Lord of the Flies Government/Authority
- Submitted by: TaylorONeal
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- Category: Politics
- Date Submitted: 05/08/2016 07:49 PM
- Pages: 3
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Government and Authority
Lord of the Flies by William Golding has many themes revolving around the government and authority that relate to the modern day struggles that plague our planet. This is most evident in third-world countries where both children and adolescents are often left to fend for themselves, much like the children on Golding’s island in his novel. While on the topic of neglectful governments, the third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, expressed “The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of a good government.” (Jefferson 1809). The absence of proper government and authority leaves children in the dark. It leaves them in a place where it is necessary to emotionally mature. It leaves them to make extreme decisions for the sake of their own survival.
Due to the poor living conditions and the lack of government and authority, the children/adolescents of third-world countries are left alone and in the dark early on in life. This is evident because often times their parents are dead, sick, in the ‘military’, or abandoned their children. This is stated in the article “Childhood’s End in a Brutal War”, published in the L.A. Times. According to the text, “Children have seen their parents rocked to pieces and watched as boys and girls just like them were shot or maimed. Some have been forced to make cold calculations far beyond their years, taking up arms with the same fighters who upended their lives or killed their relatives.” (L.A. Times). No matter the age, nobody should ever have to make decisions like these, however, it’s a dog-eat-dog world and for these kids it’s probably their only hope for survival. Making decisions like joining the militia causes them to mature faster due to them having to take care of themselves, similar to the way the children on Golding’s island are forced to mature for the sake of survival. While emotionally maturing, the lack of government and authority-in...
Lord of the Flies by William Golding has many themes revolving around the government and authority that relate to the modern day struggles that plague our planet. This is most evident in third-world countries where both children and adolescents are often left to fend for themselves, much like the children on Golding’s island in his novel. While on the topic of neglectful governments, the third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, expressed “The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of a good government.” (Jefferson 1809). The absence of proper government and authority leaves children in the dark. It leaves them in a place where it is necessary to emotionally mature. It leaves them to make extreme decisions for the sake of their own survival.
Due to the poor living conditions and the lack of government and authority, the children/adolescents of third-world countries are left alone and in the dark early on in life. This is evident because often times their parents are dead, sick, in the ‘military’, or abandoned their children. This is stated in the article “Childhood’s End in a Brutal War”, published in the L.A. Times. According to the text, “Children have seen their parents rocked to pieces and watched as boys and girls just like them were shot or maimed. Some have been forced to make cold calculations far beyond their years, taking up arms with the same fighters who upended their lives or killed their relatives.” (L.A. Times). No matter the age, nobody should ever have to make decisions like these, however, it’s a dog-eat-dog world and for these kids it’s probably their only hope for survival. Making decisions like joining the militia causes them to mature faster due to them having to take care of themselves, similar to the way the children on Golding’s island are forced to mature for the sake of survival. While emotionally maturing, the lack of government and authority-in...