The prompt:
Many works of literature feature characters who accept or reject a hierarchical structure. This hierarchy may be social, economic, political, or familial, or it may apply to some other kind of structure. Either from your own reading or from the list below, choose a work of fiction in which a character responds to a hierarchy in some significant way. Then, in a well-written essay, analyze how that character’s response to the hierarchy contributes to an interpretation of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot. In your response, you should do the following: • Respond to the prompt with a thesis that presents a defensible interpretation. • Provide evidence to support your line of reasoning. • Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning. • Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.
The essay:
In Lord of the Flies, Jack’s rejection of the democratic hierarchy, and his establishing of a authoritarian power based hierarchy serves as a platform for Jack's transformation into a violent and coercive dictator. Golding illustrates that the descent into savagery and need for power are instinctive human responses to fear.
In the beginning of the story, the symbol of the conch is used by Ralph to establish a democratic hierarchy, by giving authority to whoever holds the conch and giving all the boys a platform to speak, it creates a sense of legitimacy due to the hierarchy granting everyone the right to vote and choose the leaders of the island, this creates fair treatment for everyone on the island. Jack insists to be the one in charge of the hunting missions, portraying his initial acceptance and willingness to collaborate as long as he’s able to be in control of the hunting operation, this is to highlight the starting point of his transformation as a leader relying on democracy, establishing that control and dominance are major themes to his character. The system relies on trust and collective responsibility and not any natural instinct, by giving everyone equal rights and thus equal responsibility by using the conch to give power to whoever wields it, it suggests that the democratic nature of the microcosm built isn’t inherent to human nature and is weaker as a result, but rather a invented solution that relies on ethical resolution and not primitive principles, this furthers Goldings idea that the true nature of humanity is far darker than mutuality and order.
Later on, Golding introduces the beast, a symbol of fear that irrationalizes most of the boys, it reveals the vulnerability within the democracy that the conch symbolizes, the authority of the conch weakens, which represents the breaking of Ralph’s brittle system, as it was dependent on rational and responsible thinking, however through the beast, an irrational fear and systemic damage takes place, Jack utilizes this chaos and fear by positioning himself as capable of absolute power, by offering protection through hunting, he promises protection by coercing the boys into believing that the only way to protect themselves from the beast is by denying the fairness of the conch’s democracy, enforcing it physically rather than through a symbol, through food control and intimidation, he manipulates the boys into depending on him, suggesting the transition from a hierarchy relying on responsibility to fear is a psychological one rather than a physical one.Jacks authoritarian hierarchy is shown to be more controlling and thus more effective than a hierarchy made of equal and fair duty, due to the combined fear of the beast, aswell as reliance on Jack for protection and food. Jack didn’t destroy the civilization built by the conch, he reshaped it into a society built on the inherent fear of the beast and his position as a perceived powerful protector and authoritarian dictator. This culminates in the eventual breaking of the conch and the killing of piggy, which symbolizes the fall of democracy and the death of the orderly structure. The conch being broken during a murder instead of creating order is to illustrate how Jack has shifted the hierarchy to promote violence and impose his ruling, the destruction of a symbol of civility representing the abandoning of the collective responsibility. This reflects Goldings message that when survival is on the line, society relies on who has the most power in order to survive, forgoing morality in the process.
Golding explores the tension between democracy and authoritarianism to provide a greater commentary on civilization. The symbolism used within the conch as a tool used to establish duty and responsibility fairly amongst all members of the hierarchy suggests that democracy is not a structure placed upon civilization, but a fragile system sustained by collective belief. The contrary symbol of the beast as a tool used by Jack to build a different hierarchy based on fear and power. By convincing the boys that the fear of the beast is legitimate, and that he is the only one capable of protecting them, Golding suggests that Jack is able to use fear to determine not only who holds power, but what forms of power are at play. Jack doesn’t destroy the system or send the boys into chaos, Instead Jack finds a way to control the boys using their fear of the beast and his pedestal as their capable leader. This in turn suggests that civilization never completely abandons democracy or hierarchy but shifts it in order to maintain security and safety as a natural instinct to fear and vulnerability.
Overall Goldings portrayal of Jack, and Jack’s response to hierarchy and democracy by building a system of fear and dominance, serve to illustrate a greater understanding of the nature of civilization and human nature.