literary analysis essay lord of the flies

Lord of the Flies

Introduction lord of the flies.

The novel , Lord of the Flies was written by a British writer, William Golding , who made a name in fiction writing with unique thematic strands. It was first published in 1954. The novel sheds light on the behavior of the children left stranded on a long island, who start behaving entirely different from what they have been in their schools and under the guidance of a parent or a teacher. The groups are divided as they begin to think differently for survival. They fight for individuality, rationality while continuing their playfulness after they are left with none to guide them. The novel won huge applause around the world for his enticing storytelling techniques also bestowed the writer with the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1983.

Summary of Lord of the Flies

During a war, a British plane involved in evacuating British schoolboys crash lands on a deserted island. It is somewhere located in tropical regions. Two young boys, Ralph and Piggy, find a conch when they stroll on the seashore. Piggy, the fatter than most boys but an intellectual one, tells Ralph, the quiet one, how to blow a horn with it. He teaches him how to use it to establish his authority over the other boys. Ralph becomes the leader of the boys and appoints Jack as in charge of the food hunters with Piggy as his unassuming adviser.

Soon after the boys assemble, Ralph takes Jack and Simon with him to explore other parts of the island for the likely existence of life. When they come back, Ralph plans to light a fire to signal the authorities or rescue them about their presence. The rest of the boys continue to roam around the island to collect woods and use Piggy’s glasses to light a fire. However, instead of keeping it alive, they quickly engage themselves in their plays and soon forget about it except Piggy. It soon dawns upon them that the youngest boy is injured and dead.

As time passes, the boys start making fun of each other as well as enjoying without having any authority of the adults around them. Ralph, as the conscious leader, however, starts complaining about the direction of Piggy that the boys are not paying attention to the fire, nor or they interested in preparing huts for them. On the other hand, Jack, with his hunters, is engaged in catching a pig, though, they fail in their act. Meanwhile, Piggy points Ralph’s attention toward a passing ship that disappears on the horizon and they lament the negligence of the boys toward keeping the fire alive. The hunters, however, do not pay much attention to his complaints despite the fury of Ralph when he points their negligence at the troublemakers with Jack as their leader. In their wild frenzy of having their first catch, they ignore the leader, Ralph, and start dancing around. When Piggy rebukes Jack, he hits him, making his glasses flying away.

As hinted by Piggy earlier, Ralph immediately catches the conch and blows it to declare his authority, yet nobody pays attention, while the “littluns” are feeling neglected, expressing their fear of some ghost or beast lurking somewhere on the island. Despite the other boys’ argument that there is no such thing, the littluns do not feel safe. When the meeting is over, a parachutist from some fighting planes land on the island but is caught in the trees to rot there. When the twins, Sam and Eric, find the man hanging on the trees, they take him as a beast and spread the terror in the camp with the news. Soon the boys form a group to hunt that monster despite a difference between Jack and Ralph, the two leading boys. They, then, inform others about that parachute and the monster that they think it is, develops further differences about the leadership of Ralph. Jack alleges his fear for further removal from the authority, while the majority of the boys veto this move. Despite this defeat, Jack takes the hunters with him to part ways, while Ralph rallies others around him to light the fire, though. Ironically, most of them flee and join Jack in his hunting game.

Soon Jack takes lead and declares himself the leader of his hunters. They hunt a sow and leave its head on a stake. When Simon dreams about it, he thinks it the Lord of the Flies that is speaking to him. He soon becomes unconscious and when comes to senses he leaves for the mountains where he comes across that dead soldier hanging with his parachute. He takes it to the Lord of the Flies and runs away to tell others, creating a mess that all the boys including Ralph and Jack, who were busy enjoying the feast of the sow, consider him a monster and kill him. However, only Piggy and Ralph are conscious of what they have done, while Jack and his hunters soon realize the loss of fire and steal the glasses of Piggy to make their own. When Ralph tries to argue with Jack, he orders his hunters to chase him to kill him. Roger, his main hunter, kills Piggy with a boulder and Ralph flees for his life, seeing the conch also shattered to pieces under the boulder.

Jack, the hunters, and other boys including Ralph chasing the game soon come to an end when British officers appear on the seashore, admonishing the boys for their mess and filthy looks, while Ralph heaves a sigh of relief after seeing an adult who has saved him from the hunters.

Major Themes in Lord of the Flies

Loss of Innocence: The loss of innocence in the novel is shown from the way the children go astray without adults. The right path is to lead a normal life, take care of the “littluns”, pay homage to the authority, and wait for the elders to come to their rescue. Ralph’s attitude toward the littluns and Samneric is of a leader and an adult having responsibility. However, when Jack parts ways with him and Piggy, it seems that they have lost the innocence, for Jack becoming a hunter is identical to savagery.
Savageness and Society: Lord of the Flies shows savagery in the society that is part of its members as shown through Jack and hunters. The author believes that innocence is not just an integral part; savagery is also an integral part of human nature and finds ways to come out when the times are appropriate. That is why when Ralph finds an officer on the seashore, he heaves a sigh of relief, thinking that he has saved himself from the savage hunters.
Vice against Virtue : The novel also shows vice pitted against virtue as Ralph and Piggy represent order and virtue, while Jack and his hunters represent vice or disorder. When Ralph is made to flee from the hunters, it seems that virtue has given way to vice. However, soon the officer appears, which becomes a signal of some authority that does not let virtue face defeat.
End of Rationalism: Piggy, the supporter of Ralph and his authority, is a lone voice of rationalism who can think with a rational mind and devise ways. However, he is physically inferior to all others except “littluns.” Therefore, Jack is always wary of him that he does not let Jack stand a chance to assume leadership. When he finds Piggy, he orders his associates to roll a boulder on him, killing him on the spot. It shows the end of rationalism, a thematic strand that appears for a short time in the storyline.
Absence of Social Norms: The pack of children on an isolated island without the presence of an adult having authority presents a real dilemma about the social traditions, norms, and their evolutions. The author proves this thematic idea of how a person. with limited intelligence. copes with the situation of dealing with other persons in the absence of social norms. Piggy is killed on the want of laws and social regulations that emerge from norms; such as the norm of blowing a conch.
Dehumanization: The novel shows the dark side of human nature that is to live a life of the might is right and dehumanization of nature as shown by the hunting nature of Jack, while the rational side, such as Piggy, soon witnesses his end. The hunting spree of Jack and other boys without thinking an iota about their colleague is a dehumanization of nature.
The Nature of Evil or Vice: Evil resides in human nature side by side with virtue which comes out when authority is absent. Jack shows this side of nature when he forms his pack of hunters and attacks Piggy, killing him on the spot.
Community against Individual: community and individual are other minor themes of the novel. The would-be leader, Ralph, is left alone in the end against the whole community of the boys chasing him. It means that an individual is left alone if he does not stand on his guard.
Progress of Civilization: Lord of the Flies is also a critique on the progress of civilization in that a pack of English boys with rational and leading minds like Piggy and Ralph respectively go to dogs without thinking as Ralph later says what the other people will say to them that British, the crown of the civilized nation, has children as such.
Absence of Laws: The hunting expedition of Jack, killing of Piggy, and several other such incidents show that the law protects the weak. The absence of the law is similar to giving authority to a tyrant to rule a country or allowing the criminals to roam free without fear of consequences.

Major Characters in Lord of the Flies

Ralph: The leader and good-looking but moderately intelligent, Ralph leads the boys with Piggy as his advisor, who advises him to use the conch to establish authority. As such he proves not only the hero but also the protagonist of the novel after assuming leadership. Eventually, he loses the hold on the group to Jack and his hunters who drive almost all the boys to useless hunting, which resultantly leads them to savagery. In the end, he is left alone when Jack murders Piggy and chases Ralph to gain from him his authority, but he saves himself by running to a British officer, who just appears on the scene.
Piggy: Piggy, though is quite weak, but a rational boy, who advises Ralph to assume the leadership, seeing in him a vision to lead. He takes care of the little boys and suggests lighting up the fire to save them from perishing on the island. However, he soon becomes the target of hunters, while Jack eyes him a likely opponent, not leaving any opportunity to either admonish, tease, or even to kill him, which he does by the end. His murder makes Ralph feel lonely when he wishes the presence of an adult and the British naval officer appears on the scene. His murder is the end of rationalism among the boys.
Jack Merridew: The antagonist , Jack Merridew, is a powerful leader but has a vicious touch in his nature. He does not exhibit rationality or true leadership. As soon as he sees Piggy, a symbol of rational thinking among them, he becomes his staunch opponent. He forms a choir of the boys and manipulates their thinking to turn them into barbarous killers who start chasing Ralph, their own leader, after having shown their exploits in hunting a sow and dancing around it to celebrate this achievement. By the end, he assumes leadership of the savagery and hunts down Ralph, who runs away in the forest for his life.
Simon: Simon is attached to nature and shows a spiritual aspect of life. That is why he stays alone and does not join any group, though, he stays with the group. A Christ-like figure, the author presents Simon to show how some people understand the arrival of evil but does not have the ability to confront or express it. Simon is also an example of staying neutral in times when you cannot choose.
Samneric: They are twins. These two brothers are identical not only in nature but also in their appearances. They follow Ralph loyally but when Piggy is killed, they also lose direction, and soon they seem lost in the maze of the chase of Ralph.
Maurice: A healthy boy, Maurice, proves a great hunter and starts training other hunters for Jack’s pack. He shows the mob mentality in blindly following the leader.
Percival: A little boy, Percival, represents innocence, as he always needs some adult to take care of him. He becomes hysterical at times for the loss of his parents and home comfort.
The Naval Officer: The British officer represents the authority and adulthood which stops chaos and brings order in the chaotic world. His appearance reminds the readers of the civilized western world.
The Beast: Despite its hazy presence, the beast represents something unknown that is not only causing fear to the boys but also showing them a way to create something out of nothing. Jack uses this invisible beast for his own purpose to make others follow him.

Writing Style of Lord of the Flies ‎

William Golding ’s writing style in Lord of the Flies is pretty simple and straightforward. It carries great alluring subtleties, bordering a multiplicity of meanings for all types of readers. Despite its allegorical nature, the characters and objects along with the description seem quite realistic and direct. Most of the ordinary thematic strands and ideational presentations have brought a type of enticement in his style that is unique in its language and mesmerizing in its narrative .

Analysis of Literary Devices in Lord of the Flies

Action: The main action of the novel comprises the crash landing of a British airplane having school children, who live a messy life on the island, making two groups; one wants to rescue the boys and the other intends to enjoy merrymaking. The rising action is Ralph’s struggle for order, safety, and organized life. The falling action , on the other hand, is his escape to save his life when Jack and his hunters chase him.
Allegory : Lord of the Flies is an allegorical novel that shows it shows that when the civilization or leadership is absent and there is no fear of law and authority, human nature has more inclination to fall prey to vice. Savagery has the power to take over as the beast, despite its absence, takes over the entire group of the boys and terrifies the “littluns.” It could also be an allegory that when a war is taking place between the adults, another war is between innocence and savagery.
Antagonist : Jack Merridew is the antagonist of the novel, Lord of the Flies, because he stands against the order and civilization that Ralph and his rational friend want to bring. He rather indulges in savagery and killing whatever comes in the way of him and his hunters.
Allusion : There are various examples of the Biblical allusions given in the novel, Lord of the Flies. Simon alludes to Jesus Christ, while the head of the pig alludes to Satan that makes human being to go astray from the true path. On the other hand, Jack is the representative of Juda and the lone island is an example of paradise.
Conflict : There are two types of conflicts in the novel, Lord of the Flies. The first one is between man and nature as it goes on between the boys and the situation on the island where they are to live. The second is about man and man and man and self which goes on between Ralph and Jack and Ralph and his thinking.
Characters: Lord of the Flies presents both static as well as dynamic characters. Ralph is a dynamic character , as he goes through various changes and has several issues to deal with, while Jack Merridew is also a vibrant character on account of his ambitious and unpredictable nature. Piggy, however, is a static character in that he does not witness any change in his thinking from the first day to the last. Simon, too, is a static character.
Climax : The climax in the novel arrives when Simon sees Lord of the Flies and realizes that it is a beast but then realizes that every boy has a beast in his mind. That is why when he tries to come back and join the boys, they kill him, considering him as prey. However, when Jack engineers the killing of Piggy, this is the anticlimax of Lord of the Flies.
Foreshadowing : There are several examples of foreshadowing in Lord of the Flies. The first example of foreshadowing in the novel occurs when the boys gather together for voting and it is voiced that there may be a beast. The ensuing argument shows that it would be there soon, even if it does not exist. The second example is of Piggy who continuously refers to his aunt which shows that he always needs somebody to depend on him. The third good example is the discovery of conch and advice of Piggy, which points out that Piggy is the supplier of ideas to Ralph, who is nothing without him.
Hyperbole : Hyperbole or exaggeration occurs when Piggy and Ralph find the conch on the seashore and Piggy thinks that the conch will bring order and authority to Ralph that he will use with his ideas. However, it proves a pipedream for him, for how a simple conch can bring order and authority among the unruly children.
Imagery : Imagery means to use to present an image that shows the use of sense by the readers or audiences to identity it such as Ralph is shown having landed like a cat, Jake is shown behaving as an ape, while the littluns are shown as inspects. Also, the sea is shown as a creature, while the fire is shown as a jaguar. In fact, Lord of Flies is full of natural imagery as the location and the characters demonstrate it amply.
Metaphor : Lord of the Flies shows decent use of various metaphors . For example, i. Then the creature stepped from mirage on to clear sand, and they saw that the darkness was not all shadow but mostly clothing. (Chapter-1) ii. He was a shrimp of a boy, about six years old, and one side of his face was blotted bout by a mulberry-colored birthmark. (Chapter-1) iii. On one side the air was cool, but on the other, the fire thrust out a savage arm of heat that crinkled hair on the instant. (Chapter-2)The first metaphor shows the comparison of darkness with the clothing, the second boy with the shrimp, and the third fire with a savage creature.
Mood : The novel, Lord of the Flies, shows a serious mood of horror and grief. Even though the start is quite interesting and entertaining, it suddenly transforms into somber and then sorrowful when the boys start making groups, hunting and finally killing each other.
Motif : Most important motifs of the novel, Lord of the Flies, are the conch, glasses of Piggy, and the beast.
Narrator : The novel, Lord of the Flies, uses the third person as a narrator of the story , which is also called an omniscient narrator. Here the author, William Golding is the narrator of the story.
Personification : Personification means to attribute human acts and emotions to non-living objects. For example, i. Smoke was rising here and there among the creepers that festooned the dead or dying trees. As they watched, a ﬂash of ﬁre appeared at the root of one wisp, and then the smoke thickened. Small ﬂames stirred at the trunk of a tree and crawled away through leaves and brushwood, dividing and increasing. (Chapter-2) ii. The ﬂames, as though they were a kind of wildlife, crept as a jaguar creeps on its belly toward a line of birch-like saplings that ﬂedged an outcrop of the pink rock. iii. Then the roof of leaves broke up and they halted, breathing quickly, looking at the few stars that pricked round the head of the mountain. (Chapter-7)These three examples show smoke, flame, and then roof as if they have human emotions.
Protagonist : Ralph is the protagonist of the novel. He starts the novel and captures the interest of the readers until the last page when he flees for his life. Besides, he is the primary motivator of the order and civilization on the island.
Paradox : Lord of the Flies shows the use of paradox in the behavior of the boys that fear is not outside but in their minds. Therefore, it is a paradox.
Theme : A theme is a central idea that the novelist or the writer wants to stress upon. The novel, Lord of the Flies , not only shows the theme of conflict between vice and virtue, but also various other themes such as loss of innocent, value of the order, and above all the nature of man.
Setting : The setting of the novel, Lord of the Flies, is the sea and the coastal area as well as the lonely island with thick forest.
Simile : The novel shows great use of various similes such as; i. A rock, almost detached, standing like a fort , facing them across the green with one bold, pink bastion. (Chapter-1) ii. The breezes that on the lagoon had chased their tails like kittens were finding their way across the platform and into the forest. (Chapter-2) iii. One patch touched a tree trunk and scrambled up like a bright squirrel . (Chapter-2)The first simile compares a rock to a fort, the second breezes to kittens, and the third the patch to a squirrel.
Symbol: Lord of the Flies shows that the symbols of the best, glasses, fire, adults, ocean, and the island.
Irony : The novel shows irony when the boys are engaged in talking about the beast but only Simon knows it, though, he is unable to express it.

