting group comes back to Ralph and brags about their triumph over the feral beast. Jack now knows the extent of his power and the children have seen what he can do if he becomes violent. On many occasions, Jack and his cohorts either ignored or disobeyed deliberately Ralph's authority. Examples of not following orders include the following: the tending of the fire, the jurisdiction of the conch, and the overall control of every child on the isle. However, Jack is not the only person the island has to worry about. Roger, a very naughty boy, tests his no authority theory by throwing rocks at the littles.
His hand has to adjust its aim to compensate for what society has taught him: do not hit children with stones. After he conforms to the no authority policy on the island, he becomes a violent power monger. Ralph cannot stop anyone now. He also fears the wrath of Jack. Even Samneric, the somewhat loyal twins, succumb to Jack and his gangs wishes.
When all hope seems to be lost for the doomed island, the children are saved, and seem to change their attitudes dramatically in the presence of an adult. In this writing, power is the key to prosperity and destruction of everyone on the island. If this book ended with them not being rescued, Roger would have usurped Jack and killed everyone on the island, including himself. Control in the form of evil always breaks down.
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Research essay sample on Jack Island Children
