How Is Authority Shown In Lord Of The Flies

Authority is what creates order, so when authority is lost, chaos reigns. In William

Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, authority is needed on the island so that chaos isn’t created.

Authority is needed for survival, hope, and order. Survival is based on authority.

People look up to authority to tell them how to survive. In William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, authority is needed on the island so the boys can build shelters and hunt for survival without a chaotic end. Very early on Ralph is given authority over the boys and he starts creating survival, “I’m chief then.” (Golding 19). With all the boys looking up to Ralph, they all do as he says. They light a signal fire, make shelters, and hunt. But when Ralph starts to lose

Ralph is losing control and with it, survival is slipping as well. Ralph’s authority is crushed and replaced with Jack. Jack thinks of it all as a game and only pays attention to hunting, dismissing other parts of survival. Along with survival, authority is also needed for hope.

Hope is what makes people want to keep on living and accomplish their goals. In William

Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, authority is needed to create hope on the island, without hope,

death is sure to arrive. Knowing that, to be saved Ralph makes a signal fire, “If a ship comes near the island they might not notice us. So we must make smoke on top of the island. We must make fire.” (Golding 37). Ralph represents authority and he is promoting hope among the boys. He says that they need to signal a ship with fire, so the boys are filled with hope and think they are saved. Without the authority, Ralph, they will be unsure and think they are never getting saved.

At the end of the book, the boys are trying to kill Ralph but an officer shows up, “Are there any adults- any grown-ups with you?” (Golding 223) Earlier on, the hope has faltered and death is prominent over hope. When an officer shows up on the island, hope flares back into the