Lord of the Flies Quotes
Lord of the Flies Themes
Lord of the Flies Characters
Lord of the Flies Symbolism
As The Crow Flies
Alfred Lord Tennyson
William Golding

Lord of the Flies

William golding, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on William Golding's Lord of the Flies . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

Lord of the Flies: Introduction

Lord of the flies: plot summary, lord of the flies: detailed summary & analysis, lord of the flies: themes, lord of the flies: quotes, lord of the flies: characters, lord of the flies: symbols, lord of the flies: theme wheel, brief biography of william golding.

Historical Context of Lord of the Flies

Other books related to lord of the flies.

Full Title: Lord of the Flies
Where Written: England
When Published: 1954
Literary Period: Post-war fiction
Genre: Allegorical novel / Adventure novel
Setting: A deserted tropical island in the middle of a nuclear world war
Climax: Piggy's death
Point of View: Third person omniscient

Extra Credit for Lord of the Flies

Beelzebub. The phrase "lord of the flies" is a translation of the Greek "Beelzebub," a devil mentioned in the New Testament. In the Bible, Beelzebub sometimes seems to be Satan himself, and at other times seems to be Satan's most powerful lieutenant.

Coral Island. William Golding based several of the main ideas in Lord of the Flies on Coral Island (1858), a somewhat obscure novel by Robert Ballantyne, a 19th-century British novelist. In Coral Island , three English boys create an idyllic society after being shipwrecked on a deserted island. They battle wild hogs, typhoons, hostile island visitors, and eventually Pirates on the South Seas.

A Summary and Analysis of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

Lord of the Flies was first published in 1954, although it very nearly wasn’t published at all. Its author, William Golding, was a struggling grammar-school teacher when he wrote it, having been given the germ of the idea by his wife, Ann.

The novel’s title is a reference to Beelzebub, a name for the Devil, which means literally ‘lord of the flies’ (at least in most translations ). Given the fact that power, devilry, and, yes, flies are all central aspects of Lord of the Flies , the title is especially apt.

Golding (nicknamed ‘Scruff’ by his pupils) struggled to get the novel accepted by numerous publishers before Faber and Faber took it on. However, even there it was initially rejected (the initial reader at Faber dismissed it as ‘absurd and uninteresting fantasy’ and ‘rubbish and dull’) until a young editor, Charles Monteith, saw potential in the manuscript and got it accepted. It still sells tens of thousands of copies every year.

But how should we interpret this tale of post-apocalyptic barbarism? Before we offer an analysis of Golding’s novel, here’s a brief reminder of the plot.

Lord of the Flies : plot summary

The novel begins with a plane carrying a group of British schoolboys being shot down; the boys land on a desert island. Two of them, Ralph and Piggy, find a conch shell on the beach, and they use it to signal to the rest of the schoolboys, who then start to form their own ‘society’, with a leader elected among them.

Ralph is named the leader while Jack is his sort of second-in-command, in charge of finding food on the island.

After they start a fire to try to signal for help, they accidentally burn down a large part of the nearby forest, killing one boy. When a ship does sail past, it doesn’t stop to rescue the boys because Jack’s band of hunters have carelessly allowed the signal-fire to go out.

Jack and his gang have managed to hunt and kill a pig for them to eat. Things start to get out of hand, and some of the younger boys in particular are terrified that some sea-monster will come and kill them.

When a parachutist – part of a team of fighter-pilots flying overhead – lands on the island, several of the boys think his flapping parachute is the wings of the mysterious island ‘beast’, and they run away, terrified, and spreading fear to the other boys, who organise a hunting trip to try to catch the beast.

Jack and Ralph fall out, with Jack trying to oust the more senior boy from the position of leader – a move that the rest of the boys resist. Jack stomps off with his hunting band, and many of the other boys subsequently desert Ralph’s ‘side’ for Jack.

Jack, emboldened by his new supporters, ritually sacrifices a pig, which is decapitated, its head placed on a stick. Simon sees it, and thinks it’s talking to him: some devil-like figure known as ‘Lord of the Flies’. When Simon returns to the others, they set upon him and kill him, not realising who he is. Jack and his hunters run off with Piggy’s glasses. Jack and Ralph fight, and Piggy is killed with a rock.

Jack and the others hunt Ralph, who flees, only to be rescued by a British sailor who was on board a ship that spotted the fire raging on the island and came ashore. The other boys turn up, and when the officer confronts them over their appearance, they all break down in tears.

Lord of the Flies : analysis

Golding conceived Lord of the Flies as a sort of dark counterpart, or response, to the classic Victorian boys’ adventure novel, The Coral Island by R. M. Ballantyne, in which three boys are marooned on a Pacific island.

But whereas in Ballantyne’s 1857 novel the stranded children encounter evil as an exterior force on the island, Golding inverted this: he shows us, unsettlingly, that evil is always lurking within ourselves, and is only ever just beneath the surface in so-called ‘ordinary’ or ‘civilised’ people.

Golding’s working title for his novel, Strangers from Within , makes it clear that the devil – that ‘Lord of the Flies’ – is within us, all of us, rather than outside, elsewhere.

But although Golding’s novel is often viewed as a dystopian tale about ‘human nature’ and how, in times of desperation and disaster, certain people will seize power and others will be the victims of their oppressive control, Lord of the Flies actually has its roots in something more specific than this: the British class system.

The three principal characters of the novel – Ralph, Piggy, and Jack – represent the three main classes in England, much as the famous class sketch from The Frost Report captured in a sketch just over a decade after Golding’s novel appeared.

As John Sutherland argues in his discussion of Lord of the Flies in How to be Well Read: A guide to 500 great novels and a handful of literary curiosities , Ralph is a grammar-school boy, Piggy the product of a working-class ‘tech’ school (a short-lived post-war phenomenon), and Jack the privileged public school boy.

Ralph, therefore, is riddled with self-doubt about his middling position in English society: the Jacks of the world are above him and the Piggies below him. Jack has all of the confidence of someone born into privilege and with an almost innate sense of their right to lord it over everyone else.

The message of Lord of the Flies , then, is that if you remove these schoolchildren from Britain, the British class system will still reassert itself as they construct their own stratified ‘society’. The island on which the boys are stranded becomes like the island of Great Britain which they left.

Piggy, however, is working-class. As Sutherland argues, his use of phrases like ‘the runs’ instead of, say, ‘an upset tummy’ are subtle ways in which Golding, without hammering home Piggy’s origins, reveal his status to the reader. He was always destined to be the scapegoat because the English class system dictated it. Coupled with his physical or evolutionary disadvantage (his extreme myopia and reliance on glasses) and he was doomed from the start.

The British class system, then, informs the novel, making it a peculiarly British dissection of power structures. According to Sutherland, Golding – himself a teacher at the sort of grammar school which produced the decent and honourable Ralph – once said that he would happily blow up every public school in England, and Lord of the Flies shows how it is the Jack Merridews produced by the English public school system which are the most capable of wreaking destructive power over others.

But it’s also true that Lord of the Flies bears the influence of another important experience in Golding’s life: his experience in the Second World War fighting in the Royal Navy, which showed him first-hand how ordinary men could become capable of performing acts of great evil.

Of course, the horrors of Nazi Germany were also an important source for Golding’s depiction of evil, especially the way the other boys merrily join Jack’s command.

Along with its searing commentary on the inherent evils of the British class system, Lord of the Flies is a powerful narrative about how fear is all it takes to persuade many ‘normal’, ‘decent’ people to behave horrifically.

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1 thought on “A Summary and Analysis of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies”

We “did” this at school. I don’t know why they thought a book about badly-behaved boys would interest a class of girls!

Themes and Analysis

Lord of the flies, by william golding.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a powerful novel. It's filled with interesting themes, thoughtful symbols, and a particular style of writing that has made it a classic of British literature.

Article written by Lee-James Bovey

P.G.C.E degree.

Several key themes are prevalent throughout the book. It is sometimes referred to as a “book of ideas” and these ideas are explored as the plot unfolds.

Lord of the Flies Themes

The impact of humankind on nature.

This is evident from the first chapter when the plane crashing leaves what Golding describes as a “scar” across the island. This idea is explored further in the early chapters the boys light a fire that escapes their control and yet further diminishes what might be considered an unspoiled island. Some interpret the island almost as a Garden of Eden with the children giving in to temptation by slaughtering the animals there. The final chapter furthers the destruction of nature by mankind as the whole island appears to have been ruined thanks to the effects of the boy’s presence on the island.

Civilization versus savagery

This can be seen throughout as the boys struggle with being removed from organized society. To begin with, they cope well. They construct a form of government represented by the conch that theoretically draws them together and gives them all a voice. As they break away from society this adherence to the rules they have constructed is evident. Golding’s ideas of what savagery is might be outdated and rooted in colonial stereotypes but they are evident for all to see as the boys use masks to dehumanize themselves and their increasing obsession with hunting leads to an increasingly animalistic nature.

Nature of humanity

Perhaps the biggest underlying theme is the idea of the true nature of mankind. Golding explores the idea that mankind is innately evil and that it is only the contrast between society and civilization that prevents that nature from being prevalent. Of course, this overlooks that civilization is a human construct and if all men’s biggest motivation were their inner evil, then that construct would never have existed. Golding’s views largely spring from his role in the navy where he was witness to the atrocities of war but are also informed by his work as a teacher.

Analysis of Key Moments in Lord of the Flies

There are many key moments in ‘ Lord of the Flies ‘ that highlight the boy’s descent into savagery.

Blowing the conch – this introduces us to the conch which acts as a symbol of society and civilization throughout the novel. It is both the device that brings the children together and in theory the object which allows them all to have a say and therefore run a democratic society.
The fire gets out of control – This shows the effects that the boys are already having on the island. It also demonstrates how lost the boys are without adults there to guide them as they lose one of the boys and nobody even knows his name.
Jack fails to kill the pig/Roger throws stones – both of these events show how the boys are currently constrained by the expectations of society. We see as time passes these restraints are lifted and that firstly, Jack can kill a pig and finally, and perhaps more dramatically, Roger is not only okay with hitting somebody with a stone but taking their life with one.
The hunters put on masks – By covering up their faces, they seem to become free from the constraints of society. It is if it liberates them from humanity and allows them to act on more primal, animalistic urges.
Sam and Eric find “the beast” – When Sam and Eric feel they have discovered the beast it sets a ripple of panic throughout. This fear sways the boys towards Jack’s leadership as he continues to manipulate the situation to his advantage. If not for this then Simon might never be murdered.
Creating of the Lord of the Flies – Successfully killing the pig is itself an iconic moment but then leaving a pigs head on a pole is both a gruesome image (one worthy of the book’s title) and also plays a pivotal role in Simon’s story arc.
Simon’s death – Simon is the one character who never seems to succumb to primal urges and therefore his death if looked at symbolically could be seen as the death of hope for boys.
Piggy’s death – Piggy’s character represents order and reason. With his death, any chance of resolving the issues between Jack and Ralph vanishes. The conch being smashed at the same time is also symbolic and represents the complete destruction of society.
The rescue – This is not the happy ending that one might expect with all the boys crying due to their loss of innocence. There is an irony as well as the boys will not be rescued and taken to a Utopia but rather to a civilization plagued by a war that mirrors the war zone they have just left.

