Introduction
International relation (IR) theories help us understand the world around us. Through IR a person can identify the different perspectives that people have about the world. IR theories consist of three major themes, namely; realism, liberalism, and constructivism. Realism refers to the understanding of international politics by emphasizing on the competitive and conflicting side. Liberalism implies that countries can co-exist peacefully and they do not have to be at war at all times. Constructivism informs us why things are happening the way they do and what can be done about them. Movies are used to explain the idea of IR through the events and activities that the characters participate in. The movie "Lord of the Flies" shows how the interest and struggle for power forms a government body.
In this movie, we are shown how a government is created. A leader is identified; they establish rules to protect the boys, form social symbols that give the society they are building meaning and develop ways to meet their basic human needs. All this is accomplished while the boys make an effort to cooperate and form peaceful relationships while on the island. The boys attempt to develop peaceful relations while on the island shows the theme of liberalism, which put emphasis on the idea of cooperating with each other. However, the boys are unsuccessful in uniting and forming peaceful relations as they imitate the realities of their society back home. The activities that the boys take part in, to build a society while on the island reflect their social constructs in their country, which is falling apart due to war.
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The events in the movie communicate important features about the government. The boys appear as members of a society who are governed by a set of rules and regulations. However, these set of rules are only effective if the boys are able to follow them. This shows that the institutions and norms of a government are meaningful if the citizens and the people apply them are committed to their benefits. This means that a society can exist and function only if the members understand why the social norms are created and their function in controlling them.
Lord of the Flies reveals the theme of realism by explaining the idea of anarchy in governing institutions within a society. The ways in which the boys conduct themselves while on the island confirm how realism is constructed. Once the boys find themselves stranded on the island without the control of adults the viewers are introduced to the principle of anarchy. Anarchy is seen in how the boys decide to create order amongst themselves in an environment that is unfamiliar to them. Therefore, the movie suggests that people are likely to fall into chaos when they lack effective leadership to govern them. For instance, in the movie, when the boys decide to vote and choose Ralph to lead them as their leaders and giving them their roles, Ralph gains power over them. However, Jack opposes his leadership and influences the other boys to act against him, leaving Ralph powerless.
Realism considers the primary principles in IR as the actors that are concerned in protecting their interests and fight for power and control. Jack’s actions expose the negative side of realism. The negative side concentrates more on the power and self-interest of a leader as opposed to the ethical norms that govern a society and relations between countries. Selfish leaders are individuals that are produced by anarchic systems since their only responsibility is to look after themselves and protect their interests (Weber, 2009). Therefore, an anarchic system comprises of individuals whose main aim is to survive. In the movie, the boys fail to cooperate with each other as they are all eager to meet their own interest rather than that of the group. For example, this is clear in how they are more eager to fulfill immediate but unimportant needs such as hunting, but less concerned with achieving long-term goals such as keeping the fire going until they are rescued.
Realism demonstrates the difference between the national and international politics. National politics is controlled by authority and law, but international politics is an environment without justice and can easily lead to conflict between countries (Weber, 2009). "Lord of the Flies" reveals the notion of an anarchic society as it examines the idea of society and government. While on the island, the boys believe that by appointing each other to take up specific roles, they have higher chances of surviving on the island until they are rescued. However, it is clear that the boys are controlled by the fear of not knowing what will happen to them. This fear leads to the division of the boys when they think that a beast may be around, which makes them split into two groups as a way of dealing with the fear. In this instance, the viewer sees that it is not only anarchy that contributes to conflict but also fears. Although there were selfish interests in the group, there was also cooperation.
The theme of constructivism in the movie merges both the concepts of realism and liberalism. This theme explains IR does not arise as a result of individual behaviors and actions, but is as a product of social construction. In the movie, how the boys interact with each other and their immediate environment determines their success or failure while on the island. For instance, conflict among the boys arose because Jack and Ralph's group did not match. Thus, the identities and behaviors of the boys belonging to each group motivated their behaviors and attitudes towards each other. According to Weber (2009), in IR the behaviors and actions of a country are shaped by how they interact with other states. Therefore, the conflict between the boys was as a result of the shift in power within their social construct. The differences in strength and numbers in Jack and Ralph's groups and also the willingness of the boys to achieve what they wanted to determine their survival chances.
Constructivism shows both realism and liberalism as the egoistic characteristics of a country of the actors. Therefore, through constructivism, we are able to identify the interests and identities of the boys, which are already established before their interaction during the social construction. For instance, Ralph does not agree with the idea of killing Jack, but Jack kills Simon and Piggy when he gets the chance. Constructivism shows that the boys are social beings whose identities and interests are as a result of their current social structures.
Conclusion
In the movie, the theories of IR are revealed through the actions and identities of the boys. Realism is shown through the leadership roles of Ralph and Jack who represent anarchy and hierarchy respectively. On the other hand, liberalism is shown through how the boys interact with each other while they try to finds ways to survive on the island. Thirdly, constructivism is shown through how the boys' behaviors and attitudes is shaped by their social structures.
References
Weber, C. (2009) International Relations Theory: A Critical Introduction , 3rd editition, London: Routledge, pp. 264.
