My essay "The luckiest kids in the world?"

In the book ”Lord of the Flies” (William Golding, 1954), we meet a group of boys who are stranded on a deserted island. The boys face many challenges and are not used to living without adult supervision. They feel as if being stranded on this island is their opportunity to live out a fantasy. They have been given an extraordinary chance to do whatever they want to. Later in the book however, some of the boys change their minds about this island. They are starting to consider if the island in fact is an evil island, where evil creatures live, and whether or not the situation that they find themselves in is good or bad. Early on in the book, we are familiarized with the battle between good and evil, which is one of the themes in the book. Also in the characters in the book, we get to know certain things about them that give us the reason to believe that they can be both good and evil.

I personally believe that there is a little bit of both good and evil in everyone and everything that exists. Nobody and nothing is perfect. We all consist of good and evil, and we act based on these two definitions every single day. The world wouldn’t work however, if everybody did everything right everyday. Other people might disagree with this statement, but I try to be very realistic instead of naïve. An example of this is to be found in the book, more specifically in the character named Ralph. He might seem as like a selfish and self righteous boy, that wants as much power as he can get. The boys on the island agree that they need some structure, and a leader. Ralph finds being a leader very natural, and is chosen. He contributes in making important decisions, and in telling the boys what to do. People might look at bosses in general as controlling, and the word “bossy” has a negative meaning to most of us. But bosses are needed to maintain structure and order, and Ralph is needed amongst this group of boys. Ralph is very direct, and he always speaks his mind, which are qualities that are needed in the situation that the boys are in.

The island itself is also something that can be seen as positive and negative. When the boys first arrive, they are scared and confused. They are convinced that they will be rescued very soon. This does not happen, to the boys’ disappointment. As time passes on the island, the boys get more used to the reality of the situation. Especially the older boys develop a new opinion about the island. They see it as a chance to be their own bosses, and create their own world. This is a fantasy that is acknowledged in a lot of young boys. The tropical island with the beach and the beautiful water seems like the perfect place to have fun. The younger boys have a different opinion about the island, however. At night they are haunted by the image of a terrifying beast. A boy claims he saw a snake, and is not comfortable with being on the island. When the younger boys ask Ralph about what they are going to do about the beast, Ralph denies the existence of the beast, and laughs at the young boy that tells Ralph about the beast. He is convinced that it does only exist it the dreams of the young boys, and is not real. I believe that Ralph is scared to admit that the island might not be the paradise he wants it to be.

Without adult supervision, most of the boys consider themselves the luckiest kids in the world. They believe they’re in a good situation, where they can do whatever they want to, without any chores or other things they were used to having to do. I see the situation as a fun and positive thing in the beginning, but definitely not in the long run. We are organized in groups and families for a reason. And there is also a reason why the parents have the right to make decisions on behalf of their kids. A man called Emile Durkheim created the theory of functionalism, which I think is very relevant in this book. The theory is based on purposes of different people. Everybody plays a part, and creates a whole. In a family there are usually parents, and their kids. They play different parts, and together they create a whole, the family. In the book, the boys are without adult supervision. They are separated from their parents and will have to manage on their own.. They boys have not been able to kill an animal yet and they have not built a safe place to sleep. Kids are supposed to live with their parents until they are no longer kids. That is the way it has been for as long as I can remember, and I believe it’s still like that for a reason.

I see the situation that the boys are in, as negative or evil for the most part, but I think the boys have the ability to make the best out of it. I think it’s all depending on the boys’ age and ability to act rationally, and the length of time they’ll be at the island for. They might be rescued, depending on their decisions. It seems like some of the boys think they’re the luckiest kids in the world, but I wouldn’t see it that way. The situation is dangerous, and there might be dangerous creatures that call the island their home. The boys could also become threats to themselves, and their own worst enemy.