This loss of social identify which accompanies a decline in commonly held values is seen in the novel and is one of the central themes of the book.
It should also be noted that various critics have mentioned that the novel also seems to suggest that without social controls, human nature has no direction or fundamental values.
Stewart's thesis, which drives all of the plot, is that civilization is an aberration that arises thanks to a peculiar set of circumstances. It needs a strong leader, and probably some sort of smart subordinate, to make it happen.... left to their own devices, human beings are essentially lazy and will not want to be civilized. Indeed, he adds, they will be much happier that way.
Emerald City)
This novel has amazed many modern critics in that its themes are possibly even more relevant to contemporary society than when it was originally written.. "Can a novel over a half a century old speak to current concerns? The answer is yes." (Powell, M. 2004) the work is also a sociological analysis of trends in the modern world and provides an absorbing ground for the application
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