Anarchy in Lord of the Flies Essay Example

The smoke from the destroyed plane made it impossible for anyone to breathe. The distinct scent of smoke and gas floated across the island. What was a plane sat in a divot from the crash on one of many tiny islands. All of the people that were left were kids, all kids. No adults were  found except for the dead pilot, leaving the boys to fend for themselves on the island. The theme of Lord of the Flies is anarchy, it turns kids to killers, this is developed by the boys not having a true authority or ruler, Jack's group losing any source of order on the island, and by Jack's group destroying the island to kill Ralph and his group.

The first way the author develops anarchy is by the boys not having a true authority or ruler. After the plane crash, it is stated that there are only young boys on the island. (21) Boys close in age with no rules or adults to control them, they aren't going to follow many rules. As shown in the book, littluns are still just playing on the beach, people aren't doing their jobs, nothing is getting done.(59) Ralph assigned Jack and three boys to watch the fire, Jack went hunting, found a pig  and came back for three people. Leaving the fire unattended and it burned out(66-67). The boys needed to have some sort of leadership or rule. So they decided to have an election, it ended in Ralph being elected. (22-23) Although they have elected chief, the boys still don’t listen because a kid their age as their leader, they don’t feel they have to listen. The boys are mostly doing what they want, there is no order on the island. A few of the boys are loyal to Ralph and listen to him. Jack has gotten to the point of not listening at all. 

The second way anarchy is developed is through Jack’s group becoming reckless and savage. Jack’s group savagely murdered Simon(152-153), although they could not see him and it was thunder storming,  to just run up and kill something not knowing what it is, is savage.  Them being stranded so long makes them think there are no consequences for their actions. So they can be as wild and savage as they want. As Jack's group split from Ralphs, they needed a way to start a fire. There is only one way to start a fire that they know of, Piggy's glasses. So they are split into groups, so Jack's group would just ask nicely or come up with a compromise. No, his group decided the best idea was to attack Ralph's group at night and take Piggy's glasses.

The third way anarchy is shown is by Jack's group destroying the island to kill Ralph's group. Apart from Simon's death, Piggy's death was truly murder and intended by Jack's group. The malicious act was caused by Roger. Ralph's group came to castle rock to beg for Piggy's glasses, as Piggy was begging, Roger up on top of castle rock rolled a boulder onto Piggy’s head in cold blood.  No reason at all, Roger killed Piggy in cold blood. Jack's group burns down the whole forest in the hunting of Ralph. A  group of 9-13-year-old boys burning down a whole island to hunt down and kill a kid their age is malicious. 

In conclusion, those three reasons are why the theme of Lord of the Flies is that anarchy can turn kids into killers.  All that time Jack and his group thought they could do what they wanted because no one would hold them accountable. It got so bad to the point of murder, twice almost three times. So, the hunters got greedy for the freedom of no authority to have consequences for their bad actions, ending up killing two kids. This shows what a loss of authority can do to kids, and what kids will do to others. That is why anarchy can turn kids into killers.