Explore how William Golding and Alan Bennett present competition in Lord Of The Flies and The History Boys
Competition, both physical and intellectual, for status and power, and the way these aims are pursued are important themes in both texts. However, competition needs to be considered in the context of the two very different types of society in the sources. In ‘Lord Of The Flies’ the society is of a rudimentary hunter-gatherer nature without adult authority whereas in ‘The History Boys’ society is sophisticated with established systems of law and order and a supply of basic necessities. And one is story of survival whilst the other is a story about social advancement.
both of these texts tell a story about school aged children with those in ‘Lord Of The Flies’ much younger than the post a-level history boys. There is a distinction to be explored between the weak and the strong when it comes to physical competition in ‘Lord Of The Flies’ and ‘The History Boys’.
In ‘Lord Of The Flies’ Golding uses his experiences of the school environment to enhance his portrayal of physical competition between the boys. This is shown in the first pages of the novel when all…show more content… In both cases the weaker characters like Piggy and posner are outcast from the main group due their inferior physical form. For example posner constantly wants attention from one of his two teachers but never gets it because the superior physical presence of Dakin over shadows him. Likewise at the assemblies in ‘Lord Of The Flies’ Piggy is always cut off before he’s finished speaking, not only by Jack as a stronger character but even by his closest ally in Ralph. Even though he as sensible opinions he plays a peripheral in the attempted formation of a functioning society on the island because he doesn’t have the physique