The irony of the plane crashing at the beginning of the story, the setting of an unknown island, and many other cruel acts work in the work as a whole because they really set the tone for the main plot of the story. Cruelty will bring out the worst in people and this phrase proves true when it comes to Jack. The killing of the pig and the obsession with bloodlust drive Jack to savagery and reveal that he is not morally strong. The violence also shows that Jack is manipulative as he uses the fear of the beast to gain power. While cruelty transforms Jack, Ralph remains morally strong and represents civilization throughout the novel. The cruelty shows that Ralph's character is very intelligent as he is able to think deeply. The cruelty also reveals how morally strong he is and how he will not succumb to savagery like most boys do. William Golding's Lord of the Flies simply demonstrates that the cruelty of our savage and bestial instincts will take over without the order, rules and conduct that civilized societies must respect.