The Historical Allegories in William Golding's Lord of the Flies

Karl Marx said, "History repeats itself, the first as tragedy, then as farce." In the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the author exhibits harsh interactions with the different characters throughout the novel, showing the different natures of the kids, which is later able to allegorically relate to a historical lens. The children that are found on the desolate island quickly configure contrasting leadership roles that cause similar barriers, rivalries, and alliances between each other. In summation, Golding is able to include multiple events that can relate allegorically to prominent events of the past.

As the time spent on the island increases, the kids had begun to split into two different groups that had completely polar opposite characterizations. The separation between the two groups is especially visible when the group led by Jack had overheard the other boys, by stating, "Long before Ralph and Piggy came up with Jack's lot, they could hear the party. There was a stretch of grass in a place where the palms left a wide band of turf between the forest and the shore.

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Just one step down from the edge of the turf was the white, blown sand of above high water, warm, dry, trodden". (Golding, 148). It is important to note the comparison of the two groups that Piggy describes. One group wants rules and rationale, while the other group wants to condone violence like hunting and killing animals.

To agree with this opinion, Diane Andrews Henningfeld has written an article of how Lord of the Flies may be perceived as a political allegory.

Henningfeld explains the idea of the "Democratic branch" that is led by Ralph, and the autocratic branch that is overseen by Jack. Ralph portrays the characterization of an influential leader who asks the people their opinion, while Jack has a disposition of being a tyrannical ruler who wants to control all (Henningfeld 140). With this insight into the leader's personalities, it is obvious that the two groups have extremely opposing motives on the island.

As the novel progresses, it is apparent that two of the main characters in the novel, Jack and Ralph, are to be associated with past world leaders. Jack is a self-centered and power-hungry individual that plays a large role on the island, as he starts his own faction that follows him, similar to Adolf Hitler. One large event that clearly correlates Jack to Hitler is when he says, "Jack rose from the log that was his throne and sauntered to the edge of the grass. He looked down from behind his paint at Ralph and Piggy. They moved a little farther off over the sand and Ralph watched the fire as he ate. He noticed, without understanding, how the flames were visible now against the dull light. Evening was come, not with calm beauty but with the threat of violence”. (Golding 150).

This scene shows the power that Jack holds and and the evil way he interprets a beautiful moment. He knows that he can devise evil towards the others, and even when innocence is interpreted, he is able to transfer that into an evil state. This relates to Hitler's demeanor because Hitler would also "see the glass half-empty", as he would always try to see the evil in things, which lead to the mass destruction of over 6 million Jewish victims. Henningfeld also writes that Jack represents a total totalitarian persona, as his supporters are compelled to follow him as for his powerful capabilities (Henningfeld 140). On the contrast, Ralph is a responsible leader that rules by democracy and is considerate of his followers. Ralph shows his concern for his supporters which is shown in the novel, by stating, "This meeting must not be fun, but business. At that he walked faster, aware at all at once of urgency and the declining sun and a little wind created by speed that breathed about his face" (Golding 76).

In this imagery, it is evident that Ralph wants to make a change by focusing himself on the problems at hand. Henningfeld also shows that Ralph considers the opinion of others, as well as caring for the problems that are apparent on the island (Henningfeld 140). The characteristics that are shown by Ralph are fairly close to the ones displayed by Franklin D. Roosevelt, the president of the United States of America, as he was responsible for a democratic republic as well as leading a large group of people through the war. Ralph has a very similar responsibility within his group of followers, as he protects them and guides them through the situation with the other faction, similar to FDR.

It is important to note that some of the actions made inside of the novel can correlate with actions made during World War II. When looking at the two groups, you can see the fascist- faction, led by Jack, had used military tactics to intimidate the democratic group, led by Ralph, by saying, "I know. They didn't come for the conch. They came for something else. Ralph— what am I going to do?' Far off along the bowstave of beach, three figures trotted toward the Castle Rock. They kept away from the forest and down by the water. Occasionally they sang softly; occasionally they turned cartwheels down by the moving streak of phosphorescence. The chief led then, trotting steadily, exulting in his achievement" (Golding 168).

As is shown, Jack and his "savages" have made the opposition go against their set morals and democratic beliefs, leading them to turn against one another. The behavior portrayed by Jack and his group is very similar to the guerrilla warfare that was used in many cases throughout World War II, most notably in Nazi Germany. Jack had also used Guerilla warfare when taking Piggy's glasses in order to start a fire, meanwhile making the other group turn on each other. In addition to this, Bülent Diken and Carsten Bagge Laustse, a philosopher and a Ph.D. have commented on the war tactics used, "... on the downside, we encounter fantasies of transgression, potlatch, and perversion: democratic utopianism versus fascist violence, society versus the mob" (Laustse & Diken 431).

As the writers state, they believe that tensions going on between the two groups can correlate with the conflict occurring between the two groups. The difference between a fascist group, like Jack's that uses Guerilla Warfare, to try and make the group that tries to keep peace shows similar actions made in WWII by Hitler and FDR.

As noted above, the topic of the children on the island and their ruling styles is apparent throughout the novel. This contrast between the two groups is best seen just before the death of Piggy, while he was trying to talk sense into the entire group, saying, "Which is better-to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill?' Again the clamor and again-'Zup!' Ralph shouted against the noise. 'Which is better, law and rescue, or hunting and breaking things up” (Golding 180). This difference in the ruling styles has had an effect on many of the kids, as Jack and his autocratic ways have caused the kids in his group to become savages, while the children in Ralph's group have become fearful of the idea of facilitating with the others, as it is no longer safe to do.

In concurrence to this, David Spitz, an author of an article that appeared The Antioch Review, had written in a similar impression of Jack and Ralph's contrasting leadership styles. This is especially apparent with Ralph and Jack's polar leading qualities. Ralph has a strong characteristic of desiring a common opinion with the population of the island, as he was elected for his age as well as the conch that showed the others his power and strength (Spitz 26-27). In contrast to this, Jack has strong autocratic behaviors towards others in the group, as he has strict demands from the others, such as rules, considering him as their supreme ruler, and such (Spitz 27). From this information, it is apparent that life on the desolate island has caused the children to split into groups that have completely different goals.

As can be seen, various elements of Lord of the Flies contain allegorical references to historical events, including tensions in allies, war, barriers, and other such things, when looking at the grimy parts of history. It is important that Golding included these references in the novel, as it will stand to teach several generations to come of the good and evil of mankind when looking into the past.