Lord of the Flies/Kid Nation Essay

900 Words4 Pages
Lord of the Flies vs. Kid Nation The idea that a living, breathing, and working civilization created by children no older than 15 seems in most cases completely and totally absurd, but in the book “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding and the television series “Kid Nation” directed by J. Rupert Thompson, the plot is portrayed this way in both examples. “Lord of the Flies” is a novel about how a group of British schoolboys try to survive on a deserted island after a plane crash left them stranded. Then there is the television series “Kid Nation” about a group of randomized children, ranging from the ages 8-15, that try to make deserted town called Bonanza City thrive. Throughout the two works, without the guidance by adults, there is always going to be conflict and disruption. While there are similarities, when broken down it is easy to see why the children in “Kid Nation” were able to succeed to an extent, while the school boys in “Lord of the Flies” failed miserably. When comparing the two works there are a few key points to why one civilization succeeded while the other did not. In the novel “Lord of the Flies” the children start with absolutely nothing to work with. These children had to hunt, gather, and create all the amenities that are required to survive by themselves. Unlike there “Lord of the Flies” counterparts, the children in “Kid Nation” were given the beginnings of a complete civilization already equipped with food, water, shelter, and the opportunity to leave the city at the time of their choosing. These children were given all the necessary items in order to survive on their own, even a group of pre-assigned leaders called the town council. In order to keep the television show moving smoothly, the children were also given a book which contained daily events that were to take place daily in Bonanza City. Without such a book the town could have been
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