Social Codes Of Society In William Golding's Lord Of The Flies

In society, they are behaviors that are accepted as the norm. Maintaining order through governance, rules and morals is a fundamental component of sustainable civilization and suppresses the brutality and violence that is primal in humankind. However uncommon, these savage instincts may resurface in individuals who choose to defy social codes of conduct. William Golding chooses to highlight this in his novel Lord of The Flies where he places innocent school boys in a chaotic environment void of this security and governance. This illustrates the overarching theme that savagery is an innate component of the human spirit but is controlled by societal norms of behavior. When the realms of this civilized society are lifted, humanity can return to

He can hold it when he’s speaking.” (33). Ralph knows that to maintain order on the island, the boys must conform to the same rules that existed in the civilization they originated from. He compares the use of the conch to "the same simple obedience that they (the children) had given to the men with megaphones" and draws a parallel between propriety expected at school and the behavior the boys should maintain on the island. Still controlled by the societal norms that constitute civilization, Ralph tries to initiate similarities with the culture the boys left behind. He is establishing his connection with social code of conduct that is familiar and is allowing the other boys on the island to have a voice. The dominating savagery that characterizes this novel has not affected Ralph yet and his attachment to social order facilitates his ability to control these

He displays his savage instinct following his participation in the pig hunt where his mix of emotions results in a shift from the social norm. These emotions are comparable to those that fuel the violence displayed by Jack and the hunters. "Ralph talked on, excitedly. 'I hit him all right. The spear stuck in. I wounded him 'He sunned himself in their new respect and felt that hunting was good after all." Despite previously establishing a strong connection to civilization, he fails to identify the blatant breakdown of his behavior. Throughout the novel he condemns Jack for his actions but relishes the “respect” that comes from being a hunter in the tribe. He is elated by the thrill of the hunt and the adrenaline rush it provides. By indulging these brutal and primal instincts he defies the same decorum he clung to upon arriving on the island. Hand him a spear and a pig to hunt and the conduct of Ralph would bear semblance to that of Jack. Although his deterioration is more gradual, underneath his civilized schoolboy exterior lies the same lawless savage that plagues the