Exemplar Introduction:
William Golding’s Lord of the Flies communicates the idea that society is what holds us together
and when society’s grip is loosened or broken, anarchy and barbarism take its place. As the article
“School Safety: Trouble in Middle School” illustrates, middle school students today are influenced by
hormonal tension and peer pressure, the same behaviors that drive Jack to enforce his dictatorial will upon
the other boys and turn them into his “tribesmen.” Articles like this one substantiate that Golding’s
psychology of his characters is grounded in a solid understanding of the middle school age group
specifically.
Exemplar Explanation of Article:
The article from The Columbian attributes middle school violence and hazing to hormonal
anxiety and peer pressure, behaviors that the children in Lord of the Flies exhibit. The Columbian
conducted research and analysis of the middle schools in Clark County, Washington state, and found that
“Documents... show that middle school students are cited for more incidents of fighting, bullying and
weapons possession than other students.” Violence and peer pressure are more of an issue in middle
schools than they are in high schools. The Columbian found that from 2003 to 2011, the number of
bullying incidents in middle schools more than tripled: the situation is only getting worse. According to
school counselor Michelle Rowen, “It’s not surprising that middle school kids get into the most trouble.
The middle school years mark the first stage of adolescence in kids’ lives, a time of great instability.” The
physical and mental changes they experience amplify their emotional reactions, something that can result
in violence and pulling away from their parents and rebelling against authority—their parents as well as
school rules and customs. A 2010 survey of youth also conducted in Clark County revealed that over 30%
of middle schoolers had been bullied in the previous month. Districts responded with “Mediation,” a
program that trains good students to be peer mediators who sit down with students after a conflict to talk
about what happened and how to move on from it. Halfway through the school year at Maple Grove
Middle School, where 27 fights per year is average, ten kids had signed up to be with mediators, and the
number of fights reduced to 17. The Maple Grove example suggests that when authority allies itself with
anti-bully efforts, the impact is significant – something not available to the characters in Lord of the Flies.
This article shows that middle schools today are facing the same behavioral issues and conflicts as the
ones in the novel, and that the solution is an organized movement against it. Golding makes the same
point by simply not including an opportunity for the solution to be implemented within his story.
Exemplar Analysis Paragraph:
Lord of the Flies conveys the message that society encourages people to stick to their morals and
that without society’s firm grip we are nothing more than savage wretches. Piggy is the character most
disgusted with the other boys when they focus on the most exciting activity rather than the most
necessary. Piggy is also the most passionate about maintaining British identity, as shown when Ralph
proposes more rules so they can keep their unruly brethren in check:
“We ought to have more rules. Where the conch is, that’s a meeting, the same up here as down
there.”
Piggy replies, “I agree with Ralph. We’ve got to have more rules and obey them. After all, we’re
not savages. We’re English, and the English are best at everything, so we’ve got to do the right
things.” (42)
Piggy and Ralph are like student mediators, Ralph more so than Piggy, but they are both trying to remedy
the conflicts within their group, as they know infighting will only bring them down. Jack, on the other
hand, in a middle school setting would most likely be the head bully or popular jock who organizes
hazings, instigates conflicts, and is responsible for peer pressure fueled activities. Those who support him
are safe from his bullying and receive the benefits he can offer them. Jack’s unbridled aggression is
revealed by his constant intimidation of Piggy, for example when he will not let Piggy speak on top of the
mountain:
“I got the conch.” said Piggy indignantly. “You let me speak!”
“The conch doesn’t count on top of the mountain,” said Jack, “So you shut up.”
“I got the conch in my hand.”
Jack turned fiercely. “You shut up!” (Golding 42)
Jack disregards his own rules about the conch when it suits him, rejecting the notion of any authority,
even his own, the same as a middle school bully does, and this is the aggression that leads to his dominion
over the “tribe” of peers. Jack promises food in exchange for fealty. If they oppose him, they suffer
physical “punishment.” The main characters in Lord of the Flies are the same kinds of people that inhabit
Clark County Middle School. Piggy is bullied because of his physical appearance, Jack is a bully, and
Ralph is like a student mediator/obedient student, roles seen in middle schools today.
Exemplar Conclusion:
Lord of the Flies shows us how behavior and circumstances result in anarchy and violence, how
humans need society in order to protect themselves from each other, and that no one is immune to its
corruption, regardless of age. Middle schoolers are the same age as the main characters in Lord of the
Flies, showing that Golding has essentially unraveled the issue of bullying, and understands just how the
seeds of anarchy are planted, through our own behavior. Lord of the Flies is an example of how literature
is a record of human experience: its history. The horror Golding depicts, and recreates in each reader,
teaches empathy. Literature implies that humans can learn from stories to recognize and avoid the
mistakes of their predecessors. Because of Lord of the Flies, bullying can be seen, and recognized
wherever it appears, and finally, be put to an end.