Lord of the Flies Sense of Order Essay Example

meeting." The conch becomes a symbol of organization and order, facilitating civilized communication among the boys.

The conch symbolizes the delicate system of law and order established by the boys, and its condition represents the state of social order on the island. Both the important symbols, "Piggy's glasses and the conch," were in good shape during this time. Piggy's glasses were in the possession of their rightful owner, and the conch, recently taken from the water, still sparkled and appeared magnificent. The pristine state of these items indicates that the sense of order on the island remained intact.

Despite the occasional struggles of some boys, especially the littluns, to follow the rules and obey orders due to their lack of self-control and responsibility, they still had an internal sense of order that made them feel guilty for disobedience and prevented inappropriate behavior. An example of this occurred when the boys realized that the fire on the mountain was getting out of control, potentially endangering one of the littluns. During discussions between Ralph and Piggy about this incident, there was complete silence from the crowd. This clearly shows that the boys understood and agreed with the importance of having rules and obeying orders.

This text discusses the sense of order on the island and how it gradually diminishes over time. It gives an example of Roger, a bigun, throwing stones at Henry, a littlun, but only from a safe distance. The author mentions that in Roger's mind, there is an invisible yet strong taboo from the old life that prevents him from directly hitting Henry. The law protects the child from harm. However, as days pass

and memories of their old life fade away, the sense of order on the island begins to slowly decline. There are no authoritative figures, punishments, or penalties for disobeying rules and orders.

After experiencing the taste of freedom, it was challenging for the boys to revert back to following rules and commands. Ultimately, their defiance resulted in a disastrous outcome - the signal fire was neglected, causing it to go out. As a result, a passing ship failed to notice the distress signal, meaning that by disregarding orders, the boys missed a valuable opportunity for rescue. Jack, as the leader of the hunting group, received blame for allowing the fire to extinguish. This enraging situation led Jack to strike Piggy, resulting in one of Piggy's glasses lenses breaking.

The boys' failure to establish order on the island is symbolized by the broken lens, marking the beginning of a new phase. In this second stage, the sense of order continues to diminish as their fear of the unknown intensifies. It starts with Ralph calling a meeting in the dark and ends with Simon's tragic death. During the meeting, Ralph discusses the rules and orders that should be followed, which leads to a heated debate about fear and the existence of a beast. Consequently, the meeting descends into chaos.

During the meeting, Jack confronted Ralph for the first time, stating his belief in using violence rather than rules or order to solve problems. He declared, "Bullocks to the rules! We're strong – we hunt! If there's a beast, we'll hunt it down!" Apart from Simon, Ralph, and Piggy, the boys eagerly followed Jack's lead and became savage

and chaotic. They chanted and mimicked hunting actions while disregarding any rules or orders. At this point, an important event occurred – the arrival of the "Beast from Air," which symbolized a message from the adult world.

The boys on the island desired guidance from the adults, but upon receiving a message, they discovered that society was deteriorating in the adult world too. Instead of assisting them, this message intensified their fear and drove them towards chaos and aggression. Their primary focus became hunting, which they found pleasurable.

The signal fire, shelters, rules, and orders were all forgotten as the boys engaged in mock hunting games, using people as prey. Jack, the leader of the hunters and a symbol of strength, power, and savagery, became increasingly attractive to the boys due to their fear of the unknown and their desire for a violent conquest against the beast. Consequently, when Jack decided to separate from Ralph's society, the island's society split into two. In this new society, Jack disregarded any sense of social agreement or moral order. The decline of social order on the island is also reflected in the power dynamics and the importance placed on the conch.

The conch is repeatedly described as White', instead of its original 'deep creamy color, which demonstrates how its color had faded after prolonged exposure in the air, similar to the diminishing law and order on the island over time. The stage concludes with Simon's death. On a dark, stormy night, the boys indulged in a 'meat feast'. Following the meal, they engaged in a simulated hunting game once again. Coincidentally, Simon emerged from the forest after his

'conversation' with the Lord of the Flies. In the darkness, the boys mistook Simon as the Beast and brutally killed him.

The society on the island has deteriorated into chaos and savagery. This decline in order begins the morning after Simon's death and continues until the boys are rescued. After Simon's death, the boys acknowledge the consequences of their actions. To justify their murders, they use their fear of the beast and claim that it can take any form. In the name of "killing the beast," all actions are considered justified, and social and moral order are abandoned. They only listen to the spear.

The boys on the island not only descended into chaos but also into savagery. They increasingly behaved violently, resembling animals. At this stage, Piggys glasses fell into Jack and his boys' hands, symbolizing an even further decline in social order. Thievery, which is morally and socially unacceptable, was not only committed without remorse or guilt by Jack and his boys but also celebrated. This indicates a complete absence of any sense of order in their minds. The death of Piggy marks the ultimate breakdown of order on the island.

When Piggy and Ralph confronted Jack and his tribe, Roger pulled the lever, causing a rock to come down and fatally strike Piggy. This event also shattered the conch into numerous white fragments, symbolizing the complete annihilation of order. As a result, the boys were no longer bound by any restrictions and began to behave lawlessly, savagely, and in an animalistic manner. They set fires in the forest and pursued Ralph as if he were prey. Ironically, fire was originally a symbol

of order, duty, and connection to civilization.

At this final stage, there was no order or sense of responsibility left, and the civilization was abandoned by the boys. However, the fire and smoke in the forest caught the attention of a new ship passing by, leading to their rescue. The author raises a question about the ship's duty in going to war. Although the boys were saved, the existence of disorder and savagery in the "civilised" world of adults raises concerns about how society can be rescued.