The three main themes of the novel Lord of the Flies are conflict, power and a need for civilization. These themes build a strong and interesting story. Though the main themes of the novel differ, they work together to create excitement and drama throughout the novel. Through symbolism and perception, the themes of conflict, power and a need for civilization are revealed to the reader.
Conflict is a very important and influential theme of the novel. Without conflict the story would be dull and very boring. There are 3 main conflicts of the novel; man vs. nature, man vs. man and man vs. self. Man vs. nature is included because these boys must face the harsh consequences of nature by themselves. They must learn to fend for themselves by gathering food, building shelter, building a fire and hunting for meat. The second main conflict of the novel is man vs. man. The boys often have to face each other for various reasons. Like any population, not everyone will agree on everything and see eye to eye. An example of this is the dispute between Ralph and Jack on the importance of the fire. Jack feels hunting is a bigger priority while Ralph thinks the fire is more important. These disputes between characters drive the story and make it much more interesting. The third type of conflict is man vs. self. Many characters in the novel must deal with there own feelings and emotions before dealing with others. An example of this is Ralph accepting the fact he is no longer chief and has no more authority over the group. These struggles the characters face with themselves shows what type of person the character might be. The conflicts in the novel between characters and themselves often lead to a struggle for power.
There are two main types of power shown in the novel, democratic power and authoritarian power. Democratic power is shown by decisions and choice made by the group. An example of this is the boys deciding on who should be chief.