Roger's Dictatorship In Lord Of The Flies By William Golding

In Lord of the Flies, a group of boys are stranded on an island, left to govern themselves in their own society. Some show great intellect and leadership skills while others turn to complete savagery. The island brings out animal instincts and frightening violence. In Lord of the Flies by William Golding, Roger represents the darkness of mankind through his naturally violent tendencies, role in Jack’s dictatorship, and lack of remorse.

Through his initial hesitation when it comes to violence, Roger shows that he’s been conditioned to control his savage tendencies his whole life. When he threw rocks at boys on multiple different occasions, he “threw to miss” (86). He has violent urges, but doesn’t fully carry them out because of concepts like the “space round Henry… into which he dare not throw. Here, invisible yet strong, was the taboo of old life” (87). The rules of society, likely enforced by his teachers and parents, have constrained him to become a schoolyard bully, when really this false personality allows him little satisfaction. He is capable of terrible cruelty, and without properly enforced rules, he indulges in his desire to inflict pain upon others.

Sam and Eric speak of this vaguely, as if they’re either afraid he will hear and they will suffer the consequences again, or it was so scarring that they can’t bear to say it: “You don’t know Roger. He’s a terror” (272). Roger is not playing some kind of make-believe part. He is naturally threatening and vicious, so while Jack’s rebel tribe members hide under their masks, he takes this opportunity to show his true self underneath layers of