In Lord of the Flies, the rules of society are what prevent humans from reverting back to primal instincts, and acting as Jack does. Without societal rules, man's inner heart of darkness shows, and civilization rapidly degenerates with the loss of rationality. Piggy represented this intellectual logic and rationality, and when he died, the ultimate degeneration of societal rules occurred.
Lord of the Flies Quotes about Rules of Society
"Piggy moved among the crowd, asking names and frowning to remember them. The
children gave him the same simple obedience that they had given to the men with
megaphones." (page 14).
The only group that knows each other is the choir boys.
The conch shell brings rules: "'We'll have rules!' he cried excitedly. 'Lots of rules! Then
when anyone breaks 'em-' , 'Whee-oh!'
'Wacco!'
'Bong!'
'Doink!'
" (page 32).
'Jack clamoured among them, the conch forgotten.
'Come on! Follow me!'
The space under the palm trees was full of noise and movement. Ralph was on his feet too, shouting for quiet, but no one heard him." (page 37).
"'The conch doesn't count on top of the mountain,' said Jack, 'so you shut up.'" (page 42).
"We ought to have more rules. Where the conch is, that's a meeting. The same up here as down there.'" (page 42).
"'I agree with Ralph. We've got to have rules and obey them.
After all, we're not savages. We're English; and the English are best at everything. So we've got to do the right things.'" (page 42).
"They obeyed the summons of the conch, partly because Ralph blew it, and he was big enough to be a link with the adult world of authority; and partly because they enjoyed the entertainment of the assemblies." (page 61).
"Now, though there was no parent to let fall a heavy hand, Maurice still felt the unease of wrong-doing." (page 63).
"The world, that understandable and lawful world, was slipping away. Once there was this and that; and now-and the ship had gone." (page 98).
"'The rules!' shouted Ralph, 'you're breaking the rules!' 'Who cares?'
Ralph summoned his wits.
'Because the rules are the only thing we've got!'" (page 99).
"'Which is better-to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill?'" (page 201).
"'Which is better, law and rescue, or hunting and breaking things up?'" (page 201).