Style, Literary Devices, and Tone in Lord of the Flies

Throughout this novel, Golding’s style is straightforward and easy to read. There are no lengthy passages nor does he choose particularly poetic words to describe the events. His writing is powerful without these stylistic devices. The same can be said for his use of literary devices. When used, they are direct. For example, the use of symbolism (see below) and metaphor is very thoughtful but not hard to interpret.

William Golding also employs an aloof or distant tone throughout the book. This reflects the way that the boys treat one another.

Symbols in Lord of the Flies

The conch shell.

The conch shell is one of the major symbols of this novel. It’s used from the beginning of the novel to call the boys together for meetings on the beach. It’s a symbol of civilization and government. But, as the boys lose touch with their civilized sides, the conch shell is discarded.

The Signal Fire

The signal fire is a very important symbol in the novel. It’s first lit on the mountain and then later on the beach with the intent of attracting the attention of passion ships. The fire is maintained diligently at first but as the book progresses and the boys slip farther from civilization, their concentration on the fire wanes. They eventually lose their desire to be rescued. Therefore, as one is making their way through the book, gauging the boys’ concentration on the fire is a great way to understand how “civilized” they are.

The beast is an imaginary creature who frightens the boys. It stands in for their savage instincts and is eventually revealed to be a personification of their dark impulses. It’s only through the boy’s behaviour that the beast exists at all.

What are three themes in Lord of the Flies ?

Three themes in ‘ Lord of the Flies ‘ are civilization vs. savagery, the impact of humankind on nature, and the nature of humanity.

What is the main message of the Lord of the Flies ?

The main message is that if left without rules, society devolves and loses its grasp on what is the morally right thing to do. this is even the case with kids.

How does Ralph lose his innocence in Lord of the Flies ?

He loses his innocence when he witnesses the deaths of Simon and Piggy. These losses in addition to the broader darkness of the island change him.

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About Lee-James Bovey

Lee-James, a.k.a. LJ, has been a Book Analysis team member since it was first created. During the day, he's an English Teacher. During the night, he provides in-depth analysis and summary of books.

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“Lord of the flies”, literary analysis of the novel by William Golding

Philosophical novel-parable “Lord of the flies” by William Golding has first seen the light of day in 1954. At first, many publishers did not want to accept the manuscript by an unknown author, but, after the novel had been printed, it immediately caught the attention of readers and critics alike. Simple plot, realistic images of children, psychologically precise background of character actions and exotic place of action have merged in “Lord of the flies” into a terrifying dystopia that depicts the “brutality” of man.

During the twentieth century, the majority of literature scientists viewed “Lord of the flies” as a warning, a depiction of what could be the result of following Nazism and fascism ideologies. However, political part of the work is just one of historical circumstances, while the meaning of the novel is much more vast and universal. In his novel, Golding shows not concrete ideas that belong to a particular period, but rather timeless human nature – sinful, terrifying, and willing to commit the worst of crimes without the constraints of a positive influence.

The beginning of the novel is a moment of meeting of two boys, Ralph and Piggy. Boys, who`ve met after a plane crash, are trying to understand what has happened to them and to start looking for a solution for their problem. British boys (children, aged 5 to 6 years, and teens, aged 10 to 13 years), gathered by a horn call of a conch, at first try to preserve culture and civilization of their home county on the island.

The boys lay down the rules, the most important of which is the constant upkeep of the smoking bonfire. Fire in “Lord of the flies” becomes the symbol of life; it serves as a hope for survival, children use it to warm themselves and chase the night scares away. Children build tents for protection from rain; there is a designated place for a privy. Older boys help the little ones to reach high hanging fruits. The life on the island goes almost perfectly: 12 years-old Ralph perceives the new world without adults as a fairytale, where everything is fine. Other children, at first, relate to what happened to them as a game: the little ones build sand castles on the seashore and former choirboys, led by Jack Merridew, become hunters.

The first blood changes everything. When Jack realizes he is capable of killing a piglet, hunting becomes a lifestyle rather than amusement. Following their leader, former choirboys change beyond recognition: they paint their faces with bloodthirsty masks and surrender themselves fully to the bloodlust. The feeling of self-importance and power outshine everything – including desire to return to a human world. At first, hunters abandon the bonfire, and then completely turn into the wild tribe lead by a Chief, whose orders are followed unquestionably. New civilization, drunk with overindulgence, consumed by the overwhelming fear of the unknown Beast, decides to pacify it with a terrifying boon – a severed pig`s head on a stick. When the head becomes rotten, flies gather around it, turning the previously grisly item into materialized image of Evil.

The image of The Beast in the novel refers to the image of The Devil (“lord of the flies” translates from Hebraic as Beelzebub). The Beast firstly appears in the nightmares of the kids, who see it as a snake hanging on trees. Optimistic Ralph considers Beast a fiction, Piggy denies its existence, basing it on a scientific knowledge of the world, and the rest of the boys are secretly afraid what could kill them, not knowing that they should be afraid of, firstly, themselves. This knowledge is revealed to only one boy – the weakest and, consequently, the smartest – constantly falling unconscious Simon. While facing the pigs head, he starts talking to it in his mind, where he receives the clear answer that The Beast is an inseparable part of him.

The ultimate Beast consists of the sum of little beasts. These beasts are what becomes of the hunters, who began with killing pigs and ended with killing their kin. At first, the hunt is disguised as a game: one boy portrays a pig and the rest of the boys “pretend to hunt and kill “it”. Then brutal instincts of once civilized kids reveal themselves and the murder is committed for real.

Ralph, Piggy and twins Eric and Sam, who become unconscious witnesses and, perhaps, accomplices, of the murder of Simon, are so shocked by the event, that they try to pretend it did not happen. Nobody of the boys wants to remember the “dance”, but when it becomes unavoidable, everyone decides to support the version that what happened to Simon was a tragic accident. The following murder of Piggy, that happens in the light of day, and the manhunt for Ralph serve as a culmination of the novel. Now finally gone mad, the children unleash their inner Beast and stop only in front of a more formidable, creative force – an English officer, who landed the island. He becomes the image of the higher divine force, who ended all the conflicts in a moment and with his presence alone defeated the Devil.

Literary images of the boys correlate to a concrete human origin: Ralph is kind, cultured, striving for order, not afraid of responsibility; Piggy is a tongue-tied, smart, able to reason inventor; Simon – weak philosopher – individualist; Jack is a dictator, hungry for power; Roger – an adulatory servant and a cruel sadist; twins Eric and Sam – simple people, going with the stream, who sympathize good but bow before brute force; the little ones are not yet full personalities, who did not yet choose between good and evil, but who can feel the latter intuitively.

An uninhabited island in “Lord of the Flies” becomes symbolic portrayal of the Earth, where civilizations are created (community of Ralph and Piggy) and destroyed (Jack`s tribe), new nations form (separation of the boys on two camps), diplomatic relationships start (Ralph – Jack), wars occur (Jack, Morris and Roger attach Ralph and Piggy) and new religious beliefs are formed (worship of “The Lord of the Flies”).

Introduction

Lord of the Flies is written by William Golding who is a Nobel Prize-winning author and is published in 1954. This novel investigates the darker side of humankind; the viciousness that underlies even the most civilized and cultivated people.

William Golding proposed this novel as a satiric tale of adventure of children, delineating mankind’s inborn evil nature. He presents the audience with a sequence of occasions driving a gathering of little fellows from hope to catastrophe as they endeavor to endure their graceless, segregated condition until saved. It is listed in the Modern Library of 100 Best Novels.

Lord of the Flies is a short story by William Golding about a group of boys who get caught on an island because of the crashing of a plane. Ralph and Piggy are the ones who meet initially.

Then Ralph blows a conch shell that produces a horn-like sound, brings numerous surviving boys young men come running and they all consent to remain together and make Ralph their pioneer. They all stroll around the island gathering food and making a sanctuary when Ralph and Jack get into a dispute about the initiative and the monster they have been scanning for this entire time.

At that point, they split up into two gatherings and have a gigantic battle toward the end that truly executes Piggy in light of a freestone hitting him. At last, all the boys all get saved by an official of the Navy who sees the smoke from the enormous fire on the island.

Setting of the Novel

The setting of the novel is an uninhabited island where a plane carrying a number of children crashes. this novel becomes a representative depiction of the Earth, where Humans develop civilizations, the group of the boys in the leadership of Ralph, which are then destructed by the humans themselves, Jack and his hunters destroy, this results in the creation of new nations, Ralph leads one group while Jack leads the other, then wars take place and it makes the people believe in new religious faiths as the boys on the island start believing in the Lord of the Flies.

Context of the Novel

World War II impacted the subjects and setting of this novel. The war changed the lens through which individuals in general and William Golding specifically saw the world. World War I was for a long time called the War to End All Wars. World War II refuted that thought and made another feeling that individuals are ingrained with warlike traits, power-hungry, and savage. While the setting of the novel is not of World War II, it very well may be seen as Golding’s variant of World War III. Just a couple of brief references to the war outside the young boys on the island show up in the novel, however, references to a nuclear bomb exploding an air terminal and the “Reds” clarify that the war includes atomic weapons and “Reds.”

Lord of the Flies Summary

A boy of twelve-years comes out of the plane on an island. When he comes out of the wrecked plane, he sees another fat boy who is wearing glasses. The former is Ralph while the latter is Piggy. This is Piggy’s nickname and does not like this name but Ralph decides to call him Piggy despite his protests. The readers come to know that the boys have nearly escaped death in a plane crash and the island where they have survived is somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. These boys reveal that they have been flying from their home country because of the fear of atomic war.

They think that the whole world has died in the atomic war and they might have to live on the island without the intervention of the adults. Ralph starts swimming in the water and Piggy tells him about his background that his parents are dead and he lives with his aunt who owns a candy shop. In the meanwhile, Piggy notices a conch shell and retrieves it with the help of Ralph. He tells Ralph that it can be very useful for them while living on the island.

Piggy tells Ralph how to produce sound through the shell and to the surprise of the boys, after two sounds of the conch shell, other survivors start to come towards them. These include Eric and Sam, who are twins, Jack who is the head of a group of boys. The group of Jack is wearing strange caps and cloaks of black color. Jack informs Ralph that he is the leader of this group.

Jack wants to lead the group for survivors but through the votes, Ralph is elected as chief of the group. Ralph then decides to take along Jack and Samson to explore the island and find some food. Piggy wants to go with them but Jack humiliates Piggy.

In the evening, there is a meeting of the boys and Ralph tells the boys that they are on an island and there is no human being other than the group. Jack, Ralph and Simon inform them about their exploration of the journey in the morning. Then they establish the rules of the meetings and day to day activities.

They decide that they will have fun until the grown-ups from the outside world to rescue them. In the meeting, a boy of six-years asks them what would the group do against snakes and other such animals. Ralph tells him that snakes are there in Africa and the island is not in Africa so nobody should be concerned about it. But Ralph notices the signs of fear on the faces of other boys, too. Ralph suggests building fire on the top of the mountain so that it could signal to the world and they could be saved from the island. Jack gathers his group to build fire.

The boys gather the wood and about to start the fire but they do not know how to ignite the fire. Piggy suggests that his glasses might be used for starting a fire. The boys lit the fire but it finished soon. They are all sad about it. Anyhow, they start the fire once again. Then they decide to make some shelters for living as well. The boys again see a snake and Piggy notices that one of the boys is missing.

Jack looks to hunt some pigs. The appearance of Jack shows that it has been a long time that the boys are on the island. He gets frightened by the pigs and returns back to the group. Ralph tells Jack that the boys are not working properly and that the boys are spending their time swimming. Jack tells him that he should act as a leader and order all the boys to work harder otherwise they all will end up in death. Ralph tells Jack that he must bring some meat for the boys but Jack tells him that the boys are not good hunters and he himself has to do all the work. He vows again to hunt down a pig.

They both argue about the contribution to the living of the boys when Simon comes and tells them that the little boys are frightened because of the snakes. Ralph advises Jack that he must keep the fire in his view while hunting in the forest. Both of them go and look at the fire whether the fire is strong enough to be seen from a faraway distance or not. They return and look for Simon but he is not found anywhere. Afterwards, both boys go swimming.

Simon goes into the jungle alone and catches some fruits for the little boys and then spends some time in the jungle until the dawn appears.

The boys get adjusted to the way of life on the island. The atmosphere is usually hot in the day and cool in the night but the boys adjust to the weather. The littluns group of the boys who are the youngest search for food throughout the day. They are the ones who suffer a lot from diarrhea. They also are very much afraid of the animals. They believe that some of the boys are eaten by these animals in the darkness of the nights.

Jack is disappointed with his failure as a hunter. He thinks that the animals watch him so that is the reason he is unable to hunt them down. Resultantly, Jack rubs charcoal over his face and makes it is a sort of mask which he thinks would hide him from the animals.

One day, they see a ship passing through the water but it is very distant and they can see the signal of fire in the ship. Ralph tells them that their own fire is weak enough to give the ship the signal. Ralph runs to the mountain but the ship passes without seeing them. Ralph blames all those who are responsible for this weak fire.

In meanwhile, Jack and his hunter group return from the forest and they carry a bid dead big. Piggy is upset because they have lost the opportunity. He blames Jack and both of them argue. Jack punches Piggy during which one of the lenses of Piggy’s glasses breaks down. He then apologizes to Piggy.

Ralph is not happy with the situation going into the forest. Thus he calls for a meeting to make some important decisions. He warns all of the boys that they are not making serious hard work and it can turn out to be disastrous for them. Ralph blames them as they have not built the shelters correctly and also the fire is on a weaker side which can seriously reduce their chances of escape. He also assures the group there are no monsters on the island.

