Lord of the Flies, Book Review Example

Written by British officer during World War II and published in 1958, “The Lord of the Ring” is a description of two political leaders and systems of government that can be read between the lines. William Golding has depicted struggle between two forms of political order: Fascism and Democracy. As Ralph and John become the leaders over little boys after airplane crash, they tend to implement different plans in order to survive. Ralph supposes that law and order are the only ways to stay alive while waiting for the ship or airplane to find them. However, John thinks that short-term goals are much more important than the long-term. According to him, boys should search for food only and pay no attention to other things, as there is nothing else what can help them to survive. Boys soon realize that they have power to influence others and authority to make orders. As their ideas usually contradict with each other, boys try to convince the majority of survivors support their interests.

Ralph can be compared with the democratic political leader who strives for better good for greater number of people. The idea of establishing democratic society is expressed, when Ralph proposes John to lead “hunters”. By doing this Ralph forms a kind of opposition, which is so common in this type of government system. It is he who proposes to use conch as a symbol of right to speak. In fact, he declares that everyone should be treated equally because any person on the island could take conch. Ralph says: “I’ll give conch to the next person to speak. He can hold it when he is speaking … and he won’t be interrupted” (Golding 41). A detailed analysis of the story can show that Ralph tries to support human dignity, maintain better living, look for long-term benefits, and care about ecology. His ideas are similar to those of president Barack Obama. It is not a secret that democratic leaders put individual rights over prosperity of the nation. In other words, they are trying to get successful country’s development through satisfying ordinary people. Unlike democratic ideas, fascism goals were to get country’s wealth through suffering of the nation. For instance, Ralph cannot understand how other boys could kill Piggy, who always supported justice and honesty. In fact, he expresses the idea that every human has a right to live. By searching for several analogies from real life, reader can notice similarity of the ideas expressed in the story with those stated by Barack Obama. During his inauguration speech president told that he would “uphold the right to life also by personally leading the USA away from the death penalty, starting with declaring a moratorium on all federal executions” (Amnesty International). Ralph is rational and wise hero who is much more intelligent that other boys of his age. He understood that setting up a big fire would save their lives. Ralph could force children to make fire, bit he tried to persuade them to do so by showing the benefits of such action. In real life democratic political leaders always speak to ordinary people using mass media in order to explain how their actions can benefit the country and individuals, give proper background of some acts they signed or decrees they have developed.

Jack is an example of dictator who tends to get things done by means of force and power. His views can be compared to those of fascism or totalitarian system of government. Over history we can track the way Hitler became a ruler of Nazi Germany. Being rejected by the greater number of boys, Jack shows his protest against Ralph’s leadership. He still manages to control power by becoming a leader of “hunters”. Under totalitarian system justice is subjective. In fact, dictator can do whatever he wants and give orders that contradict even the basic human rights. As glasses of Piggy were the only way of producing fire, it was a kind of strategic thing. Jack and his crew simply steal them. In real life, for example, Hitler took mining provinces controlled by France simply because he needed coal in order to increase weapon production. In Lord of the Flies Ralph could not oppose Jack because he was too powerful. In its turn, France could not oppose Hitler, as all counties were afraid of invasion. Piggy’s murder is somehow similar to the Night of Long Knives that occurred in 1934. Piggy tried to support Ralph and was killed for his beliefs. Same thing can be observed when Hitler killed most of the representatives of the opposing party and, thus has become the only political leader in Germany. Finally, reader can see that Jack is constantly trying to become the only ruler on the island. He is also trying to disagree with every single point Ralph proposes.

Struggle between democratic order and fascism can be also seen in the way Ralph and Jack become leaders. In real life under democracy president is elected through secret voting. Such approach guarantees fairness and justice. Being elected by greater number of boys Ralph lawfully becomes a “ruler“. Under the state of totalitarianism or fascism practically there is no justice. Jack uses mistakes of his competitor to get power. What he cannot get legally, he takes it using force. Secondly, another feature of totalitarianism is that dictators get their power not being elected by voting, but overthrow weaker leader. In the end of “Lord of the Files” Ralph is left alone, because all people who supported him are either dead or have no other options as to change their minds.

In conclusion I want to write that the difference between democracy and fascism is obvious. Even perception of the boys, their views of the world speak for them. In fact, written shortly after the war ended, this story depicts benefits of one political system and wickedness of the other one. By supporting Jack boys simply gave their freedom of choice, their rights to the hands of their new leader and were left with no possibility to express their own will. William Golding gives enough facts, so that reader could understand which of the boys represent democracy and fascism. By comparing Jack and Ralph to two political orders we get a real picture what was going on during the times of Hitler and what we will face today.

Works Cited

Cummings, Michael. (2004) “The lord of the Flies: Study guide”. 12 March, 2009. <http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/Guides2/Golding.html>.

Golding, William. (1959). “The lord of the Flies”. Penguin Group, USA. “Obama – A chance to build respect to human rights” (28 January 2009). Amnesty International. 12 March, 2009. <http:/ /www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/obama-chance-build-respect-human-rights-20090128>.

“The night of the Long Knives” (1997). The History Place. 12 March, 2009. <http:/ /www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/timeline/roehm-bio.htm>.