Page 93 - The Gonzaga Record 1985
P. 93
Politics is another area in which there are similarities drawn. Initially, Ralph is
democratically elected chief, and he tries to keep order and rationality by creating
a set of rules. He does so because he tries to imitate the adult world; he uses the
rules to make everyone equal (e.g. the rule about the conch having to be held by the
speaker at a meeting). He is a democrat.
However, Jack contrasts with Ralph. Jack wants rules also, but he wants to use
them for power, suppression, violence, and subordination (e.g. 'And if rules, and
the conch, the symbol of democracy, we know who ought to say things.' He
eventually leaves and sets up a rival regime. He gathers a group around himself
(rather like a secret police). 'He sat there, garlanded like an idol.' Eventually
democracy is smashed when the conch is shattered, and Ralph is hunted down.
Thus there is a parallel to the outer world in this respect. However, Golding's
opinions (probably pro-democracy, as in one paragraph he says that Jack was
most obviously chief; Piggy the cleverest; but Ralph is chosen) are inconsequential,
and he doesn't make any real effort to express them. For he is trying to point out
that society, whether it be democracy or totalitarian, will be shaped in reality by
human nature.
Here, then, is the purpose of the adult/boy parallels. Man can only survive if he
looks at himself individually, and tries to correct the evil tendencies in himself.
Nature and society are innocent. Man, whether primitive (the boys), or 'civili sed'
(the adults) is the culprit of his evil deeds.
lain Donovan (S. 4)
85
democratically elected chief, and he tries to keep order and rationality by creating
a set of rules. He does so because he tries to imitate the adult world; he uses the
rules to make everyone equal (e.g. the rule about the conch having to be held by the
speaker at a meeting). He is a democrat.
However, Jack contrasts with Ralph. Jack wants rules also, but he wants to use
them for power, suppression, violence, and subordination (e.g. 'And if rules, and
the conch, the symbol of democracy, we know who ought to say things.' He
eventually leaves and sets up a rival regime. He gathers a group around himself
(rather like a secret police). 'He sat there, garlanded like an idol.' Eventually
democracy is smashed when the conch is shattered, and Ralph is hunted down.
Thus there is a parallel to the outer world in this respect. However, Golding's
opinions (probably pro-democracy, as in one paragraph he says that Jack was
most obviously chief; Piggy the cleverest; but Ralph is chosen) are inconsequential,
and he doesn't make any real effort to express them. For he is trying to point out
that society, whether it be democracy or totalitarian, will be shaped in reality by
human nature.
Here, then, is the purpose of the adult/boy parallels. Man can only survive if he
looks at himself individually, and tries to correct the evil tendencies in himself.
Nature and society are innocent. Man, whether primitive (the boys), or 'civili sed'
(the adults) is the culprit of his evil deeds.
lain Donovan (S. 4)
85