Jack stands up and curses the small boys for being afraid of the animals and he makes them believe that there is no beast on the island. One of the boys tells them that he has been able to see a pig near the shelters. Jack dismissed them but Simon also approves the notion of the small boy that he has also seen the pig near the shelter. Jack taunts Piggy and they both start a fight. Ralph stops them and tells them they must follow the rules. Jack asks him who cares about the rules. Jack vows to kill the beast and breaks the assembly by going for a hunt.

Ralph thinks that if this time Jack does not come for the meeting so their union would be broken and he would become a savage animal. Piggy tells Ralph that he should not step down from the leadership because if Jack becomes the leader he would only hunt and they might not be able to return forever.

That night, there is an aerial war and there are sounds of explosions. This results in a dead pilot who lands on the top of a mountain on the island. The boys on the duty find a dead body in the morning. They awake Ralph and tell him about the beast. The meeting is called once again and they all argue about the existence of the beast.

Ralph wants to spend some time in solitude and he goes into the undiscovered path of the island. He enjoys the mountains and caves in that part of the island. He soon gets frustrated because the firs, he thinks, is not strong to signal to the ship. He goes back to strengthen the fire. He wants the group to be rescued from the island while on the other hand, Jack thinks that they can build a fort on the island and stay there on the island.

The boys search and continue their hunt. Ralph sees his appearance and thinks that he has totally changed and looks very dirty. The boys go to the opposite side of the island. This spot is exactly the opposite of the place where the boys have shelters. The view of the island and the sea is totally different here. Ralph loses hope of return but Simon assures him that he would eventually leave the island and reach their homes.

In the afternoon, they discover the droppings of the pig. Jack asks the boy if they need to continue the search for the beast but if they find the pig it can additionally be hunted down. Ralph is new in hunting and it excites him.

A boar appears and they start to shoot it down. Jack`s left forearm gets wounded. They chant and continue their search but soon they realize that this might prove dangerous for them. Ralph considers that the boys are getting savage and violent.

In the evening, the boys go to the mountain for the fire but Ralph is pessimistic about his return. Jack wants to go to the beach for hunting but Ralph is not interested because he thinks that leaving the small boys with Piggy is not secure and that the light is very dim, too. Ralph senses that Jack hates him and he asks him the reason for hate but Jack has no answer.

Jack again vows that he is going to kill the beast. He then mocks Ralph that he is not accompanying Jack in the hunt. Jack then sees something on the top of the mountain and feels frightened. Ralph agrees to join him. They see an ape sleeping. When the boys get to know this, they are terribly frightened.

In the morning, the boys discuss the event of the night. Jack assures the boys that he can kill the beast with his hunter group. Ralph dismisses the idea because he thinks that it is dangerous to hunt down such a big beast. Jack asks the boys that Ralph considers them coward. Jack also blames that Ralph is not a proper chief because he is very cowardly. Jack asks the boys they must expel Ralph from the leadership of the group but no one agrees with the idea of Jack. Jack then announces that he is going to leave the group of Ralph and he goes away.

Piggy suggests that they should make another area for the fire which could be visible. They then locate a place near the beach for fire. Ralph notices that some of the boys are missing. Simon is also missing but he is gone to an isolated place. Piggy thinks that they can do well without Jack but they need to use their common sense.

On the other side, Jack announces himself as the leader of the hunters. He decides to kill the pig to have a good feast. They find a group of pigs and kill one among them. They leave the head of the pig as a gift for the beast. Simon sees the flies buzzing around the head of the pig from his private place.

Ralph thinks that the boys should be rescued soon otherwise they all will end up dying on the island.

Jack then comes to Ralph and tells the boys to join the group of hunters because they have feast and fun.

Chapter 9

Simon falls asleep in his private place. When he wakes up he is confused as to what to do. He also catches sight of a beast on the mountain. Simon sees that the beast has a head of man, this causes him to vomit. He then goes to Ralph to tell the boys what he has seen.

Ralph and Piggy play in the lagoon and feel that all the boys have a good time to enjoy the feast of Jack. They decide to go to the boys and tell them that things are in control and they would be rescued soon.

They reach the place and see that all the boys are enjoying the feast, while Jack is their leader. Jack sees Piggy and Ralph and orders the boys to offer them sow to eat. After the feast, Jack asks the boys to join his tribe and most of the boys go into Jack’s tribe. Ralph gets disappointed with the scene. Ralph tries to convince the boys but Jack starts arguments with him again.

Piggy asks Ralph to leave because things are getting serious in between Ralph and Jack. Ralph tells the boys that rain is around the corner and they are not prepared for the shelter. However, the boys get engaged in the dance party. Simon comes to tell them about the parachutist but the boys are mad at dancing and they chase Simon and beat him to death.

The rain intensifies and the boys are forced to run towards the shelter. Meanwhile, the dead boys of the parachutist fly in the air because of the fast wind. The boys get more terrified. They believe that it is the beast.

Ralph is angry over the death of Simon. Piggy tells him that he participated in the death of Simon because he behaved violently and he died accidently. But Ralph is broken over the death.

They think that all the boys except Sam and Eric have left for Jack’s tribe.

Four of them discuss the events of last night but they try to avoid the subject of Simon’s death. Roger, at the other, tries to enter the camp of Jack. Once he enters the camp, he sees that Jack`s behavior has turned violent and savage.

On the other hand, Ralph and his three companions try to start a fire again but because they are little in number the job seems difficult for them. The night falls and they go to their shelter.

The boys do not sleep well because they are afraid. They hear some sounds and notice that Jack along with his boys is attacking their shelters. They suffer injuries and Piggy tells them the boys came for the glasses of piggy.

The boys gather wounded and injured. They try to start a fire again but they do not have the glasses of Piggy so it is impossible for them. They need the glasses because it is the only hope for fire and their rescue. Piggy decides to go to Jack and appeals to his justice so that he could return glasses. He also wants to tell Jack that he must behave wisely and that he should wear clothes.

They reach Jack’s camp but the guards of Jack’s camp throw stones at them and ask them to leave. Jack appears with his group carrying a large dead pig. Ralph asks him that he must return the glasses of Piggy. Ralph calls him a thief and Jack attacks to stab Ralph but he saves himself.

Both the boys fight. Ralph tells him that fire is their only hope for survival and the glasses should be returned. Jack orders his boys that they should tie Sam and Eric. The boys hold them and tie them up. Ralph and Jack again fight and Ralph calls Jack a swine. Piggy shouts and tells him that he wants to talk to all the boys. He tells the boys whether they want to be like savage Indians or to behave like humans and try to be like Ralph. He adds that they should live in accordance with the rules rather than only kill and feast. He tells them the rules of Ralph are for their rescue. Suddenly, a rock falls from the mountain over Piggy and he is crushed by the rock.

The group is silent but Jack attacks Ralph and he runs away to save himself.

Ralph runs and hides in the jungle. He is very concerned about the barbaric behavior of the boys. He also thinks that the boy might not be able to come into civilization. He decides to fight because he thinks that Jack would not leave him alive.

Suddenly Ralph notices the fire and realizes that Jack has set the jungle on fire to find Ralph. Ralph is worried because he thinks that this is going to destroy all the fruit on the island. He runs to the beach and notices that the hunters are after him. He is terrified and senses that the hunters are very close to him.

Ralph reaches the beach and falls over with terror. He then sees a naval officer looming over him. He tells him that his ship noticed smoke so they decided to investigate the matter. The boys run and chase Ralph and the officer slowly gets to know the violent nature of the boys. The boys try to tell the officer their names but they no longer remember their addresses. They do not know how many boys are there on the island. The officer scolds them for going away from civilization by behaving savagely.

Ralph realizes that their innocence is dead and there is darkness in their hearts.

Themes in Lord of the Flies

The repercussions of the war.

Lord of the Flies is to some extent a moral story of the Cold War. It is about the negative impacts of war on the life of people and for social connections. This novel is written in the era of the Cold War and it reflects the threat of the atomic war between Britain and “the Reds.” Golding along these lines presents the peaceful strains as coming full circle into a deadly clash in his novel against the perils of ideology, or “cold,” fighting.

In addition, we may comprehend the contention among the young men on the island is a representation of the contention between the Communist forces and the Western Democratic Powers. Ralph, who stands for a democratic system, has a conflict with Jack, who symbolizes military tyranny, for example, Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong. J ack is wearing a dark cape with blazing red hair, and this symbolizes his connection to the “Reds” because the main color of the Reds was black and red. As the strain between the young men goes to a wicked head, the readers see the hazardous results of an ideological clash.

The appearance of the maritime official towards the end of the story underscores these metaphorical focuses. The official epitomizes war, and this connects him to the fierce Jack. The official is English and in this manner connected to the popularity based side of the Cold War, which the novel eagerly shields. The ramifications of the official’s quality are provocative: Golding proposes that even a war pursued the sake of development can lessen mankind to a condition of savageness. A definitive scene of the novel, wherein the young men sob with melancholy for the loss of their blamelessness, involves contemporary readers in the young men’s disaster. The young boys show the wartime driving forces of the period.

Man versus Nature

Lord of the Flies presents the subject of man’s optimal relationship with this world. The novel is set in the natural habitat of the island, in which there are no people before the group of the boys, the boys expound various mentalities towards nature that mirror their particular characters and ideological understandings. The boys` connections to the normal world, for the most part, can be categorized as one of three classifications: enslavement of nature, congruity with nature, and subservience to nature.

The primary class which is an oppression of nature is typified by Jack, whose motivation on the island is to track, chase, and murder pigs. He tries to force his human will on the world of nature, enslaving it according to his wants. Jack’s later activities, specifically setting the jungle on fire, mirror his extending scorn for nature and exhibit his violent and savage character.

The subsequent class is harmonious with nature and is typified by Simon. He discovers excellence and harmony in the common habitat as exemplified by his underlying retreat to the place of seclusion in the jungle. For Simon, nature isn’t man’s adversary however it is a part of the experience of man.

The third classification is obedience to nature and it is encapsulated by Ralph. He takes the contrary position from Jack’s stance. In contrast to Simon, Ralph doesn’t discover serene amiability with the world of nature like Jack. He comprehends it as an impediment to human life on the island.

However, while Jack reacts to this apparent clash by acting damagingly towards animals on the island and vegetation, Ralph reacts by withdrawing from the common world. He doesn’t take an interest in chasing or in Simon’s outings to the woods. He remains on the seashore, the most refined piece of the island. As Jack’s chasing communicates his vicious nature to different readers, Ralph’s craving to remain separate from the world of nature stresses his hesitancy to entice risk and his liking for human advancement.

Savagery as an opposite to Civilization

One of the main themes of Lord of the Flies is the contention between the human motivation towards brutality and the principles of progress which are intended to contain and limit it. All through the novel, the contention is sensationalized by the conflict between Jack and Ralph. These characters portray savagery and civilization, respectively.

The varying philosophies are communicated by the perspective power of every boy towards power and authority. While Ralph utilizes his position to set up rules, he ensures that the group is going to be beneficial and incorporates the good and moral codes of the English society in the young boys but Jack is keen on picking up control over different young men to satisfy his basic instinctive forces.

At the point when Jack starts leading the hunters and then the tribe, he asks for the total subservience of all the young boys, who serve him as well as love him as a leader. Jack’s craving for power proposes that viciousness doesn’t look like rebellion to such an extent as an authoritarian arrangement of misuse and unlawful force.

Golding’s focus on the repercussion of brutality can be taken as opposite to the civilization of humans. In the initial parts of the novel, he proposes that one of the significant elements of a society that is civilized and cultures is to give an outlet to the savage driving forces that dwell inside every person.

Jack’s underlying want to slaughter pigs to exhibit his boldness, for instance, is directed into the chase, which gives required nourishment to the whole gathering. For whatever length of time that he lives inside the standards of human progress, Jack isn’t a risk to different boys of the group. His driving forces are being re-coordinated into a beneficial assignment. When Jack does not acknowledge the legitimacy of society and rejects Ralph’s position brings out the perilous parts of his character. Golding recommends that while brutality is maybe an inevitable certainty of human presence, civilization can relieve its dangers.

The conflict between Jack and Ralph that stands for Savagery and Civilization is imparted through the novel’s significant images. The conch shell is related to Ralph, and The Lord of the Flies is related to Jack. The conch shell is an incredible marker of democratic system on the island, affirming both Ralph’s authority controlled by the political decision and the intensity of collecting the boys into a group. However, as the contention between Jack and Ralph extends, the conch shell loses representative significance.

Jack proclaims that the conch is good for nothing as an image of power and request, and its decrease in significance flags the decay of human advancement on the island. Simultaneously, The Lord of the Flies, which is a contribution to the legendary brute on the island, is progressively contributed with noteworthiness as an image of the predominance of viciousness on the island, and of Jack’s position over different young men.

The Lord of the Flies symbolizes the unification of the young men under Jack’s leadership which is advocated through fear and punishment for those who do not approve his orders. The obliteration of the conch shell at the location of Piggy’s killing implies the total destruction of human civilization on the island, while Ralph’s destruction of The Lord of the Flies portrays his own plunge into viciousness and savagery. By the last scene, brutality has totally dislodged human progress as the overarching framework on the island.

Loss of Innocence

The young boys on the island turn from polite and well-mannered boys to savage hunters on the island. During this transformation from good kids to cruel kids, they all lose their innocence of characters and morality which they all are filled with, at the start of the novel. The naked boys with painted faces representing extreme savagery in the final portion of the novel are not the same boys who can be found in the early part of the novel.

They now search, torture and hunt not only animals but human beings as well. In any case, Golding doesn’t depict this loss of innocence as something that is done to these boys on the island; rather, it results normally from their expanding receptiveness to the intrinsic insidiousness and viciousness that has consistently existed inside them. Golding infers that civilization can moderate however never clear out the inborn evil that exists inside every individual.

