The Role of Power and Corruption in Lord of the Flies by William Golding (1954)

The Role of Power and Corruption in Lord of the Flies by William Golding (1954)

Expanding the Roles:
Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a novel about a group of British schoolboys stranded on an uninhabited island, where their attempts to form a society quickly descend into chaos. The novel explores themes of power, corruption, and the fragility of civilization. For literature students, Lord of the Flies is a powerful study of human nature, the corruption of power, and the destructive tendencies that emerge in the absence of societal rules.

• Power and Corruption:
  The boys’ attempt to create a functional society quickly becomes tainted by the desire for power, particularly as Jack and his followers embrace violence and savagery. Literature students can examine how Golding critiques the corrupting influence of power and how it leads to the breakdown of social order.

• Human Nature and the Fallibility of Civilization:
  Lord of the Flies suggests that beneath the veneer of civilization, humans are driven by primal instincts. Students can explore how the novel challenges the notion that civilization is inherently good, instead positing that the potential for savagery exists in all individuals.

What We Learn:
Lord of the Flies provides literature students with deep insights into the corrupting nature of power and the inherent darkness in human nature. The novel highlights the fragility of civilization and the ways in which societal norms can quickly disintegrate under the pressure of primal instincts.