ipl-logo

Lord Of The Flies Quest For Power Essay

1177 Words5 Pages

“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.” (Lincoln, Abraham “Speech in Clinton Illinois on September 2, 1858) In the Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, a large group of English boys crashed on an island and were left with no adults. (Golding 8) The boys have no water, food, first-aid, and no additional clothing. The boys are essentially left to die and have to survive and keep civilization on their own. The proper, civilized boys have to create order and civilization on an uncivilized island. In the novel “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding it develops a very important theme that the quest for power is very powerful itself and causes civilized, proper, humans to become savage. In the Lord of the Flies, the theme of a quest for power is first emerged in the very beginning of the book. The introduction of a quest for power is when the conch shell is found and established as the center of order. (Golding 17) The conch shell is very powerful and …show more content…

The quest for power has completely taken over the novel and is in every conflict. Ralph is very deceptive and uses the boys to get what he wants. He does not care the cost, or what the result is, he wants what he wants. “The group of boys stirred and consulted. A painted face spoke with the voice of Robert. “He’s hunting. And he said we weren’t to let you in,” (Golding 176). Jack’s tribe was instructed to isolate Ralph and Piggy. Ralph symbolizes leadership and order, Piggy symbolizes logic and civilization, and Jack symbolizes savagery. Savagery is isolating order and logic because savagery wants to be in control and have power. The need and desire for power is very prominent and in order for there to be complete savagery, order and logic would have to die. The next event that proves the theme is when Piggy dies. Jack has to kill logic and civilization in order to prosper and grow in

Show More
Related

  • Dbq Essay Lord Of The Flies

    885 Words  | 4 Pages

    A beast can take on many forms in the eyes of different people, from the darkness under a child’s bed, to the inner demons within each person Author William Golding uses this concept to display different themes in his novel, Lord of the Flies. The character of the “beast” evolves throughout the story to represent intriguing and abstract subjects as the plot progresses. In The Lord of the Flies, a novel by William Golding, the “beast” is initially the boys’ fear, then a representation of war, and ultimately the savagery of human nature. Initially, the “beast” was introduced as a figment of the boys’ imagination, brought about by fear. It was at the first assembly, in which a littlun asked about, “the snake-thing” (Doc B).

    Read More

  • Dbq Essay Lord Of The Flies

    613 Words  | 3 Pages

    All children have a fear of something; spiders, snakes, even unknown monsters. In William Golding’s Lord of The Flies, a group of English boys are stranded on a deserted island with no adults. Being such young boys, they start to become afraid of a beast. But the big question is, what is the beast in Lord of The Flies? Is it the War that is happening when the boys plane crashed?

    Read More

  • Power Lord Of The Flies Essay

    490 Words  | 2 Pages

    The environment, specifically the power within proves stronger than the character traits of those involved. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, there is a complete and very sudden elimination of civilization and structure within the group of boys. This is significant because of their age and the lack of ability to be independent that has not developed enough to the extent that they have the capability to survive on a deserted island together without any adults. For instance, Ralph exclaims “No grownups!” (Golding 8).

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Lord Of The Flies

    1228 Words  | 5 Pages

    Lord of the Flies Essay What would happen if boys from a civilized culture were unexpectedly thrown together on an island? William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, provides a potential answer. Despite them trying to form leadership to keep everyone civil, the island’s environment changed them. The environment and situation caused them to change as they had to be responsible without adults, they all began to act like the animals they hunted, and they were able to commit murder.