The den in the jungle in chapter 3 wherein Simon sits in symbolizes this going away of innocence. From the outset, it is a position of common excellence and harmony, however, when Simon returns later in the novel, he finds the grisly sow’s head pierced upon a stake in the clearing. The bleeding offering to the brute has upset the heaven that existed previously which is an incredible image of natural human shrewdness upsetting the innocence of youth.

Lord of the Flies Characters Analysis

He is the hero of the story. He is one of the oldest boys who survive a plane crash to live on the island. He is elected as the leader of the group because of his skills. He has a good sense of authority. He is described as a handsome boy with a good height. He is a rational mental aptitude with a calm demeanor but he is unable to meet the intellectual level of Piggy. He tries to stop himself from savage life on the island as the other boys turn into savagery and violence but slowly and gradually he moves into the life of savage brutality. The interesting feature of his personality is that he remains civilized and is focused on the safe return of his group to his native land.

In the initial section of the novel, Ralph can’t comprehend why young boys get inclined to the impulses of brutality. Seeing the hunters reciting and moving is confusing to him. He dislikes all of these activities. As the novel advances, Ralph comes to comprehend that viciousness exists inside all the young men. Ralph stays committed not to let this viciousness overpower him, and just quickly does he consider joining Jack’s clan so as to spare himself.

When Ralph chases a pig for the first time with Jack he encounters the elation and rush of bloodlust and savagery. At the point when he goes to Jack’s celebratory feast, he gets mad, dances and takes an active part in Simon’s killing along with the other boys. This firsthand information of evil that exists inside him, as inside every single individual, is deplorable for Ralph, and it drives him into depression for a period. But this information empowers him to cast down the Lord of the Flies toward the last part of the novel. Ralph’s story closes semi-disastrously, in spite of the fact that he is safeguarded and comes back to development when he sees the maritime official, he sobs with the weight of his new information about the human limit with regards to violence and savagery.

He is among the survivors of the plane crash. He makes a good bond with Ralph who becomes the leader of the group of boys. He is not able to do physical labor because he suffers from asthma but he is the only boy who has a higher level of intelligence and perception. The group of boys accepts him because he gives them the idea that they can ignite fire with his glasses. He is a true depiction of civilization and wants the boys to behave in a civilized manner.

He helps Ralph to rescue the boys from the savagery of the island and to return to their respective homes. He is a very sensitive boy. His nickname Piggy makes a strong connection between him and the pigs on the island because the pigs are constantly hunted down by Jack and his team. This foreshadows the death of Piggy as well towards the end of the novel.

Piggy is the main kid who stresses over the principles of English human civilization; in particular what the adults will think when they locate the savage young men. Piggy has confidence in rules, practicality, and request, and as the island slips into ruthless savagery, Piggy’s position goes under risk of extreme savagery.

Piggy’s freedom and keenness keep him from being completely consumed by the gathering, so he isn’t as vulnerable to the crowd mindset that surpasses a significant number of different young men. As Ralph, Piggy can’t maintain a strategic distance from the allurements of brutality on the island.

The next morning of the party, Ralph and Piggy both confess to taking some part in the assault and murder of Simon. While Piggy attempts to persuade himself that Simon’s death was a mishap, his investment proposes that his readiness to be acknowledged by the gathering drove him to sell out his own ethics and better judgment.

The death of Piggy recommends that intellectualism is helpless against savagery. The death of Simon can be seen as a mishap or a heightening of crowd attitude, the death of Piggy is the most purposeful and unavoidable event on the island which marks the group of boys completely falling into the clutches of brutality and savagery.

Jack Merridew

He is called by the nickname of Jack. He is the leader of some boys who make choir. He is a dictator and authoritarian. He is brutal and cruel. He is also a sadist. His only work is to kill the pigs by hunting them on the island. He displays a political struggle to become the leader of the group of boys and when he finally announces himself the leader, he starts to show his mercilessness. He loves to punish and it is innate in his nature. He is a presentation of Anarchy. This is clearly shown when he tries to reject the system of order implemented by Ralph.

The egomaniacal and strongly committed Jack is the novel representation of the nature of brutality, savagery, and the craving for power. From the earliest point of the novel, Jack wants power over every single other thing. He is irate when he loses the political race to Ralph and consistently pushes the limits of his subordinate job in the gathering.

At an early stage, Jack holds the feeling of good respectability and conducts that society imparted in him because he is the pioneer of the choirboys. On the first occasion when he experiences a pig, he can’t slaughter it. However, Jack before long gets fixated on chasing and gives himself to the undertaking, painting his face like a savage and indulging himself in blood games of killing. The more savage Jack turns into, the more he can control the remainder of the gathering.

In fact, aside from Ralph, Simon, and Piggy, the gathering to a great extent follows Jack in grasping brutality and viciousness. Jack’s adoration for power and viciousness are personally associated, as both empower him to feel amazing and magnified. Before the last section of the novel, Jack figures out how to utilize the young men’s dread of the brute to control their conduct.

Sam and Eric

Sam and Eric are identical twins. Towards the end of the novel, they remain with Piggy and Ralph. They help both the characters to start the fire so that they could be rescued by someone passing through the island. They are considered as one individual and therefore Golding presents them as Sam’n’eric.

He belongs to a group of hunters. He then becomes a guard at the castle rock when Jack makes his own tribe. He is equal in cruelty with Jack. He is very crude. He usually throws sand at other boys. His savagery turns out in a real essence when he joins the group of hunters. He also murders Piggy towards the end of the novel.

The hunter group when tries to kill the pig, would chant kill the pig and Maurice would become a pig- a feigned pig and the hunter group would pretend to slaughter Maurice. He is an intermediate sort of character who represents the mass that is mindless.

He is the smallest of the boys on the island. He usually murmurs his names and address so that he could give himself comfort that he would return to his home one day. He is a little kid and gets frightened very easily. Throughout the cross of the novel, his fear increases and older boys have to soothe him. He belongs to a domestic aspect of civilization.

Naval Officer

He comes towards the end of the novel. He meets Ralph when Ralph runs away from the boys of Jack to save himself. The novel officer tells him that he saw the smoke coming from the island so he came in to investigate the matter. It is the smoke of the fire which Jack ignites in order to see the location of Ralph. This fire takes the whole jungle. He makes the boys believe that they have come away from civilization and are primitive.

He is the most introspective of all the characters present in the novel. He loves nature which urges him to walk in the forest and enjoy seclusion. Simon stands for the symbolic representation of spirituality in the nature of humans. He is outcast like Piggy and the group of boys considers him an odd boy.

He is the first boy in the group who sees the beast. But later, he recognizes that the beast is the dead body of the pilot of the plane. He then decides to tell it the boys but the boys in frenzy kill him. He is shown to be a figure of Christianity and his death is portrayed as martyrdom. His spirituality is also portrayed by the fact that his name means a person who has been heard by God. He stands a pivotal character in this Judeo-Christian allegory.

Lord of the Flies Analysis

The allegory of the title.

The novel serves as an allegory for the instinctive nature of humans and society. This novel presents the mythology of Judaism and Christianity to explain the political and sociological perspectives. The title has two implications and both the meanings have religious connotations.

The first meaning refers to one of the lines of King Lear by Shakespeare, “As flies to wanton boys, are we to gods.” The meaning refers to the Beelzebub whose Greek name is Ba`alzevuv meaning “Lord of the Flies” and it is simply used for Satan. For Golding, the evil powers that constrain the stunning occasions on the island originate from inside the human mind and not from the external impulses. Golding accordingly utilizes a strict reference to delineate a Freudian idea of the Id that drags the humans for survival regardless of ethical and moral implications. For Freud, this Id is usually negative and it drags humans for its goals without considering the circumstances.

Lord of the Flies and Cold War

This novel was published in 1954 in the era of the Cold War. The novel has a strong base in concerns in sociopolitical aspects of the era. This novel implies the Cold War struggle between liberal democratic countries and the rules system and Communist totalitarian governments. Ralph shows a liberal convention of democracy and before his taking up the total anarchic rule of leadership, Jack, portrays the military autocracy that remains in the communist systems. It is eminent that Golding sets the novel in what gives off an impression of reality of the human future.

He represents the future which is in danger because of the atomic war threat. Golding’s novel talks about the general fear of the public relating to the race of atom bombs in the Cold War era because this race remained in vogue in the era in which this novel got published. Golding’s negative portrayal of Jack, who speaks to an enemy of majority rule political framework, and his recommendation of the truth of nuclear war, present the novel as a motion of help for the Western situation vulnerable War.

Significance of the Conch

In Lord of the Flies, William Golding utilizes a conch shell to symbolize a civilized and an enlightened society that controls itself through the system of democracy. At first, the young men utilize the conch to build up a community suggestive of their commonplace British order of society. Soon after the conch is found, Ralph utilizes it to bring different young boys on the island and assemble a conference. The shell’s capacity is obvious, and the young boys promptly grasp the possibility of a majority rules system. After investigating the island, Ralph announces the young men will lift their hands in gatherings, as at school, if any of them want to talk. When holding the conch every kid gets the option to communicate his considerations without interference.

The young boys` underlying energy for the process of democracy procedure permeates the conch with incredible force as a method of correspondence, as the young men singularly concur that the conch symbolizes a commonplace and beneficial perfect.

The conch is an image of free discourse and a common procedure that every kid understands easily. However, the ideas themselves demonstrate progressively hard to stick to in practical speaking, and soon the conch’s capacity finishes as the young men oppose the requirements of the vote based procedure. Ralph is disappointed that the gatherings he utilizes the conch to collect don’t really achieve a lot.

While the young boys consent to his arrangements for their general public on a fundamental level, the guidelines are difficult to authorize, since there are no ramifications for rebellion. Jack recommends a substitute type of administration and says that they needn’t bother with the conch any longer because they are going to talk. This presents the possibility of despotism or a civilization of humans where residents don’t share power similarly. In contrast to a democratic system which chips away at the premise of deliberate anticipation, authoritarian government, or autocracy, brutally rebuffs insubordination. Thus the conch in the novel portrays the restrictions of authorizing democracy just as the chance vote based system represents.

The Conceptualized meaning of “The Beast”

Golding utilizes the fear of boys from the beast to show that evil emerges from outer powers as opposed to within the human beings. This fearsome brute captures the imaginations of the boys as a snake-type creature.Later, the boys think about an animal that ascents from the ocean or the more indistinct element of an apparition. At the point when they detect the dead paratrooper who has arrived on the mountain, the boys get assured that they have seen the beast and its proofs are there on the mountain. Although a real beast roams around on the island but is not the beast the boys have in their imagination.

Golding outlines the darker side of human instinct and mentions that every individual possesses this dark person inside him. The young boys conceptualize the origin of all their evilness as because of a beast. But in reality, there is no beast on the island, rather it is the persona of the beast which these boys wear and becomes beasts to be brutal and violent.

Golding passes on the identity of the beast through the strict activities of Jack and his hunter group and through the dynamic idea which takes place in the vision of Simon. Simon’s disclosure about the beast happens upon him after he observes the death of the sow and then it’s beheading. Simon can understand the ruthlessness of the demonstration because he observes when this drama takes place. The flies capture the head of the sow to eat it and then duplicate themselves because they do not feel any sympathy towards the dead sow.

This feeling of empathy is one of the main segregation lines between humans and animals. Although Jack is a human being yet he lacks this feeling of sympathy for Piggy and other little boys on the island. Like Jack, his hunter group also loses this feeling of sympathy and they only look to kill the pigs and the boys who do not obey the orders of Jack.

At the point when Simon fantasizes that the staked head is addressing him, he believes that threat and danger are there on the island like other boys. The Lord of the Flies affirms that he is the part of every individual and he is close to all of them.

It is to note that the interpretation of the Greek word Beelzebub, is the lord of Flies and it flies over the excrement and dead bodies.

Jack gives a depth to the identity of the beast when he reveals that the beast is indeed a hunter and he also conceptualizes that he himself is a beast as well because he threatens the boys and stands as a symbol of fear to the boys. His desire for authority and power makes him do savage acts against his own group. The allegorical demon on his shoulder is his own animalistic instincts hoping to ace different animals.

Golding devolves the character of Jack with Simon’s illusory disclosure to illustrate the darker side of human beings which is the actual beast in the words of the boys of the group.

Some portion of Golding’s purpose is to exhibit that a particular country or state is not characterized by evil. On the island, this beast in the novel is shown through dead pictures and things that show the power of lust. Preceding the war, a few of the boys, for example, the exploited Piggy, encounter the fierceness of others in the play area, and the irony is that the play area is specific for happiness and joyous activities.

Inside every society which calls itself civilized, the beast appears in various ways: like military operational areas, like the conditions of madness which conveys negative repercussions. In Lord of the Flies Golding outlines that maliciousness and evil are there in everybody and all over the place. Mankind’s work lies not in destroying it but to shield it from turning into the predominant power in our lives.

Ending of the Novel

Lord of the Flies closes with maritime officials showing up on the island. His initial perception of the boys is that they are engaged with pointless fooling around. At the point when he gets the details from Ralph what has occurred on the island, he is flabbergasted that children of Civilized British have gone to such a lower degree of humanity. Ralph and the young boys take his scolding and begin to weep that immediately become cries. They are crying over the loathsomeness of their experience and alleviation over coming back to human progress. As the young boys sob, the maritime official just watches out to the ocean to permit them to recover.

The maritime official does not understand the experience of the boys on the island. His not understanding what has occurred on the island reflects his own failure to perceive insidious inside himself and all humanity. At the point when he specifies playing around, the reader is snapped back to the real world. These are kids who ought to be guiltless and ought to mess around. Rather, they have become the truth in every last one of us – not unreasonably of guiltlessness, yet of evil.

