Puting Together all of the Puzzle Pieces

Dear Book club, (Me [Hobbes] , Locke, Machiavelli, Jeremy Bentham, and Clark Griswald from National Lampoons Movies)

It is with my profound pleasure to say that I have completed the book Lord of the Flies.

Now that this book has come to a close, I find this time opportune to discuss our beliefs on these two essential understanding quotes.

1. The governed have a responsibility for their governance.

2. Philosophies of leadership are determined by beliefs about human nature.

First off, I will begin with the understanding that the governed have a responsibility for their governance. My opinions on this essential understanding are simple. I believe that the governed would only request one type of governing. The governing would be one neutral party responsible for managing and dispersing the goods/benefits evenly to the two feuding. This type of balance would keep utter chaos in check. In the novel, instead of modeling my proven method, the boys (Ralph and Jack) tried to use two contrasting governments.

The first, a democracy, did not successfully work because their was no rewards or punishments for good and bad actions. There was absolutely no structure in Ralph's attempted government and that is why it failed. "We have lots of assemblies... We decide things. But they don't get done."

The second, a totalitarian type government, was more successful than the first, and would have continued to work if they had not been rescued. The problem with Jack's government is that they had to destroy anything that opposed him. The point of government is to keep us from becoming savages and Jack's government did not work properly. "Don't you understand, you painted fools? Sam, Eric, Piggy, and me - we aren't enough [to form a proper tribe that will allow for our rescue]"


Finally I will end with the understanding that philosophies of leadership are determined by beliefs about human nature. I believe this understanding is completely true. For example, in the book the leaders are influenced by their own human nature so much that their beliefs/tasks seem unreasonable. To stop this feuding parties a third, neutral, party, or leader, must take charge of the island and implement ideas from both leaders in order for a successful society. So yes I do believe that understanding human nature will positively influence the qualities of a leader.

Ralph and Jack's leadership styles contradict one another. Ralph has a political leadership style, while Jack has a totalitarian leadership style. These two leaders remind me of Fidel Castro's
overthrow of the Cuban government. Much like the situation between Jack and Ralph, Fidel was upset with how Cuba was being run. Fidel decided to overthrow the pre-existing government, just like Jack did, "Who thinks Ralph oughtn't to be cheif?" At first Fidel failed, much like Jack, but he then regrouped himself and mounted a successful revolt against the government of Cuba. This situation mirrors Jack's overthrowing of Ralph. The only possible way both leaders could cope with one another would be if they appointed a third leader that was a neutral party. This would allow for equal styles of leadership and would minimize conflict between the two feuding parties.

There is only one way to have a successful government and it always involves at least three parties.


I just want to thank each book member for the wonderful discussion we have had through the past month. I think for our next book we should read A day in the life of Ivan Denisovich, The Lost Symbol, or Peace and War.