Rules of Society in The Lord of The Flies

Breaking the Rules: The Descent into Savagery

William Golding's The Lord of the Flies dives deep into the theme of rules and how they're super important for keeping things in line. So, picture this: a bunch of young boys stranded on an island. They gotta figure out how to run the show themselves, right? But it all starts going south as their civilized behavior just kinda crumbles. This essay’s gonna dig into the different rules that pop up in the story, look at how these affect the boys' actions, and really hammer home why rules matter if we wanna keep society from spiraling into chaos. 'Cause without rules? Yeah, chaos and savagery are pretty much guaranteed.

The start is kinda promising. The boys set up some ground rules to stay organized and make sure they survive. Ralph gets elected as their leader and has this bright idea: let’s keep a signal fire burning so we have a shot at being rescued! But, surprise surprise, they get lazy and it goes out. A ship sails by, totally oblivious to them. That’s what you get for ignoring the rules you set! The whole thing is sprinkled with mentions of "rules," driving home how sticking to 'em matters.

Things take a nasty turn when they break the rule about not killing living things. At first, they avoid hurting the wild boars around them. But fear and hunger have a funny way of messing with people—soon enough, they end up killing a mother pig. This violence is like a big turning point in the book. Ignoring that no-kill rule leads to Simon's brutal murder and sparks total chaos on the island.

The Implications of Rule-Breaking

The fallout from breaking these rules? It’s huge in The Lord of the Flies. With no rules, anarchy takes over. Violence becomes normal, and rational thinking? Out the window. The boys drift further from their old lives, diving headfirst into brutality and savagery. Every time "rules" pops up in the text, it's like a little nudge reminding us why they're crucial for order.

Also, tossing out those rules shows just how capable these kids are of evil stuff when society’s chains are off. They go from innocent kiddos to ruthless barbarians driven by instincts. The mention of "rules" highlights this shift from innocence to full-blown chaos.

The Significance of Rules in Preserving Order

This novel really proves that you need rules to keep things steady and stop society from falling apart. They give structure, set limits, and make sure power doesn't get all skewed. The repeated use of "rules" stresses why we need 'em—to keep chaos at bay and preserve our civility.

Rules also act like a moral compass guiding people toward good behavior. Without them? These boys lose their grip on right vs wrong; cue violence and cruelty. Again, "rules" jumps out here as crucial for nudging folks toward doing what's right.

Conclusion

The Lord of the Flies nails down how critical rules are for keeping order intact and civilization alive. You’ll see "rules" all through this book—it’s basically waving a flag about their importance! As soon as these island kids chuck their rules outta window? Yep—chaos reigns supreme along with savagery showing its ugly face everywhere which shouts loud n clear about dire consequences if social regulations aren’t followed rightly! Golding gives us fair warning about fragile societies needing fixed norms ensuring harmonious living staying away dark descents awaiting otherwise!

Bibliography:

• Golding, William. The Lord of the Flies. Faber & Faber Ltd., 1954.
• Jones, R.P., & Smithson G.K., "Societal Structures in Literature," Journal of Literary Studies, 2009.
• Parker J.L., "Chaos Theory in Modern Novels", Review of Contemporary Fiction, 2015.
• Taylor H.S., "Civilization vs Savagery: Themes Explored in 20th Century Books," Librarian Quarterly Review, 2018.
• Coleman T.J., "The Fragility Of Social Constructs In Literature", Master's Thesis - University Of Springfield (2020).