Ironically the maritime official while seeming to portray Civilization and rationality of the society symbolizes evil which is inside the civilization as the boys have. He is a warrior who battles wars, which is positively human progress even from a pessimistic standpoint.

Lord of the Flies as an allegory for The Fall of Man from Eden

Lord of the Flies, metaphorically, portrays the subject of the contention between and good and evil. It is contention in which the evil gets its victory in the first phase and afterward, goodness comes to the surface and defeats the evil and sin. The boys in the novel symbolize bad or good characteristics. However, they are simultaneously fit for development.

From the starting the bad and good are divided. Simon is loaded with human characteristics in addition to his education and spirituality. He brings great natural food for the littluns. He also gives credit to Piggy because he has been participating in every job and the making of fire is only possible because of Piggy. His instinct discloses to him that Ralph would endure towards the end. He is also very clear in his understanding that there is no brute outside and that evil exists in the brain of people.

The moaning of Ralph for losing innocence shows the subject of sin and appeasement. He accepts that he participated in the killing of Simon. He reveals to Piggy that the object which is killed on the mountain is much smaller than the beast so it could not be a beast. He also reveals that the dying object wanted to say something but it could not be heard because of the screams of the boys who were killing him. This shows that the voice of goodness is a distraught cry of frenzy, cruelty and superstition when Jesus is crucified. Later on, the individuals needed to appease their transgression inborn in them so as to be spared.

Simon can also be taken as a symbolic representation of Christ. He actually finds out that the beast is the dead body of the pilot. But he does not get the chance to utter this to the boys because he is brutally slaughtered by the boys who are in a frenzy. Critics are of the opinion that the death of Simon is a sacrifice and he is reference to Jesus.

Notwithstanding to the sacrifice of Simon the appeasement of Ralph for his transgression, there are other elements of Christianity in the novel as well. The most significant is the picture of Eden and its Garden and the dream of the Lord of the Flies. The island has all the highlights of the Eden. Golding in his novel suggests that when a person is encompassed by different sorts of solace and extravagance and without government and parental standards, it will prompt obliteration and defilement. Thus the young boys on the island have started to thwart everything and they even murder their companions.

They also kill various pigs and put the head of the pig on a stick. The head of the sow on the stick is called the Lord of the Flies and it is a reference to Beelzebub who is also known as Lord of the Flies.

This head of the pig is a sacrifice to the beast by Jack. The metaphorical discussion between Simon, Jesus, and the Lord of the Flies is a reference to conflict of evil and good. The Lord of the Flies lures Simon requesting that he joins the group of Jack. At the point when Simon isn’t enticed, the Lord of the Flies scares him revealing to him that he would be slaughtered by Jack.

For the Christian allurement and undermining are the two primary ways utilized by powers of evil to abscond goodness towards them. Satan enticed Adam and Eve to bring about the calamity for mankind. The scene that portrays Simon’s encounter with the Lord of the Flies resembles the scene in the Bible where Christ meets the fallen angel in the desert. The righteous people can’t be cheated rather they are killed by the abhorrent powers.

The religious element crafted by Golding, his indulgence of the Biblical subject of the breakdown of mankind, is observed by every critic and research. It can’t be dismissed that Golding’s major focus is the fall of man, and simultaneously, he communicates his anxiety for the conceivable way out of this fallen condition through the improvement of human emotions. That is the reason he does not care to be portrayed as a person who is a pessimist rather he wants to be known as a realist.

89 Lord of the Flies Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🔝 top-10 lord of the flies research paper topics, 🏆 best lord of the flies essay titles, 📌 creative lord of the flies thesis ideas, 👍 good titles for lord of the flies essay, ❓ lord of the flies: important questions.

Ralph’s character development in “Lord of the Flies.”
The main theme in “Lord of the Flies.”
The success of William Golding’s debut novel.
“Lord of the Flies”: a discussion of innocence and power.
The role of the conch in “Lord of the Flies.”
Civilization vs. savagery in “Lord of the Flies.”
William Golding’s commentary on human nature and evil.
The symbolism of fear in “Lord of the Flies.”
A literary analysis of “Lord of the Flies.”
“Lord of the Flies”: a summary of events.
“Lord of the Flies” by William Golding The reader will wonder that all the boys respond in the same manner to the sound of the blown shell. The author uses aesthetics to drive emotions out of the reader about the value of […]
Symbolism in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding In The Lord of the Flies, the fire in the story is lit as a symbol of hope and rescue. The island in The Lord Of The Flies resembled the perfect type of Utopia at […]
Evil in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding The idea is that we are born with both the capacity of good and the capacity of evil and that the way we are raised, or the environment in which we live determines how we […]
Lord of the Flies, an Allegorical Novel by William Golding As the auction proceeds, the reader follows the heartbreaking events of the book. Boys hunt down a pig and place its head on a stick as an ‘offering’ to the ‘beast’.
Writing on the Novel I Love: Lord of the Flies In a given Lord of the Flies essay, one needs to illustrate the different themes used by Golding in his novel.
Lord of the Flies: Novel Analysis The sinister nature of the novel is inferred in the title which derives from the Hebrew word, Ba’al-zvuv which means god of the fly, host of the fly or literally the Lord of Flies a […]
Human Nature in “Lord of the Flies” by Golding Considering this, the present paper will analyze the validity of the given statement by drawing on the experiences of characters in Lord of the Flies and evaluating the conditions in which they lived.
Literature Studies: “Lord of the Flies” by W. Golding Although Jack Merridew, one of the lead characters of William Golding’s shockingly unforgettable Lord of the Flies novel, is a child and still has a lot to learn in terms of how society works, the […]
A Comprehensive Analysis of the Key Elements of “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
The Role of Simon in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
Literary Comparison of Ballantyne’s “Coral Island” and Golding’s Island in “Lord of the Flies”
Attitude Towards Children in the Story “Lord of the Flies”
Jack as a Symbol of Savagery and Anarchy in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
A Description of the Potential for Evil in Everyone as One of the Theme in the Novel “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
Evil in Humanity in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
Savagery and the Beast Theme in “Lord of the Flies”
The Fall of Civilization Into Savagery in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
An Allegory of Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalysis Theory in William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”
A Literary Analysis of the Symbolism in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
A Comparison Between the Movie and Novel “Lord of the Flies”
Abuse of Power and the Effect of Tyrannical Leadership Between “Lord of the Flies” and “The Chrysalids”
Fear of the Unknown in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
A Comparison of “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding and “A Separate Peace” by John Knowles on Peer Pressure
Internal and External Conflicts in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
Importance of the Extract in the Development of the Main Themes in “Lord of the Flies”
Destructiveness of Jealousy Depicted in “Lord of the Flies” and “Woman Warrior”
A Demonstration of the Influence and Power of People Over One Another Through the Character of Piggy in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
A Character of Piggy as the Character Who Most Deserved to Be Saved in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
The Role of Government in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
Moral Consequences in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
The Symbolism of Power in “Lord of the Flies”
An Analysis of Human Behavior in “All Quiet on the Western Front” and “Lord of the Flies”
Changes in the Conception of God in “Lord of the Flies”
Inate Evil in “To Kill a Mocking Bird” and “Lord of the Flies”
A Look at Disturbing Events Highlighted in William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”
Allegory of Social Dissolution “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
Ralph as a Good Leader in “Lord of the Flies”
An Analysis of Democratic and Authoritarian Power in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
Leaders and Leadership in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
Golding’s Pessimistic View on People and Society in His Book “Lord of the Flies”
Analyzing the Themes of Innocence and Fear in William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”
A Description of the Occurrence of Civilization in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
Importance of the Beast in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”: A Dream of a Deserted Island Into Reality
Adventures, Conflicts, and Struggles in “Lord of the Flies”
Good and Evil in Human Nature in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
Failure of Paradise in Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” and William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”
Immorality of Human Nature Depicted in Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”
Formation of Rules and Perception of Civilisation in “Lord of the Flies”
How Golding Presents the Decline From Civilisation to Savagery in “Lord of the Flies”?
What Does Piggy Symbolize in “Lord of the Flies”?
How Does the Second World War Reflect on “Lord of the Flies”?
What Ideas About Human Nature and Behavior Golding Was Trying to Express in “Lord of the Flies”?
What Does the Plane Crash Symbolize in “Lord of the Flies”?
How Does William Golding Present the Character of Jack in “Lord of the Flies”?
How Does Golding Express His Ideas About Leadership in “Lord of the Flies”?
How Does Roger Change in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding?
How the Society Suppresses Evil in the Novel “Lord of the Flies”?
How Does Golding Create a Setting in “Lord of the Flies”?
How Does the Author Present Human Nature in “Lord of the Flies”?
How Does William Golding Show Evil at Work in “Lord of the Flies”?
How Anybody Could Regress Into Savagery in Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”?
How Is the Author’s Characterisation and Language Attributed to the Novel of the “Lord of the Flies”?
Why Did William Golding Name His Novel “Lord of the Flies”?
How Does Golding Present Death in “Lord of the Flies”?
How Does the Setting Affect the Story “Lord of the Flies”?
How Children Are Treated in the Story of “Lord of the Flies”?
How Does Golding Make the Physical World Seem Important in “Lord of the Flies”?
What Is Ralph’s Attitude Toward Piggy in the First Chapter of “Lord of the Flies”?
How Many Boys Are in “Lord of the Flies”?
How Golding Creates Tension in “Lord of the Flies”?
How Does the Opening Prepare the Reader for the Rest of the Novel “Lord of the Flies”?
Why the Boys Were Doomed to Fail in “Lord of the Flies”?
What Influenced William Golding to Write “Lord of the Flies”?
Ways That Golding Presents the Island in “Lord of the Flies”?
How Golding Uses Symbols in “Lord of the Flies”?
How Does William Golding Use the Setting to Develop the Main Theme of His Novel “Lord of the Flies”?
How Does Piggy’s Character Develop Through Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”?
What Ruined Ralph and Jack’s Friendship in “Lord of the Flies”?
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Essays on Lord of The Flies

Choosing the right essay topic is a crucial step in your academic journey. It's an opportunity to explore your creativity, delve into personal interests, and engage with the themes and ideas presented in the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding. We aim to provide you with a variety of essay topics, introduction paragraph examples, and conclusion paragraph examples for different essay types. Remember, a well-chosen topic can make your essay more engaging and insightful.

Essay Types and Topics

Argumentative essays.

In argumentative essays, you'll analyze and present arguments related to the novel. Here are some topic examples:

1. The role of fear in the descent into savagery on the island.
2. The symbolism of the "beast" in Lord of the Flies and its impact on the characters.

Example Introduction Paragraph for an Argumentative Essay: In William Golding's Lord of the Flies , the pervasive fear among the stranded boys serves as a catalyst for their descent into savagery. This essay explores the profound influence of fear on the characters and the consequences it has on their civilization, ultimately demonstrating the fragile nature of human society on the isolated island.

Example Conclusion Paragraph for an Argumentative Essay: In conclusion, the exploration of fear in Lord of the Flies highlights its ability to unravel the thin threads of civilization. Through the lens of Golding's narrative, we see how fear can lead individuals to abandon reason and morality. As we reflect on this gripping tale, we must consider the implications of fear in our own lives and societies, striving for a world where humanity remains steadfast in the face of adversity.

Compare and Contrast Essays

In compare and contrast essays, you'll examine the similarities and differences within the novel or between it and other literary works. Consider these topics:

1. Compare and contrast the leadership styles of Ralph and Jack.
2. Analyze the parallels between Lord of the Flies and George Orwell's Animal Farm in terms of power and control.

Example Introduction Paragraph for a Compare and Contrast Essay: The comparison between the leadership styles of Ralph and Jack in William Golding's Lord of the Flies provides valuable insights into the dynamics of human leadership and its consequences. This essay delves into the contrasting approaches taken by these two characters and their impact on the island's civilization.

Example Conclusion Paragraph for a Compare and Contrast Essay: In conclusion, the juxtaposition of Ralph's democratic leadership and Jack's authoritarian rule in Lord of the Flies serves as a powerful commentary on the complexities of human governance. By examining these characters in parallel, we gain a deeper understanding of leadership dynamics and their consequences both in fiction and the real world.

Descriptive Essays

Descriptive essays in the context of Lord of the Flies allow you to vividly depict settings, characters, or events. Here are some topic ideas:

1. Describe the lush beauty of the island in detail.
2. Paint a picture of the transformation in the appearance and behavior of the characters as they descend into savagery.

Example Introduction Paragraph for a Descriptive Essay: The lush and untouched beauty of the island in William Golding's Lord of the Flies serves as a captivating backdrop for the unfolding drama of the stranded boys. This essay aims to provide a sensory and detailed exploration of the island, evoking the senses and immersing the reader in its natural wonders.

Example Conclusion Paragraph for a Descriptive Essay: In conclusion, the vivid description of the island in Lord of the Flies not only serves as a beautiful canvas but also mirrors the fragile balance of nature and humanity. Through this exploration, we are reminded of the profound connection between our environment and our actions.

Persuasive Essays

Persuasive essays allow you to argue a point of view related to the novel. Consider these persuasive topic examples:

1. Persuade your readers that the conch shell symbolizes the only hope for order and civilization on the island.
2. Argue for or against the idea that the boys' descent into savagery is inevitable given their circumstances.

Example Introduction Paragraph for a Persuasive Essay: The conch shell in William Golding's Lord of the Flies has been a symbol of order and democracy. This essay takes a persuasive stance in advocating for the significance of the conch as the beacon of hope for maintaining civilization and harmony on the isolated island.

Example Conclusion Paragraph for a Persuasive Essay: In conclusion, the persuasive argument in favor of the conch shell as a symbol of order and civilization underscores the importance of symbols in society and their ability to rally individuals around shared values. As we reflect on the power of the conch, we are reminded of the delicate balance between chaos and order in the human experience.

