Leadership In Lord Of The Flies Essay

1083 Words5 Pages

When a society is faced with desperate conditions, the leaders will divide into two parties, rather than staying together as one. For example, in the novel Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, it shows a group of boys who divide amongst themselves and separate into two parties, each with their own traits. However, when this happens, the boys must choose which side they would like to become a part of. In the novel, a group of school boys crash land on a deserted island with no adults. The unexplored island offers the boys a new found freedom. However, the boy's eagerness to adventure soon erupts into chaos. With no adult supervision the boys take it upon themselves to elect a leader. The island's harsh conditions eventually trigger the boys …show more content…

The hunters act violently. While the group is out hunting, the boys get out of control and start to target Robert. In the process, incapacitate Robert and hold him by the limbs. “All at once, Robert was screaming and struggling with the strength of frenzy. Jack had him by the hair and was brandishing his knife. Behind him was Roger, fighting to get close. The chant rose ritually, as at the last moment of a dance or a hunt” (Golding 114). They acted violently by poking and prodding him with sharpened sticks. This shows that the hunters act rough and aggressively. They underestimate how much pain they are causing Robert. Jack does nothing to stop them and instead encourages their behavior. In contrast, the builders act rationally. Towards the end of the book, Jack hosts a feast with the hunters and invites anyone to join them. The builders are conflicted whether or not they should attend. As they discuss, Ralph says, “”I’m trying to think. Supposing we go, looking like we used to, washed and hair brushed --after all we aren’t savages really and being rescued isn’t a game--”” (Golding 170). The builders think through the decision before coming to their final verdict. They do not make spontaneous decisions. Most of the time, the builders behave rationally and civilly. They work well with each other and care about one another's opinions. The builders behave more reasonably which is why they tend to make better decisions. On the other hand, the hunters behave irrationally which causes their decisions to end up in