Is it fair to say that the boys’ actions were merely the result of the human survival instinct? Why or Why not?Some readers of Lord of the Flies...

In the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the author shows us a group of boys stranded on a tropical island who do not really have any survival problems other than lack of adult supervision or mature organisation. Piggy and ralph do their best at the start, but they are still quite young and have not learned the necessary skills of assertiveness in order to put forward their case. Really, as mentioned in the novel, all they have to do is stay put, keep safe and wait to be rescued. The reason they panic and start lighting beacon fires etc is that they are shocked into thinking that everyone else out there is dead. But really, the author shows us they have fresh running water, fish, fruit and later on meat; also materials for shelter and a means to light fire. They are warm from the sun and there is shade too. Their acts are wilful and destructive.