The Sociological Perspective

In the novel the boys immediately begin to create a mini-society by electing a leader, Ralph. Ralph then using his leadership power begins to assign jobs. Making Jack the leader of his own choir and in charge of food and the fire. Piggy is then in charge of the little boys. (Phillips, Brian) Ralph is a democratic leader who cares for the entire group of boys as a whole. This is shown by being interested in what they have to say and taking their suggestions into consideration. Jack on the other hand is a very militaristic leader. This is shown by the way that he orders his choir, he just gives orders and expects them to be done. (Ross, Jeremy)

Later in the book the boys begin to organize them into cliques. The big boys sticking together and the small boys making their own little group. As time goes on they also create a social hierarchy; the little boys taking positions of "normal" citizens in a society and the big boys taking leadership positions. (Phillips, Brian; Ross, Jeremy)

As the novel advances the rules and norms that Ralph has created with his democratic government like where to go to the washroom, helping to build the hits and keeping the fire going are not being followed. At this point Ralph's democratic government has begun to fall apart because of Jack. Jack starts to spread fear over the boys about there being a beast on the island. Jack spreads the fear as a way to make the rest of the boys trust him and this shows his lust for power. (Phillips, Brian; Ross, Jeremy)

In the end Ralph's democratic government is over thrown by Jack's militaristic one. The boys are fooled by Jack and his trick to spread fear over the island about the beast so in return, all the boys confide in him for his protection over the beast. The boys allow Jack to boss them around like a king. His dictatorship and militaristic ideas are the last traces of society that the novel has, and this ironically, brings their rescue.