In the novel, Lord of the Flies, the boys showed aggression and dominance, their gender had something to do with this. Would the same experiences have occurred had females been stranded on the island instead of males? I believe, if females had been in a similar situation as the boys in Lord of the Flies, they would have had a better experience. Society encourages males" violent behavior, as well as females" politeness and passivity, as does family socialization influence females to be gentle and males to be aggressive; also, the two genders have different leadership styles, making it easier for females to cooperate with each other. All in all, if females had been on the island they would have gotten along better and most likely, not have resorted to violence.
Much of what society says can affect children's outlook of gender standards, and can lead to violence. Media has a huge role in bringing about these dangerous gender stereotypes. The male image is usually represented by heroic masculinity. Violent behavior associated with masculinity target young men and convince them that in order to live up to society's standards, they must resort to violent behavior. However, female stereotypes are completely opposite. Most young women perceive "ladylike" expectations to be neatness, meekness, politeness, and want to appear nurturing and feminine. These obligations contribute to the breeding of young men who act in an abusive manner, and females that act the opposite. In Lord of the Flies, Jack Merridew, perceives himself to be higher than the others, the leader. Jack's hierarchical views cause him to verbally abuse, torture, and eventually wound and kill other boys. With the influences of society, girls would generally be more nurturing and caring towards group members. .
A lot of male and female behaviors are also reflected on the way they are raised. Parents usually raise boys on aggressive sports, such as hockey and football, which encourage violence.
