THE INEVITABLE BINARY OF SOCIAL HIERARCHY IN WILLIAM GOLDING’S LORD OF THE FLIES: A CRITICAL STUDY WITH ASIAN AND ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVES

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20811978

Authors:

Ms. Harshita Gupta, Mr. Ayush Sonkar, Ms. Shubhangi

Keywords:

Social hierarchy, power, civilization, savagery, William Golding, class structure, authority, Asian perspective, economic inequality.

Abstract:

William Golding’s Lord of the Flies is one of the most significant post-war novels exploring human nature, civilization, power, and social hierarchy. The novel presents the gradual disintegration of social order among a group of stranded boys who attempt to establish governance and survival systems on an isolated island. Through the conflict between Ralph and Jack, Golding demonstrates the inevitability of binary social structures involving authority and subordination, civilization and savagery, democracy and dictatorship. This research paper critically examines the concept of social hierarchy in Lord of the Flies and argues that hierarchical divisions are unavoidable within human societies. The paper further explores the psychological, political, economic, and cultural dimensions of hierarchy represented in the novel. Additionally, it incorporates Asian and economic perspectives to analyze how hierarchy and power structures continue to shape social systems in both Eastern societies and global capitalist frameworks.

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