back to primitivity when faced with a challenge, and that not everything is as black and white as it seems; the fact that all of the characters are children only further solidifies this point.

This is a very difficult question to answer, because it is hard to measure something like social impact. However, we can say that the book did impact society for several reasons. First, Lord the Flies was considered of the the important books by the American Library Association.

In 2005, the novel was called one of the best novel from 1923-2005 by TIME magazine. And perhaps most importantly of all, it was required reading in many school in America. In light of these points, we can surmise that the book did speak to many people in the English speaking world.

Many people gained a more realistic view of human nature, that is, human nature is dark and self-serving when there are little social constraints. In the least we can say that this understanding has had a hearing through the Lord of the Flies.

The chaotic society that develops on the uninhabited tropical island is a microcosm of what is transpiring in the outside world throughout the story. While a nuclear world war is taking place, the boys quickly descend into savagery and begin to engage in acts of violence. Golding's story critiques society and reveals that the veil of civility is extremely thin. At the beginning of the story, the boys attempt to develop a democracy by voting for a chief and establishing rules regarding the conch. Similar to modern society, the democratic practice of voting takes place and citizens are required to obey laws. The boys also divide the necessary chores and tasks among themselves, which reflects modern society's division of labor. The boys also establish a militia, which is led by Jack. His band of hunters and soldiers resembles a modern army or paramilitary force. The boys' numerous acts of violence also resemble the chaotic atmosphere of modern war zones. Despite the many similarities between the primitive civilization established on the uninhabited island and modern society, there is a lack of complex institutions, agencies, or government organizations on the island. The boys' society also lacks an economy, monetary system, and advanced trade networks, which are essential aspects of modern society.

Lord of the Flies begins after a group of school boys has landed on a deserted island whilst being evacuated. Evacuation was  common practice during World War II. Today's society is affected by war but the western world, (England in the boys' case)is largely far from the fighting. Therefore there are less civilians injured.The psychological damage though compares as military personnel return to homes and normal lives after devastating and traumatic incidents, unable to cope. This would have been the same in World War II as soldiers suffered from what was then called "shell shock." Obviously, modern medicine can provide better medical care than it could then. 

There would have been rations (only certain amounts of food per family)when the boys were in England but in today's society western economies are strong and rations are unnecessary. The closest to rations in today's economies are when there is a shortage of a certain food and shops then limit quantities that can be bought. 

Expectations of a group of schoolboys would be quite similar as they would be expected to manage themselves well and according to certain standards. An officer rescuing a group of boys today would be as shocked to see the savagery as they were when the boys were rescued because "after all, we're not savages. We're English" as Jack himself points out in chapter 2. Nowadays, a group of boys on an island may miss their gadgets, computers and mobile phones; some even finding it difficult to adapt to a lifestyle on the beach and in makeshift shelters. However, they may even relish the chance to go camping as some boys would have missed out on any such opportunities. 

Lord of the Flies is a novel that has stood the test of time for many reasons. It contains characters who are both relatable and multi-faceted, and it forces readers to examine their own hearts and minds as they follow the trials and tribulations of the boys stranded on the island.

We can see bits and pieces of ourselves in the characters. Some of these things we see may make us feel uncomfortable, or even ashamed. The social dynamic of the group of boys is both unique and recognizable. While very few of us have experienced being stranded an a deserted island, we have all been confronted with situations in our lives that have forced us to take on roles we may or may not have been prepared to assume. When faced with adversity, groups of people tend to gravitate or be pulled into specific roles in order to achieve a common goal. The necessity for humans to analyze a situation and then work together to solve a central problem is universal.

I think that an appropriate thesis statement for this book would be something to the effect of: "Lord of the Flies has retained its relevance throughout the years because of its ability to expose and explore both human fragility and human resilience." Or perhaps: "Lord of the Flies remains as relevant today as it was upon its release in 1954 because of the way in which the author uses central characters to show universal human emotions and behaviors when those humans are faced with adversity and peril." You can use either statement as a starting point and go on to analyze and critique different characters or situations using your own thoughts and feelings.

Golding himself describes the theme of Lord of the Flies "as an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature" (qtd. in "Notes on Lord of the Flies" 204).  Ralph, Jack, and the other boys on the island serve as a microcosm for the adult world and World War II.  In many ways, Golding uses the boys' conflicts to prove the innate evil nature of man, reinforcing the idea that the redeeming qualities of any civilization depend on the individual and their sense of ethics and morality. 

The evil of the island absolutely correlates to the greater evil of the outside world and World War II.  At the very end of the novel, the naval officer interrupts the man hunt for Ralph, abruptly ending a search that would have undoubtedly ended in Ralph's death.  With this being said, the naval officer rescues the children to take them away in a cruiser which will "presently be hunting its enemy in the same implacable way.  And who will rescue the adult and his cruiser?" ("Notes on Lord of the Flies" 204)

"Notes on Lord of the Flies" by E.L. Epstein is found at the end of my copy of Lord of the Flies.

Golding, William.  Lord of the Flies.  New York:  Perigree Books, 2006.

The boys are fleeing the war. They are being evacuated from the possibility of nuclear destruction:

A group of boys, being evacuated from England to Australia, crash lands on a tropical island. No adults survive the crash, and the novel is the story of the boys' descent into chaos, disorder, and evil.

The boys are young yet they are learning from the adults about the destruction and danger of war. Although war is a part of life, it shows the boys that adults have evil intentions in what should be a civilized society.

The boys are faced with their own battles when they crash on the island. Left to their own instincts, many of the boys behave as the adults who are fighting the present day war. One could say the boys have learned from the adults. War is inevitable but it also shows what society is like when there is a power struggle. 

The boys face a power struggle on the island. They are having their own private war. Ralph and Jack are in a constant battle between who is going to be the chief. Even when Ralph wins the votes to be the leader, Jack is determined to over ride the popular vote and become a dictator himself. 

What happened on the island has happened in the world prior to the boys crashing and landing on the island.

Today, war is still going on. There are constant battles and power struggles going on in the world today. The war on terrorism is evident of how war is inevitable. We live in a world in which power struggles happen every day. The world is not a safe place. Even in countries that appear more civilized than others, there are threats of terrorism on well governed countries. 

As long as there are forces of good and evil, the war will rage on. Hopefully, good will always overcome evil, just as it did when Ralph was rescued. The sad part is that there will always be Simons and Piggys who die because of prevalent evil.