Lord of The Flies: When The Society Resosrts to Extreme Behavior

Desperate times call for desperate measures is a saying that has been used for centuries and is applied in various aspects of life. An individual can use power and control when necessary only when times are crucial, but few important aspects about power and control in rash moments can cause dangers results. The novel Lord of the Flies written by William Golding demonstrates that when a normal society faces death, unacceptance of fault, power, and control, they predominantly resort to extreme behaviors. These reprehensible actions are not only seen in this novel, but also frequently in the current and modern world.

Every individual experiences death and unacceptance of their own fault at some point in their lives whether it be a relative, friend, or inevitably themselves. Some causes are natural such as a heart attack or illness, for example. With these types of death, no one is at fault, so no one needs to deny it. Other causes such as murder, suicide, and poisoning are more sinister. In the case of Golding’s novel, most of the island boys contribute to their ritualistic hunting dance that kills Simon. This type of death is undeniably the fault of the boys; a fault that weaker individuals strive to escape from. Piggy, who is a coward individual, rejects his involvement, stating that he left before the dance began. He isn't capable of owning up to the mob-like actions. Eventually, his weakness results in his own death (Golding 181). Unlike the other savages on the island, Piggy's actions weren't harsh enough to merit him survival. A licensed psychologist, Guy Winch says that the reason behind not accepting your fault is because it “is related to [your] ego, [your] very sense-of-self”. It meanly because their “is not a sign of strength, it is an indication of weakness.” Those are the people who tend to not accept their faults. Which cause conflict among societies that could ultimately outcome in deaths, chaos and separation.

Power and control play a crucial part in the currently world and in the novel. Control can be looked in two different angels, one of them is when power and control can have a negative effect for example have too much control over a community which could eventually cause a lot of unwanted disorder. Another way to look at it is if power and control is used in a more responsiable and efficient way it can affect the community in more functional manner. Similarly, in the novel the demonstration of power and control slowly evolves from a more positive to negative outcome this prevalent is see earlier in the novel when all the boys on the island compete for who will be the chief; either Jack or Ralph. “Let [Ralph] be chief with the trumpet-thing.” (Golding 22) in this case Ralph is elected chief sense he seem to be the one in control at the point of time. Throughout the book the fight for power slow turns to more of a corrupted and greedier angle for instance when Jack and Ralph start fighting for the conch and he suddenly makes an argument, “Hands up….. whoever wants Ralph not to be chief?”. At this moment Jack is consumed by the feeling of wanting more power and the feel of controlling people to his own will. In the currently world the theory of power and control is similar to the book in many ways, ‘When people feel powerful or feel powerless, it influences their perception of others’. Andy J. Yap at Colombia university conducted a simple experiment on “How Power Corrupts the Minds”. In Brian Resnick perspective powerful people are extra likely to take decisive motion it also reduces recognition of constraints and causes human beings act more quickly. Powerful people additionally tend to assume more abstractly, favoring the greater image over smaller consequences. It Also, effective to people who are powerful, to likely not remember that constraint of their end result.

That when normal society faces death, unacceptance of fault, power, and control they predominantly resort to extreme behavior. The concept of death is so common that it is inevitable but foresing a death upon someone and denial it which makes a small escape path for weaker people to slip by. Power and control which also invites corruption and greediness is what cause these extreme behaviors.