Why No Girls?

Why did William Golding choose to not include girls on the island in Lord of the Flies? What may have happened if he did?
William Golding chose not to include girls on the island in his novel Lord of the Flies for several reasons. First of all, men (and boys) are often thought of as being drawn to war, violence, bloodshed, etc. while also being considered the protectors of women and children. Throughout history, it has been men that have started wars rather than women. Women are generally thought of as non-violent, loving, nurturing mothers and spouses who care for others rather than harm them and maintain a semblance of order and civility even among testosterone-driven, prone-to-violence men. Therefore, in Lord of the Flies, had girls been present, the boys might have acted in a more civilized manner, taking on the role of protector and provider for the girls and the littluns on the island. The girls would have been to the care of the littluns, as well perhaps, as to cooking and creating more of a home environment. While in reality the biguns practically ignored the littluns, girls would have looked out for their needs. Furthermore, even if there was fright at the thought of a beast, the boys would have rallied forces in an attempt to protect the girls and the younger children from the assumed beast. In

many ways, the boys would have taken on the roles that they would have seen their fathers in at home, while the girls would emulate the roles that they observed their mothers in.
Secondly, for a long period in history, things that were acceptable for men to do were considered to be completely horrendous and unacceptable if a woman committed the same act. For example, for many years, women were required to ride horses sidesaddle rather than astride like men. Also, they were forced to wear clothing that covered their ankles, elbow, necks, etc. so as to be modest, while men had no clothing restrictions enforced upon them. This phenomenon is still true to some extent even today. While it may be considered societally acceptable for men to be somewhat promiscuous, and even to some extent expected, if a woman were to be the same way, they would be considered “loose” or “slutty.” Having considered this precedential occurrence, it would seem that the girls on the island would have refrained from such savagery as the boys displayed, and have abstained from hunting and any other form of killing, war paint, and tribal chants.
In conclusion, had girls been on the island, it would seem that perhaps Golding’s point could not have been as accurately depicted, as a greater semblance of civilization and peaceful coexistence would have occurred, rather than savagery and violence. In all likelihood, with the addition of the female gender, despite the age of the children on the island, the murder of several of the occupants, and the factions and mutinies that arose, would not have even surfaced.