Need for Restraint in a Society

In Golding’s Lord of the Flies the idea that strong permanent rules are required to restraint the amount of violence and cruelty from ruining a society.

A world without restraint, rules and laws lead to devastating results. Ralph takes control of the boys on the island by introducing them to strong rules that should be followed everyday. The boys regularly and greatly followed the rules until Jack interrupts and uses the fear of the beast to take over the position of Ralph. Jack takes the boys on his uncontrolled little world and causes chaos. Three other examples which show the boys need for restraint occur when Piggy’s spectacles are stolen by Jack’s tribe, the death of Piggy and Simon and the disobeying of the rules. All the boys are free to be violent and cruel in the island since there are no rules and authority to enforce restraint. Without restraint, rules and laws savagery can take place.

Disobeying of the rules is caused by the lack of restraint, which can lead to an uncontrollable world. Rules and authority is needed to control and to keep the community safe and together. In Lord of the Flies, Ralph (chief) comes up with some great rules that will keep the environment safe, and rules that will help the boys to be rescued from the island. The boys are constantly breaking the rules as everyone is feared about the rumour of a beast. Loss of restraint is the primary motive as to why the boys are all feared. Jack comes and interrupts all the commotions and says “Bollocks the rules! We’re strong-we hunt! If there’s a beast, we’ll hunt it down! We’ll close in and beat and beat and beat-!” (P. 99) This statement of Jack states that he would rather be violent with the beast than follow the rules on the island. Therefore, Jack wants the boys to be violent with the beast in order to beat their fears. Soon Jack forms an army of hunters and takes them to his own uncontrollable world where they would be violent and have no rules that would restrain the boys on the island. The need for restraint in the island comes into play being that no rules and laws that would maintain the boys on the island. After some time Ralph goes in the Rock Castle to regain his position as the chief by asking the boys “Which is better-to have rules and rescue, or to hunt and breaking things up?” (P. 200) Boys wanted to be on Jack side rather then Ralph’s because they are now too used to being free and violent. As time pass by the boys are becoming more violent and uncontrolled since there are no rules and authority to stop them from doing such events. Without the strong permanent rules a society cannot exist since everyone feels independent and has the right to do anything that would disrupt the community.

More restraint is needed to decrease the amount of violence and cruelty from ruining the society. Jack is a cruel and violent person who likes to hunt for pigs on the island, but unfortunately the hunters and him cannot catch one. Finally, a few days after, a pig is finally caught and as time pass by, killing become easier. Now that the killing has become easier for the hunters, there is more violence, therefore more control is needed. Since no one takes an advantage of stopping the hunters from the amount of violence, the hunters continue on their killing adventure. More violence is caused by the fear of the beast. “Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!” (P. 168) This cheer encourages all the boys to relax and be violent with the beast. Simon brings knowledge that he gained from the mountain, there is no beast, and instead, there is a dead pilot. Simon is coming down from the mountain and cannot wait