Power-Theme LOTF

• Democracy


  A type of government where people govern themselves or elect representatives to govern for them
• Dictatorship


  A country ruled by someone who has complete authority
• Democracy in Lord of the Flies

  • The island starts out as a democracy with an elected leader, Ralph
  • Ralph holds meetings, sets rules and establishes law and order
  • The weaker members of society (Piggy and the Littluns) are mostly protected from harm
  • The democracy, however, quickly breaks down as fear and violence take hold
• Dictatorship in Lord of the Flies

  • Right from the start, Jack is convinced that he should be leader
  • He uses verbal and physical violence to get what he wants and eventually forms a breakaway tribe electing himself as the chief
  • He rules this group with fear and terror
• Piggy: '"Which is better - to be a pack of painted Indians like you are, or to be sensible like Ralph is?" A great clamour rose among the savages. Piggy shouted again. "Which is better--to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill?"'