“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.” (Lincoln, Abraham “Speech in Clinton Illinois on September 2, 1858) In the Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, a large group of English boys crashed on an island and were left with no adults. (Golding 8) The boys have no water, food, first-aid, and no additional clothing. The boys are essentially left to die and have to survive and keep civilization on their own. The proper, civilized boys have to create order and civilization on an uncivilized island. In the novel “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding it develops a very important theme that the quest for power is very powerful itself and causes civilized, proper, humans to become savage. In the Lord of the Flies, the theme of a quest for power is first emerged in the very beginning of the book. The introduction of a quest for power is when the conch shell is found and established as the center of order. (Golding 17) The conch shell is very powerful and …show more content…
The quest for power has completely taken over the novel and is in every conflict. Ralph is very deceptive and uses the boys to get what he wants. He does not care the cost, or what the result is, he wants what he wants. “The group of boys stirred and consulted. A painted face spoke with the voice of Robert. “He’s hunting. And he said we weren’t to let you in,” (Golding 176). Jack’s tribe was instructed to isolate Ralph and Piggy. Ralph symbolizes leadership and order, Piggy symbolizes logic and civilization, and Jack symbolizes savagery. Savagery is isolating order and logic because savagery wants to be in control and have power. The need and desire for power is very prominent and in order for there to be complete savagery, order and logic would have to die. The next event that proves the theme is when Piggy dies. Jack has to kill logic and civilization in order to prosper and grow in