Why do civilizations crumble? What makes some civilizations last, while others don’t? Good leaders, ones who are able to control the savage side of their people, are what keep societies afloat. Bad leaders, who aren’t able to rein in the evil part of their people, often cause civilizations to fall. We see that dilemma in the novel, Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding. Told in the third person, the book follows a group of boys who got stuck on an island after their plane crashed, each character representing a different part of society. Slowly, as the book progresses, the boys lose more and more of their civility. The character most responsible for this transition is Jack, who represents primal instinct. He takes power away from Ralph, …show more content…
According to the article, “Who Is That?”. The Study of Anonymity and Behavior” by Joe Dawson, “Scientists have found a tendency for many people to act rudely, aggressively, or illegally when their faces and names are hidden.” When provided with a sense of anonymity, people are more likely to act hostile and viciously. People are more comfortable revealing more severe characteristics when people can’t recognize them. In the book, Lord of the Flies, when Jack discovers how to disguise his face while hunting, he feels more relaxed doing so: “He looked in astonishment, no longer at himself, but at an awesome stranger. [...] The mask compelled him” (63-64). Before Jack learns to do this, his emotions overwhelm him, and he’s unable to make the decision to end an animal’s life. Hiding under a mask, he was free from the feelings of shame and fear, and able to kill the pig without feeling sympathy for the creatures. It’s easier for him to give into his violent nature by hiding behind a mask—and this tendency is the reason for the civilization on the island’s collapse. Jack’s aggressiveness leads him to form his own tribe, which later goes after their old tribe leader, Ralph, in an attempt to kill him-- the final step that turns civilization into