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Abstract
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The present research topic holds substantial importance because it addresses a neglected intersection between political philosophy and literary studies, particularly concerning postwar representations of sovereignty and violence. Theoretical accounts by Agamben and Arendt form central pillars of contemporary political thought, yet their relevance to narrative fiction remains underexplored. Scholars such as Lori Marso and Andrew Schaap underscore the urgency of studying political responsibility in an era marked by the normalization of exceptional measures, while literary critics seldom employ these frameworks to interpret canonical works. Lord of the Flies provides an exceptional case for such inquiry because it dramatizes the fabrication of authority and the subsequent breakdown of political action in a microcosmic environment. The novel’s enduring popularity in academic curricula underscores the need for a more sophisticated understanding of its political implications.
Further significance arises from the study’s potential contribution to biopolitical literary theory. As theorists such as Roberto Esposito and Thomas Lemke argue, biopolitics determines many features of modern governance, yet its literary manifestations require additional scholarly attention. By integrating archival evidence from the Golding papers with political theory, the study provides an innovative methodology that aligns textual variance with philosophical concept formation. Finally, the research advances broader debates about violence and moral responsibility in postwar culture. As Elaine Scarry and Richard Bernstein demonstrate, violence transforms public worlds and ethical commitments, and literature often exposes these transformations with unique clarity. The project thus addresses a priority area for scholarship: the investigation of how fiction illuminates the fragility of political order and the exposure of human life to unregulated power.
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