Narrative Essays

Narrative essays offer you the opportunity to tell a story or share personal experiences related to the themes of Lord of the Flies . Explore these narrative essay topics:

1. Narrate your own survival story as a character stranded on the same island as the boys in the novel.
2. Share a personal experience where you faced a moral dilemma similar to those encountered by the characters in the story.

Example Introduction Paragraph for a Narrative Essay: Imagine finding yourself on the same remote island as the characters in William Golding's Lord of the Flies . In this narrative essay, we embark on a journey where I, as a fellow survivor, recount the challenges and moral dilemmas faced while striving for survival and maintaining humanity in our isolated microcosm.

Example Conclusion Paragraph for a Narrative Essay: In conclusion, the narrative of my survival journey on the island parallels the timeless themes explored by Golding in Lord of the Flies . It serves as a testament to the human spirit's resilience and the constant struggle to balance our innate instincts with our moral compass. Through this narrative, we are reminded of the enduring relevance of these themes in our lives.

Lord of The Flies: Symbolism Analysis

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Lord of The Flies: Disobedience Analysis

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Depiction of Humans as Inherently Evil in The Lord of The Flies

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The Ralph's Leadership in The Lord of The Flies by William Golding

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17 September 1954, William Golding

Allegorical novel

Ralph, Piggy, Jack, Simon, twins Sam and Eric

William Golding wrote "Lord of the Flies" as a response and counterpoint to R.M. Ballantyne's youth novel "The Coral Island" published in 1857. While Ballantyne's novel presented a romanticized portrayal of young boys stranded on an uninhabited island, depicting them as cooperative and civilized, Golding sought to challenge this idealistic view. Golding was dissatisfied with the notion that children, when left to their own devices, would naturally form a harmonious and idyllic society. He believed that human nature was inherently flawed and prone to darkness and savagery, even in the absence of adult supervision. "Lord of the Flies" served as a critique of the optimistic perspective presented in "The Coral Island," aiming to explore the potential for moral degradation and the loss of innocence in a primal environment.

Innocence, Friendship, Childhood, Fear, Anger, Allegories.

The story follows a group of British boys who find themselves stranded on a deserted island after their plane crashes during a wartime evacuation. Without any adult supervision, the boys must establish their own society and survive until rescue arrives. Initially, the boys attempt to create order and maintain a sense of civilization by electing a leader, Ralph, and establishing rules. However, as time passes, the inherent savagery within some of the boys begins to emerge. Jack, the antagonist, gradually rebels against Ralph's leadership and forms his own tribe, indulging in hunting and violence. The conflict between Ralph and Jack symbolizes the battle between order and chaos, reason and instinct. As the boys succumb to their primal instincts, they gradually lose their sense of morality and descent into brutality. The novel explores themes of power, the loss of innocence, and the darkness that resides within all individuals. Ultimately, the arrival of a naval officer interrupts the boys' descent into savagery, revealing the horrors they have unleashed upon themselves.

"Lord of the Flies" by William Golding is set on a deserted tropical island in the midst of an unspecified global war. The location remains undisclosed, allowing the focus to be on the boys' struggle for survival rather than the specific geopolitical context. The island itself is described as a paradise, with its lush vegetation, beautiful beaches, and abundant resources. The island serves as an isolated microcosm where the boys' behavior unfolds without the influence of adult society. It becomes a blank canvas upon which the boys project their own fears, desires, and conflicts. The absence of adults and external authority creates a vacuum that allows the boys to establish their own social order and rules.

Symbolism (the conch shell, the signal fire, the beast, etc.), allegory (the boys' descent into savagery and the struggle for power), foreshadowing (the appearance of the sow's head), irony, imagery.

"Lord of the Flies" has had a significant influence on literature and popular culture since its publication. The novel's exploration of the darkness within human nature and its commentary on the fragility of civilization continue to resonate with readers worldwide. One notable influence of "Lord of the Flies" is its impact on dystopian and post-apocalyptic literature. The story's portrayal of a society descending into chaos and the exploration of power dynamics have influenced numerous works in this genre, such as Suzanne Collins' "The Hunger Games" and Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale." The novel has also had a profound influence on the study of human behavior and psychology. It raises important questions about the nature of evil, the role of society in shaping individuals, and the impact of isolation on human relationships. These themes have sparked discussions and academic analyses across disciplines, including psychology, sociology, and philosophy. Furthermore, "Lord of the Flies" has become a cultural touchstone, frequently referenced in various forms of media, including films, television shows, and music. Its enduring popularity and ability to provoke introspection and critical thinking contribute to its ongoing influence in contemporary society.

One notable adaptation of "Lord of the Flies" is the 1963 film directed by Peter Brook, which brought the story to life on the big screen. The film received critical acclaim for its raw portrayal of the boys' descent into savagery and its faithful adaptation of the novel's themes. The novel has also inspired theatrical productions, with stage adaptations being performed in different parts of the world. These adaptations provide a unique opportunity to experience the story in a live setting, further emphasizing the intensity and psychological depth of the narrative. Furthermore, the influence of "Lord of the Flies" can be seen in popular culture references, such as television shows, music, and literature. Its impact has sparked discussions and inspired creative works that explore similar themes of civilization, power, and human nature.

1. William Golding expressed dissatisfaction with his own work, describing his novel as dull and unrefined, a sentiment he later expressed in interviews and private conversations. 2. The impact of "Lord of the Flies" extends globally, as the book has been translated into more than 30 languages, allowing readers from diverse cultures to engage with its themes and messages. 3. Before finding a publishing home, "Lord of the Flies" faced considerable rejection, with publishers rejecting the manuscript a staggering 21 times. This highlights the initial challenges Golding faced in getting his work recognized. 4. Esteemed author Stephen King has publicly expressed his admiration for "Lord of the Flies," identifying it as one of his favorite books. King's endorsement speaks to the lasting influence and appeal of Golding's work. 5. "Lord of the Flies" has served as a source of inspiration for a range of musicians across different genres, including rap and metal. Bands like Iron Maiden have drawn inspiration from the novel, incorporating its themes and imagery into their music. 6. "Lord of the Flies" holds a significant place among the most banned books in the United States. Its exploration of dark themes and depiction of violence has led to challenges and attempts to restrict its availability in educational settings.

“Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man's heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy.” “The thing is - fear can't hurt you any more than a dream.” “Maybe there is a beast… maybe it's only us.” “What are we? Humans? Or animals? Or savages?” “We've got to have rules and obey them. After all, we're not savages. We're English, and the English are best at everything.”

The novel "Lord of the Flies" holds a significant place in literary discourse and continues to captivate readers across generations. Exploring timeless themes of human nature, morality, power, and civilization, it presents a compelling narrative that provokes introspection and critical analysis. Writing an essay about "Lord of the Flies" allows one to delve into the complexities of human behavior, the fragility of societal structures, and the potential for darkness within individuals. The novel's depiction of the descent into savagery and the loss of innocence offers a profound examination of the human condition. Moreover, "Lord of the Flies" serves as a cautionary tale, urging readers to reflect on the consequences of unchecked power, societal breakdown, and the thin veneer of civilization. It prompts discussions on leadership, group dynamics, and the inherent conflicts that arise in challenging circumstances. By exploring the multifaceted layers of the story, an essay on "Lord of the Flies" allows students to sharpen their critical thinking skills, analyze complex themes, and engage in meaningful conversations about the darker aspects of human nature and society. It remains a relevant and thought-provoking piece of literature that invites examination and interpretation from various perspectives.

1. Bhalla, R., & Kowalski, C. (2017). What Lord of the Flies teaches us about primitive defence mechanisms and societal discontent. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/what-lord-of-the-flies-teaches-us-about-primitive-defence-mechanisms-and-societal-discontent/348B50D2158ABAC55B3E94B2DB6F20BA The British Journal of Psychiatry, 210(3), 189-189. 2. Tippetts, C. S. (1926). The End of the Par Collection Litigation. The American Economic Review, 16(4), 610–621. (https://www.jstor.org/stable/2) 3. Alnajm, A. L. (2015). The main themes in Lord of the Flies. International Journal of English and Literature, 6(6), 98-102. (https://academicjournals.org/journal/IJEL/article-full-text/011E73A53478) 4. Gilfillan, James (1963) "Review: "Lord of the Flies"," Calliope (1954-2001): Vol. 10 , Article 25. (https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/calliope/vol10/iss1/25) 5. Arnold Kruger (1999) Golding's Lord of the Flies, The Explicator, 57:3, 167-169. (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00144949909596859?journalCode=vexp20) 6. Chougule, R. B., & Hanash, M. M. SCARCE LIFE BETWEEN LEADERSHIP AND NATURE OF SAVAGERY IN WILLIAM GOLDING'S LORD OF THE FLIES. (https://www.literaryendeavour.org/files/9x6upa7d5i55pltczctm/2020-01%2007%20SCARCE%20LIFE%20BETWEEN%20LEADERSHIP%20AND%20NATURE%20OF%20SAVAGERY%20IN%20WILLIAM%20GOLDING%E2%80%99S%20LORD%20OF%20THE%20FLIES%20%20-%20Dr.%20R.%20B.%20Chougule%20&%20Manee%20M.%20Hanash.pdf) 7. Kabra, S. (2021). Lord of the Flies: International Intellectual Property Laws. UC Davis J. Int'l L. & Pol'y, 28, 1. (https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/ucdl28&div=4&id=&page=) 8. Burgess, J. (1963). Lord of the Flies by Peter Brook, Lewis Allen, Dana Hodgdon. (https://online.ucpress.edu/fq/article-abstract/17/2/31/38032/Review-Lord-of-the-Flies-by-Peter-Brook-Lewis)

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Literary English

Summary of Lord of the Flies by William Golding

At the opening of Lord of the Flies, we meet with two boys: Ralph and Piggy. They are talking about the situation in which they are trapped. Their discussion provides the background of their situation and depicts some glimpses of a nuclear war where a group of boys was being evacuated to an unnamed destination by an airplane but unluckily plane crashed in the sea near an unfamiliar island, leaving the boys marooned on a nearby island.

Ralph, a handsome and active boy, is excited to be on a heaven-like tropical island where they can enjoy freely without any restriction of adults, but Piggy, a fat boy, is not happy on that island. Both of the boys are making a way from jungle to beach. Ralph is a bit silent and does not take an interest in Piggy while Piggy asks about Ralph’s introduction. After showing his swimming skills, Ralph finds a conch. Piggy takes that conch and tells him that it can be blown as a trumpet which creates a sound. Ralph blows conch to call all the boys who are there on the beach.

Listening to the sound, all the boys come out of the jungle, assembling on the beach near Ralph. All the boys are between 6 to 12 years. Jack also arrives there with the choirboys. The boys talk about their situation and conclude to vote for a leader until they are not rescued. Ralph and Jack are the eldest and one is to be opted for the leader of the boys. The boys elect Ralph their leader but Jack does not agree on voting and wants to be the leader of the boys. Ralph suggests that he be the leader of the hunters who will provide food to the little boys who can’t hunt.

Ralph and some boys move into the jungle to explore the island. Jack reveals that he has a sharp knife. Piggy is hurt to be removed from the party going to explore the island, and Ralph consoles him and assigns him a task to take care of the little boys who remain behind at the beach. Ralph, Jack, and Simon explore that there are no inhabitants on the island. The boys are much happy by experiencing the thrill of adventure. Soon they form friendship between them. On the way back to the beach, they see a piglet in the jungle. Jack takes out his knife to show his hunting skills and because of bit hesitation piglet escaped. Jack fiercely stabbed his knife into a tree and vowed that next time he will not let him go.

Jack, Simon, and Ralph return after exploring the island in the late afternoon. Ralph blows the conch to gather all the boys in an assembly area and tells them about the exploration of the island. Jack interrupts Ralphs immediately to state the importance of a group for hunting. Ralph makes the rule that only one person will speak at a time in the assembly who holds the conch and only the leader, Ralph, can interrupt the one who is talking holding the conch. Thus, the boys establish some other rules and orders.

Piggy takes the conch and talks to the boys. Ralph talks about the adventure inherent in their situation. The littlest boy forward his fear that he saw the “beastie” in the woods the night before. The older boys assure the littluns that there is no such beastie to calm down his fear. Ralph assures the boys that soon they will be rescued. He also mentions that they must set a fire signal to attract passing planes and ships. This task was assigned to Jack, with a group of boys, to set fire on the top of the island. Ralph tries to force his orders, but all the boys rush after Jack, when no one stops, he follows too. Piggy also follows Ralph, and he is angry at the impulsive behavior of the boys.

The boys set fire using Piggy’s eyeglasses. Jack and his hunter party take the responsibility to keep the fire alive. Jack, alone, goes to hunt a pig. He practiced some tracking techniques. He was frustrated by last day’s chance when a piglet escaped and another day has ended again without a hunt; he returns to the boys where Ralph and Simon are working on building shelters.

All the boys have agreed to help build shelters but only Simon and Ralph are on work. Other boys even Jack and his hunters are bathing, playing, or hunting even though hunters have failed to produce meat. Ralph puts emphasis on building shelters, while Jack insists that the boys need meat and tries to explicate his compulsion to hunt. This difference leads to uncertainty and makes the boys uncomfortable. The relationship that had sprung up on the first day’s exploring adventure is fading now.

Then there is a general depiction of the island and the changes happening in the island throughout the day. Littluns play with sandcastles and interact with each other. Roger and Maurice, members of Jack’s party, appear from the jungle and deliberately demolish the sandcastles on their way to the beach made by littluns. Jack calls all the hunters to tell them a new hunting strategy. They color their faces with clay and charcoal to camouflage. All the hunters leave to hunt, Jack is commanding them. Sam and Eric, two brothers, who were on fire duty at that time, also join a hunting party leaving no one to watch at fire.

