Power And Control In Mockingjay And Lord Of The Flies

Both Lord of the Flies’ and Mockingjay’s texts have elements of control and power struggles. Each character in each text is a victim of their own power struggle. In ‘Lord of the Flies,’ William Golding discusses the human condition and the constant struggle for power. Suzanne Collins (‘Mockingjay”) talks parallel about how power is a consuming force and how it contrasts with an impoverished society. Both novels show how the lust for power can bring out our worst side. Jack Merridew, the leader and choir member of a private school with a high reputation, was forced to follow every rule for his entire life. His power is withheld, which leads to his lust for power and overthrows both his head and his mind. “The chief was naked to his waist, with his face covered in red and white. The tribe lay in semicircle ahead of him,” This is the contrast between Jack’s beginning and his current state. Golding describes the choir boys as “a group of boys” in the opening chapter. They wore strange clothing. Their desire to be a leader changed how they thought. It has also changed their physical appearance. They are not the neatly trimmed boys who walk in parallel lines. Instead, they are a tribe of boys who sit in semicircles. They no longer follow a neatly dressed boy. Chapter 4 – Painted Faces. Long Hair. He started dancing and his laughter turned to a bloodthirsty snarling. He began to dance and his laughter became a bloodthirsty snarling. Jack is driven by this thought to kill Ralph and hunt him like a wild animal. He believes that Ralph will eventually overthrow Jack if he is alive. Eric and Sam are still likely to be loyal to Ralph. Jack’s tyranny unleashed the evil in him and made him do horrible things to people to control the power he desired so much. Jack, as the leader, was used a having power. “I’m chief now,” he said to the boys. The choir acclamated; and Jack’s freckles vanished under a blush in mortification.” Jack is trying to win power, and this causes negative feelings between Ralph. It creates a relationship, but one that is bad and ends up making things worse for them both. Mockingjay is Suzanne Collins’s description of a dystopian society ruled by an unrestrained large city. President Snow is the leader and tyrant. He governs the country with ruthlessness. “Pointing to case after case of mysterious deaths of Snow’s opponents or, worse, those of his allies who had potential to become threats,” President Snow lives with fear and takes extreme measures in order to eliminate his opposition. He is similar to Jack and kills his opponents to give him peace of heart. “If Coin is not your immediate answer, then you are a threat. You are the face of rebellion. Boggs claims that you could have greater influence than anyone else. “Outwardly, you have done the least you can to tolerate her.” This quote shows Katniss’s power over rebellious districts. President Coin of District 13 sees her as a threat and would likely kill her. Katniss is too powerful and influential to have control over the districts. President Coin does not possess this power or influence. “My failure,’ Snow said, was not being able to grasp Coin’s plan. To let the Capitol and its districts fall apart, and then to step in to assume power with Thirteen barely scratched.” This quote describes President Coin’s plan. He wants to let the rest crumble and then to take control of the nation, at its weakest point, while not causing any damage to her or her district. President Coin’s willingness to watch the whole world go berserk shows her lust for power. These texts both focus on power and control, and it is the desire for control that causes most of the problems. All the protagonists and antagonists do irresponsible and rash things in order to gain influence. But the best looking people were those who weren’t consumed by their obsession.