"The Lord of the Flies" by William Golding

In the novel, The Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the story can be viewed as a contrast between democracy and anarchy. Ralph is elected by the stranded boys to be their chief. Governed by rationality, he tries to be a democratic leader, watching out for the good of all, (building and maintaining the fire), listening to the concerns of all, (even the fears of the littluns), and protecting them all (building shelters). To remind the others of his leadership, he wisely uses the conch as a symbol of his authority. Jack, another boy on the island, does not like the democracy and its rules. He tries to convince the other boys to vote Ralph out of office and put him in the leadership role. When the boys refuse to elect Jack, he responds in anarchy. He deserts the democratic way of life, takes a part of the island for himself, and gains followers through strong arm tactics. …