Question 50
GCE_MODEL_QUESTIONS_VOL1
•
2022
•
LITERATURE_IN_ENGLISH
•
objective
Both William Golding's *Lord of the Flies* and Margaret Atwood's *The Handmaid's Tale* explore the theme of power and its corruption. Compare how the characters of Jack and Commander Waterford each embody this theme, and assess which novel presents a more nuanced critique of power structures. Support your answer with two examples from each text.
Answer Options
A.
Jack embodies power through democratic consensus: he holds elections among the boys and shares leadership with Ralph, illustrating a collaborative approach rather than tyranny.
B.
Both novels present an equally nuanced critique of power: *Lord of the Flies* delves into institutional bureaucracy while *The Handmaid's Tale* focuses solely on individual moral failings, showing no deeper structural analysis.
Correct Answer
C.
Jack embodies power through fear‑based leadership: he seizes control from Ralph by exploiting the boys' terror of the "beast" and establishes a tribe that worships the "Lord of the Flies" as a symbol of his authority (e.g., the chant "Kill the pig! Cut his throat!" and the pig's head on a stick). Commander Waterford wields power institutionally: he publicly defends Gilead's hierarchy while privately breaking its rules, such as his secret liaison with Offred and his manipulation of the Ceremony to reinforce male dominance. While both characters illustrate corruption, *The Handmaid's Tale* offers a more nuanced critique because it exposes power's dual nature—ideological oppression and personal hypocrisy—whereas *Lord of the Flies* presents a more direct, primal descent into tyranny. The nuanced layers in Atwood's novel make its critique of power structures deeper than Golding's.
D.
Commander Waterford's power is purely symbolic; he never engages in personal transgressions and fully upholds Gilead's laws, making his character a model of ideological purity.
Correct Answer
C
Correct Option:
Jack embodies power through fear‑based leadership: he seizes control from Ralph by exploiting the boys' terror of the "beast" and establishes a tribe that worships the "Lord of the Flies" as a symbol of his authority (e.g., the chant "Kill the pig! Cut his throat!" and the pig's head on a stick). Commander Waterford wields power institutionally: he publicly defends Gilead's hierarchy while privately breaking its rules, such as his secret liaison with Offred and his manipulation of the Ceremony to reinforce male dominance. While both characters illustrate corruption, *The Handmaid's Tale* offers a more nuanced critique because it exposes power's dual nature—ideological oppression and personal hypocrisy—whereas *Lord of the Flies* presents a more direct, primal descent into tyranny. The nuanced layers in Atwood's novel make its critique of power structures deeper than Golding's.
About This Question
This is
Gce Model Questions Vol1
2022
Literature In English
Question 50.
It is one of the
objective
questions from the
2022
Gce Model Questions Vol1
Literature In English
examination.
Difficulty level:
Medium
.