Lord_of_the_Flies_-_Legal_Studies

With reference to “Lord of the Flies” discuss the nature of justice in terms of equality, fairness, access and procedural fairness. Justice is the principle of moral rightness and the quality of being fair based of ethics and equity. This concept involves the impartial and unbiased treatment. Justice is necessary in all societies, without it there would be free rein, anarchy and lawlessness. “Lord of the Flies” is a movie based on the book by William Godding. It is about a group of young boys who, after a plane crash, become stranded on a secluded island with no adults. There is no one in charge and no rules to restrain the boys from doing what they like or what is best. Just like a democratic system the boys make a fair and honest vote to choose their leader along with a simple set of rules, which are fair and just, to follow. This way everyone is treated as equals and have the same rights. One of the main rules on the island is that when the conch shell is blown an assembly will form. During the assembly, no one can speak unless holding the conch. This rule allows the boys to have a freedom of speech, the opportunity to share their views and have discussions about their problems. They can then be resolved fairly together. This was the starting of a just, equal and fair social order. Ralph, who was elected to be the leader ahead of Jack, is unsure of what rules he should create. He decides that a signal fire should be constantly burning on the highest, most visible point on the island. Ralph appoints a team of boys to maintain the fire to ensure is always burning. Following procedural fairness, Ralph appoints Jack as the leader of the hunting party, who also need to tend to the fire. Jack then started to make rules that applied to his hunting party which were in direct conflict with what was set out by Ralph and unjust. He told his hunters to all attend a hunt, abandoning the fire. Jack then creates a rebellion. The law can only as just as the society in which it operates. The children on the island thought that a rebellion and fighting was the right way to react so no rules could be enforced to prevent or cease it. During the rebellion a boy is killed and there is no punishment to the crime because the killers were Jack and his followers (who make up a vast majority of the boys on the island). This is an example of bias and injustice. The island then goes into complete chaos as if the island was in anarchy. When an adult officer is spotted on the beach justice, equality and fairness can be restored.