    Read More

  • Conch Vs Savagery

    1205 Words  | 5 Pages

    The tribe lay in a semicircle before him,” (160). This passage points out the point in the novel when Jack and his followers are referred to as “chief” and “savages” by Golding to represent the true and genuine savagery that the boys have succumbed to. Ralph addresses this in one of the final statements of the novel, “Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy,” (202). This

    Read More

  • Power In Lord Of The Flies Quote Analysis

    496 Words  | 2 Pages

    The shift in power in Lord of the Flies is comparable to many other usurps in history, and is one of many examples of how Lord of the Flies is about more than just a group of young boys stranded on an

    Read More

  • Power Corrupt In Lord Of The Flies

    1511 Words  | 7 Pages

    One boy, Ralph was unwillingly thrust into power because of his attractiveness and easy-going personality, while a power hungry, cunning boy named Jack strives to rule them all. Power is an important concept in this novel as it causes most events to take place, such as it does in the world we live in. It causes wars, arguments, laws, and revolutions, but when the right

    Read More

  • Jack's Evilness In Lord Of The Flies

    583 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the quote above, Ralph is attempting to hide when the boys pass by him. Jack however notices him and Ralph realizes this may be the end. Jack, along with his tribe and their spears and painted faces run down Ralph through the forest even setting it on fire. In the end Ralph ends up being saved by luck, running into an officer. If it were not for the officer, Jack’s evilness would have got the best of him, and Ralph would not have survived.

    Read More

  • Essay On Power Of Power In Lord Of The Flies

    835 Words  | 4 Pages

    Well, the conch portrays power and authority. When a meeting needed to be held the conch was blown to round up all of the boys.

    Read More

  • Piggy's Influence In Lord Of The Flies

    1835 Words  | 8 Pages

    Power is regularly a wellspring of savagery in Lord of the Flies. The longing for it separates the limits set by guidelines and request, causes conflict and rivalry, and oversees the activities of large portions of the boys on the island. Once accomplished, power can either enhance or degenerate its holder. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, the characters Ralph, Jack, and Piggy have influenced the group, some more than others. Their influences are both negative and positive; some even changed the others personality or perspectives entirely.

    Read More

  • Lord Of The Flies Human Nature

    1057 Words  | 5 Pages

    Jack proposes that he forms his own tribe.. Within this rebel tribe he suggests that they act only as savages. The temptation to hunt won many of the boys over in favor of orderly society as suggested by Ralph. The two groups of boys reach the culmination of the conflict when logic battles savagery; “ ‘Which is

    Read More

  • Power And Manipulation In Lord Of The Flies By William Golding

    1702 Words  | 7 Pages

    The want for power strengthens and his hunger increases, but what he was unaware of was the fact that he was destroying his own mind. He was brainwashed by his surroundings to think that in that situation, it was acceptable. Jack’s evilness has officially broken everyone's norms on the island. These young boys have been exposed to the wild and this has destroyed the minds’ of these kids and has turned the kids into

    Read More

  • Democracy In Lord Of The Flies Essay

    684 Words  | 3 Pages

    In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, Golding attempts to compare and contrast two opposite strategies of control. Golding portrays that while Ralph and Piggy’s government may have been a morally sound solution, the boys chaos is too strong to be controlled by a democracy. It must be controlled by a feared dictator. While the idea of democracy, represented by the conch, is a pure concept and can provide an equal opportunity for all of the boys on the island, the animalistic need for power and chaos that controls the boys can only be reined in by a powerful dictatorship. Democracy on the island could have provided an equal opportunity for all the boys on the island.

    Read More

  • Childhood In Lord Of The Flies Essay

    718 Words  | 3 Pages

    Ralph represents leadership, civilization, and order. He decides to build huts and find ways of being rescued while the other boys play and have fun. This is why Ralph is elected leader by the boys. Ralph also refuses to give into his savage instincts over the course of the novel while the other boys gradually

    Read More

  • Evil In Lord Of The Flies Research Paper

    1100 Words  | 5 Pages

    Throughout the book we witness the power struggle between Jack and Ralph, we watch as Jack undermines Ralph's authority and gains control of the boys on the island. Jack's leadership is powerful, he understands how to coerce others into following him and is exceptional at controlling his crowd. Take for example him leading the crowd of hunters, “Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood” (Golding 56).

    Read More

More about Lord Of The Flies Quest For Power Essay

Open Document