Technology In Lord Of The Flies

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It was a race for survival; dozens of adolescents stranded on an island, not a hint of civilization around. The boys’s lives changed drastically during their time on the island. It’s interesting how life can change in a matter of seconds, or throughout centuries. There has been an immense change in lifestyle since the 1950s, the prominent cause being technology. William Golding, the author of Lord of the Flies, displays a troubling situation in a simple time, stimulating the reader to reflect on aspects of life now. If William Golding had the opportunity to experience a day in the life of a teenager today, he would observe that the evolution of society has brought many negative changes to communication, values, and bullying within the teenage…show more content…
From the first thing people do after waking up in the morning, to the last thing they do before going to sleep, smartphones and tablets keep the majority of the population updated with any and all information needed to get through the day. From weather and traffic patterns to national news, the plethora of information received through technology is extremely vast. However, along with the development of technology has come a drastic change in communication, substantially corrupting our relationships. Undoubtedly, the more time spent staring at a screen, the less time spent cherishing important moments. Through the duration of the story, Ralph calls assemblies in order to discuss the issues faced on the island. “‘Don’t you all want to be rescued?’ … ‘I said before, the fire is the main thing. Now the fire must be out-’” (102). By empathizing with the group, Ralph encourages them to continue believing in the fire. If this were to take place now, each boy would be searching for a way to get off the island or calling for help, separately. There would be no collaboration to spark ideas and create bonds. Ralph would not have the opportunity to tug at the heartstrings of the rest of the boys. In addition, when the naval officer arrives on the island at the end of Lord of the Flies, the BOYS experience a touching moment as “The tears began to flow and sobs shook him.…show more content…
The VALUES of teenagers have shifted focus from survival necessities, leaving a negative impact on how they perceive the world. Anything from basic conversations to important decisions often get carried out over the phone; the value of a face to face interaction has diminished. At the beginning of the story, the BOYS gather to figure out who will be the leader of the group. They understand the importance of having a main leader, and come to a decision together in person. “‘Let’s have a vote.’ … This toy of voting was almost as pleasing as the conch. … ‘All right. Who wants Jack for chief?’” (22). The children see this physical idea of ‘voting’ as an effective process. They work through the disagreement as a group, letting everyone have a say, and eventually vote Ralph to be chief. This conflict-resolution shows the strength of a face to face conversation. If the vote happened now over the phone, unfair advantages would be in place, such as miscommunication or misrepresentation. These factors are always possible, but more so over text and not in person. Not only have face to face interactions become more and more devalued through the use of TECHNOLOGY, younger generations focus more on their reputation in SOCIETY rather than the importance of personality. One day, Ralph gets time to sit and
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