Instant Access To 100,000+ Essays!

In Lord of the Flies, many of the natural rights that John Locke proposed are addressed, breached, and sometimes even blatantly abused. The movie addresses important issues regarding the tendencies of human nature and stresses the importance of establishing some type of government. Without government, the human species will naturally destroy itself. As Hobbes once said regarding life without government: it would be “nasty, brutish, and short.” Locke thought that without some system of checks and balances, the weak would be deprived of their three natural rights: life, liberty, and property. The first right that Locke proposed, the right to life, is certainly breached throughout the movie. Simon, the first victim, is killed by “accident” when the group mistakes him for the beast. Piggy, though, is killed purposefully. Because Piggy is the symbol of civilization and order, killing him is evidence that Locke’s natural rights are disregarded, and savagery takes its place. When they begin to hunt Ralph, it is apparent th