Home > Lord of the Flies Summary & Study Guide > Lord of the Flies Group > Question and Answer

Question:

Answers:

1. 
   danylyshen Teacher
   High School - 12th Grade

   eNotes Editor

   It would be ludicrous of us to assume that just because we're adults we don't fight amongst ourselves, we don't want to be leaders of men, and we don't polarize to poles of good leadership and savagery. In that sense, Piggy is wrong because we all enact the "Lord of the Flies" almost on a daily basis.

   On the other hand, the boys are trying to emulate what they think that grown adults would do, but they lack the experience and worldliness that goes along with living through the trials and tribulations of the passing years. Certainly, it's majestic being an adult sometimes, but most of the time it's tough slugging.  Ralph experiences a glimpse of this perspective as he trudges down the narrow path.

   After Ralph calls the boys to an assembly with the conch, the scene becomes chaotic as differing views conflict with differing views. Perhaps an adult would have controlled the fire. Perhaps adults might have had shelters up already and organized hunting details. It's tough to say that adults would not have deteriorated into chaos and power struggles. Perhaps adults would have been less afraid of a "physical" beast and more afraid of an internal "beast."

   Sources:

   http://www.enotes.com/lord-of-the-flies/chapter-5-summary...

   Rate answer:

   • Flag as inappropriate

   Posted by danylyshen on Monday October 12, 2009 at 1:11 PM