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The Lord Of The Flies And The Cold War Essay

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The primary conflict in The Lord of the Flies is a portrayal of the strife between democracy and communism during the Cold War. The Cold War was the result of World War Two, where both America and Russia wanted to gain influence in the recently ravaged Europe and beyond. America wanted to continue to globalize and create a capitalist world of free trade, while the Soviets wanted to spread their influence by establishing communistic proxy states, and form a barrier between themselves and the capitalistic west. Although the Cold War may have started in Europe, it spread across the world, into Asia, South and Central America, and the Middle East. The ideologies of the two emerging superpowers conflicted in many ways, especially politically and …show more content…

There were real wars, sometimes called "proxy wars" because they were fought by Soviet allies rather than the USSR itself -- along with competition for influence in the Third World, and a major superpower arms race.” In the novel, Ralph and the conch are representative of democracy and the fundamental principles of the freedom of expression, and Jack is representative of communism and the militaristic Soviet society. Ralph, after being elected, seeks to build a society of efficiency and prosperity, and where everyone is able to express themselves when they hold the conch. With the rational guidance of Piggy and the use of technology, Ralph’s society intended to be rescued from the island with as little violence and consequences as possible. However, Ralph is soon challenged by Jack and his tribe of hunters, whose obsession with the hunt and fear of the beast quickly dismantle Ralph’s attempts to escape the island. Jack asserts his control over others through the use of violence, and abuses technology to hinder

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