lapse and are completely replaced by Jack and his band of boys. Some may argue that the desire to become violent individuals is inherent in human nature, but it can be argued that it is in communal nature to bind together in their hatred for someone or thing to blame especially in a time of such upheaval. “Those who make up the crowd are always potential persecutors, for they dream of purging the community of the impure elements that corrupt it.” (Girard 16). Here, the “savage” boys abandon their weakened ruling system and join together in directing their anger towards Ralph and Piggy to create a new society.Traditional interpretations state that when the confusion finally leads to a manhunt (for Ralph), the reader realizes that despite the strong sense of British character and civility that has been instilled in the youth throughout their lives, the boys have regressed and shown the underlying savage side existent in all humans. "Golding senses that institutions and order imposed from without are temporary, but man's irrationality and urge for destruction are enduring" (Riley 1: 119). However, Girard writes,“No matter what circumstances trigger great collective persecutions, the experience of those who live through them is the same. The strongest impression is without question an extreme loss of social order evidenced by disappearance of the rules and ‘differences’ that define cultural divisions.” (12).This is also true in the novel. Originally, the boys are voting, passing conch shells to speak, and behaving according to the rules of their former society. Ralph says, “I’ll give the conch to the next person to speak. He can hold it when he’s speaking....and he won’t be interrupted...We’ll have rules.” (Golding, 33). At one meeting, Ralph says, “...the rules are the only thing we got.” (Golding, 54). Eventually, however, these rule...
