SHE WHO REMAINS

The strength of the connection lies in the exploration of how individuals navigate and are shaped by external rules, both formal and informal. In Golding’s novel, the boys are thrust into a state of nature, and their inherent capacity for savagery quickly surfaces, leading to a breakdown of their nascent society. Similarly, *SHE WHO REMAINS* portrays a society governed by the ancient and unyielding laws of the Kanun, a system that, while providing a form of order, also enforces rigid gender roles and carries severe penalties for transgression. Bekija’s chosen path, a subversion of these laws, forces a re-examination of the cost of such adherence and the brutal repercussions of deviating from the established path, even when that path leads to personal destruction. The concept of inherent savagery, while overtly explored through the island's descent into violence, can also be seen in the ingrained, almost instinctual adherence to the Kanun’s harsh judgments within Bekija’s village. The loss of innocence, a cornerstone theme in *Lord of the Flies*, is also central to *SHE WHO REMAINS*. Bekija’s hopeful pursuit of a life lived as a man, as Matija, is tainted by the violence and loss it precipitates. The idyllic vision of freedom is brutally dismantled, leaving behind a legacy of pain and a profound sense of what might have been, echoing the tragic fate of Piggy and the destruction of the conch.

Furthermore, both books offer a profound exploration of identity and the masks individuals adopt when confronted with oppressive circumstances. Ralph’s struggle to maintain his leadership and his identity as a civilizing force is challenged by the allure of primal power. Bekija's transformation into Matija is a conscious adoption of a new identity, a survival mechanism designed to circumvent the constraints placed upon her as a woman under the Kanun. This performed masculinity, however, does not insulate her from the emotional and familial turmoil; instead, it becomes a new layer of complexity to her already fractured existence. The act of telling her story years later to a journalist allows for a retrospective unearthing of truths, a process of reckoning that is also implicitly present in the survivors' accounts at the end of *Lord of the Flies*. Both narratives compel readers to consider the psychological toll of enforced roles, the brutal realities of power dynamics, and the enduring human desire for agency, even when that pursuit leads to profound loss and heartbreak. The enduring power of *SHE WHO REMAINS* lies in its ability to evoke the same disquieting questions about human nature and societal failings that have made classics like *Lord of the Flies* timeless, prompting a deep engagement with the philosophical traditions surrounding civilization, inherent savagery, and the enduring search for self in a world that often seeks to define it.