"Lord of the Flies," by William Golding is an example of a political allegory. Golding uses Jack and Ralph as metaphors for two conflicting types of government. Jack represents totalitarianism and Ralph represents Democracy. Golding chose his medium, a group of young boys stranded on a deserted island without any adult guidance, to show what a lack of a form of government does to a society and its people in a clear and simplified format. Golding wrote this book to support the idea that Democracy is the superior form of government, especially over totalitarianism. He does this by using Ralph (the fair boy) and Piggy (Ralph's confidant) as representations of democracy and Jack (the hunter) as a representation of totalitarianism.
Democracy is present in the book from the beginning. In the first chapter the boys vote for a chief by a show of hands.
"All right who wants Jack for chief?" With dreary obedience everyone in the choir raises their hand. "Who wants me?" .
Every hand outside of the choir except Piggy's was raised immediately. Then Piggy, too, raised his hand grudgingly into the air. Ralph counted. "I'm chief then" (Golding 23). This page is what introduces Ralph as a symbol for democracy. Jack is upset about not being chief but Ralph gives him and his choir the task of hunting and Jack is happy, if only for a moment. Ralph gives the rest of the boys' guidance and hope. He takes time to think things through then comes back ready to go. .
Ralph isn't the only symbol of democracy. The conch is a clear symbol of authority and order. Whoever has the conch can speak freely without interruption except by Ralph, the chief. "Where's the man with the trumpet?" Ralph, sensing his sun-blindness, answered him. "There is no man with a trumpet. Only me." (Golding 20). "And another thing. We can't have everybody talking at once. We'll have to have 'Hands up' like at school.