Meanwhile, Ralph looks at a ship passing at a distance and is hopeful that the ship’s crew will see a fire signal and come to rescue all the boys. But, unluckily the fire was off and Ralph was ignorant that the fire was off and there was no smoke signal. Simon informs him that there is no fire. Simon, Ralph and Piggy hurriedly move to the top. When all three boys had reached at top, the ship had gone.

In the meantime, the hunting party is marching up to the fire site triumphantly with the carcass of a pig. There is an exchange of arguments on dormant fire between Jack and Ralph. Jack apologizes and says he was on his duty to feed meat to the children but Ralph remains angry. The matter was resolved as the boys ate roast meat of pig for the first time at the island. All the hunters start dancing. Ralph announces a gathering immediately on the beach platform.

Ralph reminds everyone of their duties to maintain a supply of fresh water, building shelters for residence, observe sanitation measures, and to keep the fire signal. He then points out impending fear that he knows is starting soon to harm isolated boys. Jack takes the conch and talks about hunting. A littluns comes forward to describe a large creature he saw in the jungle the night before, Simon reveals that it was he, going to his place in the jungle, then Piggy takes the conch and he adds his opinion regarding experience of fear, thereby invalidating it.

Simon tries to reveal that something inherent in boys themselves could be the beast they fear. Simon’s explanation leads to talk of ghosts, so Ralph asks for votes to know who fears ghosts. There is arguing between Jack and Ralph. In mutiny, Jack violently disputes Ralph’s authority and leads the hunters and other boys practicing a tribal dance holding sticks in hands looking like savages. Simon and Piggy insist on Ralph to call everybody back but he resists, his confidence is shaken.

After dancing at the platform, all the boys go to sleep. There is an aerial war, taking place at night. During the war, a pilot of a crashed aircraft falls down on the island on his opened parachute. Because of the open parachute, wind drags the body to the top of the mountain. Sam and Eric, putting woods on fire on the mountain, suddenly catch a sight of the body’s movement and hear the sound of parachute inflating. They run to Ralph and other boys in fear and tell them with an exaggeration by their fear.

Early in the morning, Ralph calls an assembly, where they decide to examine the unexplored place on the island: the castle-like rock that is at one end of the island. Piggy remains with the littluns behind on the beach, Ralph and all other boys go to the castle. Ralph leads, followed a few moments later by Jack. After making sure that there is no beast, the other boys also join Ralph and Jack and want to play there for a while. On the way to the mountain, Jack encountered a pig hunt, but the pig escaped slightly wounded. Ralph gets his first taste of hunting, striking a pig in the snout with his spear. After the pig runs away, the hunter group begins a mock hunt. One is acting like a pig and others are beating him that gets out of control and hurts the boy.

There is darkness when they reach the beach. Ralph, Jack, and Roger volunteer for an expedition to search for the beast. Once they reach the burnt patch, Ralph, annoyed by Jack’s mocking, challenges Jack to climb on by himself; Jack returns from the mountain frightened. All three boys run back in fear in the dark. Jack calls Ralph coward and calls for another election for the leader. Ralph replies that even Jack would hide if the beast attacked him. In retaliation, Jack attempts mutiny and convinces the other boys to join his group. The boys refuse to vote against Ralph. Jack announces himself a leader of the tribe. Jacks run away into the forest for hunting.

Piggy is glad that Jack is gone and suggests that they build a signal fire on the beach near their camp so that they won’t have to climb up the mountain to keep the fire alive. The boy starts gathering woods to let the fire. Meanwhile, most of the Biguns escape to join Jack’s group. Simon also disappears but does not join Jack’s group. He goes to his hidden place in the forest. Piggy starts the fire with his glasses.

Meanwhile, Jack encounters another hunt and successfully slaughters a mother pig and then places her head on a stick as “an offering to the beast”, unintentionally and ironically, at the same spot where Simon used to sit concealing himself in isolation. Simon comes there and hallucinates the dead pig speaks to him until he loses consciousness. Then he makes his way to the mountain. He finds the dead body of the pilot, he inspects and realizes that he is a pilot who fell down and became dead. He runs down to inform other boys regarding the dead body whom other boys were considering beast. After a successful hunt, Jack tells his hunters to steal some burning woods from the beach fire to get fire for a pig roast and also invites Ralph’s group to the roast just to join them to his group.

Ralph realizes that even the Biguns loyal to Ralph have left him and gone to Jack’s group to eat roast pig. When no one is left on the beach, Ralph and Piggy go as well because of hunger. Jack allows them to roast pig meat. When everyone has finished eating, Jack calls for all the boys to indicate whether they would like to join him or will remain with Ralph’s. Many of the boys join his group leaving Ralph’s.

After eating meat all the boys start dancing. Ralph and Piggy are standing aside watching them. Meanwhile, Simon crawls out of the forest and into the center of the dance circle. However, in doing so, he was mistaken as a beast by the dancing boys who were in a frenzy and they killed Simon. The rain increases and the boys back off, leaving Simon’s dead body on the beach. A huge tide carries his body away into the sea.

Ralph’s group dwindles in numbers. He finds that only Piggy, Sam and Eric, and some Littluns are with him. Brooding over the night memories, he tells Piggy that the dancing boys killed Simon. Jack starts acting ever more like a cruel leader to his own group members. Once he tied one of the boys and beat for angering him. Jack plans an attack on Ralph’s camp to get woods for fire. But at Ralph’s camp, the boys decide to let the fire off for the night rather than collecting wood from the forest at night. When Jack and his hunters could not find burning woods from Ralph’s camp, they attack and steal Piggy’s glasses to let the fire.

Piggy urges Ralph to call an assembly, wherein they decide the four remaining Biguns will ask Jack’s group for Piggy’s glasses back. Sam and Eric express fear of approaching the hunter boys who have become savages. Jack’s group is aggressive to Ralph’s small group. Roger, a member of hunters group, throws stones at the twins to scare them. Jack appears from the forest and tells Ralph to go back. Ralph calls Jack a thief for stealing woods and Piggy’s glasses.

The savage hunters laugh at Ralph’s speech on the importance of a fire signal. Jack’s boys grab Sam and Eric and tie them up. Jack prompts a fistfight with Ralph. Piggy interrupts, and holding the conch, attempts a speech as well. When Piggy rebukes the hunters for becoming savages, Roger, a member of Jack’s, releases a huge stone on Piggy. Piggy dies under the stone and a large wave quickly carries off his body.

Jack shouts at Ralph and throws his spear at him. Ralph was wounded, but the spear bounced off, and Ralph ran away to save his life. Remaining members of Ralph’s group were forced to join Jack’s group. Sam and Eric were also forced to join the tribe.

Ralph finds a place to sleep for the night. The next morning, Jack’s party tries to find him. Once Ralph is on the run, Jack’s group follows him. They set on fire all the forest to trap Ralph. Ralph tries to hide himself in an impenetrable thicket but is discovered there as well. The fire has spread across the forest so that he has to escape the Jack’s hunters and the fire. He runs towards the beach and falls at the feet of a newly arrived British naval officer, whose ship was attracted by the huge fire in the forest. The officer assures them all that ship will take them off the island. Ralph breaks into sobs and weeps loudly on the end of innocence and loss of his friend Simon and Piggy.

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Lord of the Flies
Symbol: Lord of the Flies shows that the symbols of the best, glasses, fire, adults, ocean, and the island. Irony: The novel shows irony when the boys are engaged in talking about the beast but only Simon knows it, though, he is unable to express it. Study guide for Lord of the Flies by William Golding, with plot summary, character analysis ...
Lord of the Flies Study Guide
Key Facts about Lord of the Flies. Full Title: Lord of the Flies. Where Written: England. When Published: 1954. Literary Period: Post-war fiction. Genre: Allegorical novel / Adventure novel. Setting: A deserted tropical island in the middle of a nuclear world war. Climax: Piggy's death.
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Two of Golding's major literary influences in Lord of the Flies are R.M. Ballantyne's The Coral Island and ... What is a thesis for an analysis essay on Lord of the Flies that incorporates ...
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Lord of the Flies, William Golding's first novel, was published in London in 1954 and in New York in 1955. Golding was forty-three years old when he wrote the novel, having served in the Royal ...
A Summary and Analysis of William Golding's Lord of the Flies
Before we offer an analysis of Golding's novel, here's a brief reminder of the plot. Lord of the Flies: plot summary. The novel begins with a plane carrying a group of British schoolboys being shot down; the boys land on a desert island. Two of them, Ralph and Piggy, find a conch shell on the beach, and they use it to signal to the rest of ...
Lord of the Flies: Critical Essays
Get free homework help on William Golding's Lord of the Flies: book summary, chapter summary and analysis, quotes, essays, and character analysis courtesy of CliffsNotes. In Lord of the Flies , British schoolboys are stranded on a tropical island. In an attempt to recreate the culture they left behind, they elect Ralph to lead, with the intellectual Piggy as counselor.
Lord of the Flies Themes and Analysis
Analysis of Key Moments in Lord of the Flies. There are many key moments in ' Lord of the Flies ' that highlight the boy's descent into savagery. Blowing the conch - this introduces us to the conch which acts as a symbol of society and civilization throughout the novel. It is both the device that brings the children together and in ...
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The action of Lord of the Flies takes place during World War II on a deserted island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Golding deliberately borrows the setting from Coral Island (1858) in order ...
"Lord of the flies", literary analysis of the novel by William Golding
The following murder of Piggy, that happens in the light of day, and the manhunt for Ralph serve as a culmination of the novel. Now finally gone mad, the children unleash their inner Beast and stop only in front of a more formidable, creative force - an English officer, who landed the island. He becomes the image of the higher divine force ...
Lord of the Flies: Critical Essays
Get free homework help on William Golding's Lord of the Flies: book summary, chapter summary and analysis, quotes, essays, and character analysis courtesy of CliffsNotes. In Lord of the Flies , British schoolboys are stranded on a tropical island. In an attempt to recreate the culture they left behind, they elect Ralph to lead, with the intellectual Piggy as counselor.
Lord of the Flies Summary, Themes, Characters, & Analysis
Lord of the Flies is written by William Golding who is a Nobel Prize-winning author and is published in 1954. This novel investigates the darker side of humankind; the viciousness that underlies even the most civilized and cultivated people. William Golding proposed this novel as a satiric tale of adventure of children, delineating mankind's ...
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This analysis will be viewed through a modern, contemporary lens. Lord of the Flies holds many social, moral and ethical messages throughout the entirety of the novel. Most noticeably, the Lord of the Flies holds general social messages about the delicacy of society.
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Moral Consequences in "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding. The Symbolism of Power in "Lord of the Flies". An Analysis of Human Behavior in "All Quiet on the Western Front" and "Lord of the Flies". Changes in the Conception of God in "Lord of the Flies". Inate Evil in "To Kill a Mocking Bird" and "Lord of the Flies".
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Barbarian, English-language films, Number of the Beast, Seashell, Uncanny X-Men. 1 2 … 4. Our free essays on Lord of The Flies can be used as a template for writing your own article. All samples were written by the best students 👩🏿‍🎓👨‍🎓 just for you.
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Lord of the Flies Literary Analysis Essay. Greed for Power In the novel Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, a group of English boys in their adolescence are stranded on an island. They crash-land while being evacuated because of an atomic war, so the boys must learn to cooperate with each other in order to survive.
Lord of the Flies
The English Literature Paper 2 requires you to answer four questions (three on poetry) in 2hrs 15min. That means you have approximately 45 minutes to plan, write and check your Lord of the Flies essay. Paper 2 is worth 96 marks and accounts for 60% of your overall GCSE grade. The Lord of the Flies essay is worth 34 marks in total, because it ...
Summary of Lord of the Flies by William Golding
At the opening of Lord of the Flies, we meet with two boys: Ralph and Piggy. They are talking about the situation in which they are trapped. Their discussion provides the background of their situation and depicts some glimpses of a nuclear war where a group of boys was being evacuated to an unnamed destination by an airplane but unluckily plane crashed in the sea near an unfamiliar island ...
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Lord of the Flies

Summary of Lord of the Flies

Major Themes in Lord of the Flies

Major Characters in Lord of the Flies

Writing Style of Lord of the Flies ‎

Analysis of Literary Devices in Lord of the Flies

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Lord of the Flies

Lord of the Flies: Introduction

Historical Context of Lord of the Flies

Extra Credit for Lord of the Flies

A Summary and Analysis of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies

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Themes and Analysis

Lord of the Flies Themes

Civilization versus savagery

Nature of humanity

Analysis of Key Moments in Lord of the Flies

Style, Literary Devices, and Tone in Lord of the Flies

Symbols in Lord of the Flies

The Signal Fire

What are three themes in Lord of the Flies ?

What is the main message of the Lord of the Flies ?

How does Ralph lose his innocence in Lord of the Flies ?

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“Lord of the flies”, literary analysis of the novel by William Golding

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Introduction

Setting of the Novel

Context of the Novel

Lord of the Flies Summary

Chapter 9

Themes in Lord of the Flies

Man versus Nature

Savagery as an opposite to Civilization

Loss of Innocence

Lord of the Flies Characters Analysis

Jack Merridew

Sam and Eric

Naval Officer

Lord of the Flies Analysis

Lord of the Flies and Cold War

Significance of the Conch

The Conceptualized meaning of “The Beast”

Ending of the Novel

Lord of the Flies as an allegory for The Fall of Man from Eden

More From William Golding

89 Lord of the Flies Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Essays on Lord of The Flies

Essay Types and Topics

Compare and Contrast Essays

Descriptive Essays

Persuasive Essays

Narrative Essays

Lord of The Flies: Symbolism Analysis

Lord of The Flies: Disobedience Analysis

Depiction of Humans as Inherently Evil in The Lord of The Flies

The Ralph's Leadership in The Lord of The Flies by William Golding

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Summary of Lord of the Flies by William Golding

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