In William Goldings novel Lord of the Flies, the frequently asked question in todays society is posed, can isolation, or having nobody on your side, change ones opinions. The novel tells the story of a group of boys, shot down in a plane during a war, and now stranded on a deserted island. The protagonist, Ralph, represents civilization on the island, and his counterpart, Jack, represents the idea of savagery. Throughout the novel the battle between civilization and savagery rages and it is the element of isolation that is questioned as the most important factor in the end. On the island Jack and Ralph stand for very different things. Ralph believes in running a democratic, civilized, system, similar to the one he has been raised in, and Jack wants to run a dictatorship, with himself as the leader who makes decisions for his tribe. Right after landing on the island, Ralph establishes a democracy by having a vote to elect a leaderHe [Ralph] lifted the conch, seems like we ought to have a leader to decide things. (Golding 19). Ralph takes a stand by making an executive decision that a leader must be in place. The boys also use the conch shell as a symbol to represent the civilized society they have created. When somebody is holding the conch it becomes their turn to speak. Later on in the novel, the conch shatters, representing the end of civilization, and the beginning of Jacks reign. Golding illustrates Jacks character as intimidating and sinister, therefore scaring those around him. He [Ralph] was intimidated by this uninformed superiority and the offhand authority in Meridews [Jacks] voice (Golding 16). Jacks desire for power from the beginning of the novel is off-putting to all the boys, and frankly, frightens many of them. This intimidation factor helps Jack become the savage leader who makes everybody follow his commands. This idea of civilization vs. savagery ororder vs. chaos is also dealt with in the short story, The Lottery, by