Lord of the Flies. A Novel For Today.
If you think what we are experiencing is new, then why has it been foretold by countless authors? They saw it coming, yet we fail to see it happening.
It is Lord of the Flies all over again
We study, and we learn nothing, apparently. We studied Lord of the Flies. What, if anything did you learn? Here’s what William Golding hoped you’d learn:
The theme of LORD OF THE FLIES is described by Golding as follows: "The theme is an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature. The moral is that the shape of a society must depend on the ethical nature of the individual and not on any political system however apparently logical or respectable. The whole book is symbolic in nature except the rescue in the end where adult life appears, dignified and capable, but in reality enmeshed in the same evil as the symbolic life of the children on the island. The officer, having interrupted a manhunt, prepares to take the children off the island in a cruiser which will presently be hunting its enemy in the same implacable way. And who will rescue the adult and his cruiser?"
We have Ralph and Jack, the two main protagonists, struggling with each other to maintain control of the boys stranded on the island. Ralph wants only to maintain an “orderly society’, for the benefit of all and, hopefully, to get themselves rescued from the island. Jack, for his part, has an egotistical need to be the leader. He instinctively seeks to form a violent cult, first with the willing subjects, and then using them to coerce (threaten) the others into supporting him. So, his cult is partly willing sociopaths, and partly intimidated subjects, fearful of resisting. And at the end, Jack forces them into hunting down Ralph in a ritualistic hunt, to kill him.
Fun times, huh? Only the fortunate landing of a military cruiser saves Ralph from an ugly death. What, if anything did you learn? Did you find yourself among any of the characters? I would suggest that, given the range of characters, you are in there somewhere, even if you are a woman. Are you Ralph? Are you capable of rationally appraising the situation and putting effective plans in place? Are you Jack? Are you desirous of taking charge by any means possible, of being the leader, with little concern for the usefulness of your leadership? Will you resort to unethical means to take down an opponent, even when they could make a good ally?
Or are you one of the others? Are you a natural born follower? Who, then, would you follow? Would you follow the rational problem solver? Or would you follow the charismatic leader who demands allegiance, and gains followers more by threat and intimidation than by good judgment? Do you analyze the realities rationally, or do you rely on a demagogue to provide answers for you?
To know me is to know why I ask. We have two ‘leaders’ today, very nearly fighting to the death. If you weren’t already aware, no presidential election in American history has in any way resembled this one. Yes, we’ve had the usual mud-slinging rituals every four years, but we have never had institutional hate mongering, or the weaponizing of government agencies to aid in the abuse of power.
How did this happen? Are we really, essentially lost on a desert island? Are we all lost unless we can find our way back? Back from where? Back TO where? What the hell is going on?!
We have let ourselves by led, instead of leading. We are being played. We are being treated as subjects rather than citizens. And too many people eagerly believe what they’re told, disregarding basic common sense, in order to satisfy some innate blood-lust to chase down the sacrificial lamb; the lamb that, once it’s blood flows, will satisfy the blood-lust, but accomplish nothing.
Don’t just ask how we got here. Ask where we are. Who wants this? Why do you let it happen?
I used to be apolitical, and still desire a life free of any of the crap coming from Washington. But I have not been left that option. I must either choose to chase down the prey, and gleefully spill its blood, or I can fight back. Fighting back is not safe for my physical well-being, but I get to keep my soul and my self-identity and my self-respect. You remember self-identity and self-respect, don’t you? Or did you never have any?
Comments?
Just recently reread Lord of the Flies and was so glad I did. So much better this time around. I found myself thinking at times like both Ralph and Jack. I would like to think that I was more like Ralph but Jack was appealing.