Lord of the FliesWilliam Golding

William Golding was born September 19, 1911 in Cornwall, England. Not long after he was born, The Great War (World War I) began, and continued throughout the majority of his early childhood. His mother, Mildred, was an advocate for women’s rights, while his father, Alec, was a schoolteacher. Golding attended Marlborough Grammar School where his father taught. His father had a tremendous influence upon him, and when he entered Brasenose College at Oxford in 1930, he studied science in deference to his father.

In his third year of college, Golding made the decision to pursue his true desire, and began his study of English literature and philosophy. His first book, a collection of poems, was published the year before he received his degree. In 1935 he graduated from Oxford with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. In 1940, a year after England entered World War II, Golding joined the Royal Navy, where he served in command of a rocket-launcher and participated in the invasion of Normandy. Golding’s experience in World War II had a profound effect on his view of humanity and the evils of which it was capable.

Golding’s first major novel, Lord of the Flies, was published in 1954. Although it was initially rejected by twenty-one different publishers, it went on to surprising success. In 1962, eight years after its first publication, Lord of the Flies became a best selling novel and was twice made into a film—once in 1963 and again in 1990.

William Golding died on June 19, 1993 in Perranarworthal, Cornwall, England.

Lord of the Flies – Analysis

Lord of the Flies tells the story of a group of English schoolboys marooned on a tropical island after their plane is shot down during a war. Though the novel is fictional, its exploration of the idea of human evil is at least partly based on Golding’s experience with the real-life violence and brutality of World War II. Free from the rules and structures of civilization and society, the boys on the island in Lord of the Flies descend into savagery. As the boys splinter into factions, some behave peacefully and work together to maintain order and achieve common goals, while others rebel and seek only anarchy and violence. In his portrayal of the small world of the island, Golding paints a broader portrait of the fundamental human struggle between the civilizing instinct—the impulse to obey rules, behave morally, and act lawfully—and the savage instinct—the impulse to seek brute power over others, act selfishly, scorn moral rules, and indulge in violence.

Many critics have argued that Lord of the Flies is an allegory. An allegory is a story in which characters, setting, objects, and plot stand for a meaning outside of the story itself

As a political allegory, each character in Lord of the Flies represents some abstract idea of government. Ralph, for example, stands for the good-hearted but not entirely effective leader

of a democratic state, a ruler who wants to rule by law derived from the common consent. Piggy is his adviser, someone who is unable to rule because of his own social and physical shortcomings, but who is able to offer sound advice to the democratic leader. Jack, on the other hand, represents a totalitarian dictator, a ruler who appeals to the emotional responses of his followers. He rules by charisma and hysteria. Roger, the boy who takes the most joy in the slaughter of the pigs and who hurls the rock that kills Piggy, represents the henchman necessary for such a totalitarian ruler to stay in power.

Such a reading takes into account the state of the world at the end of the World War II. For many years, leaders such as British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt led democratic countries against totalitarian demigods such as Germany's Adolf Hitler and Italy's Benito Mussolini.

Lord of the Flies – Metaphor Analysis

Beast: The beast, the Lord of the Flies, is seen as a real object on the island which frightens the boys. Actually the beast is something internal; the Lord of the Flies is in soul and mind of the boys, leading them to the natural chaos of a society with no reasoning adults. Only Simon understands what the real beast is, but is killed when he tries to tell the boys about the Lord of the Flies.

Conch: The conch shell symbolizes the law and order of the old adult world which Piggy tries so desperately to protect. The conch represents all the authority which the boys are so used to obeying. When Roger destroys the conch, anarchy quickly ensues because any hope of strong, central leadership has been abandoned. The island society collapses into chaos.

Facepaint: This is the excuse many of the boys use for living as hunting savages, instead of civilized English citizens. The paint symbolizes the smoke-screen the beast uses to infiltrate the boys’ souls.

Fire/Smoke: The smoke of the signal fire symbolizes the last best hope of the boys being rescued. To Piggy and Ralph, the fire represents the moral influence of their old life in England. When the fire goes out, Ralph loses his bearings, unsure of his next move.The fire is diatonically opposed to hunting, the activity of anarchy on the island.

Island: Golding purposefully picked an island to be the landing place of the crashed plane because an island is isolated from the rest of society. The boys have no contact with the outside world and must look to themselves to solve the problems of their own micro-society. In this way, the island, which symbolizes isolation, serves as a perfect backdrop for the frailties of human nature which eventually surface.

Glasses: The glasses symbolize the voice of reason and logic among the boys. Piggy defends his glasses even more than the conch. Piggy, who represents the superego of the boys’ (and society’s) collective personality, uses his glasses to find solutions to the boys’ problems. The most important solution the glasses find is the lighting of the fire, the boys’ best chance of being rescued.

The Parachute Man: The dead body flying in the parachute symbolizes the end of adult supervision of the boys on the island. While the parachute man is flapping back and forth on

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the island, conjuring up a powerful image of its prolonged death, the Beast, or Lord of the Flies, is prospering under its new control over Jack and most of the other boys on the island. So while the law and order of the adult world is waning, childish chaos is growing exponentially. Simon has a special connection with the parachute man. He climbs the mountain, subconsciously, to determine whether the parachute man is still alive. When he finds out that the man is dead and that the Beast is alive, Simon has a nervous breakdown. The moral confrontation which occurs when Simon has the interview with the Lord of the Flies symbolizes man’s inability to conquer the evil anarchy of the devil.

Anticipation Guide:1. A true leader leads by setting an example.

2. A good leader is someone who makes the right decisions even in the face of adversity.

3. Rules are created to ensure that everyone is treated equally.

4. People are basically good.

5. Powerful people should be in positions of power.

6. In difficult situations, people will usually choose to do what is right for the majority.

7. One should never question those in a position of authority.

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Standards Focus: SymbolismSymbolism is the creative use of objects, or symbols, to represent or indicate a

deeper meaning or to represent something larger than the object itself. Just as a heart is a symbol of love, or a turkey is a symbol of Thanksgiving, colors, animals, weather, numbers, and even people can act as symbols in a piece of literature. It is important that we recognize the author’s use of symbols to indicate a deeper message in his or her work. Golding skillfully uses symbolism throughout Lord of the Flies to create a novel full of depth and significance.

Directions: For each of the symbols and situations below, match the symbol with the symbolic meaning from the novel. Write the letter of the correct answer on the line.

_____1. Ralph a. civilization; order and rules

_____2. Jack b. loss of society and reason; first “real” murder

_____3. Piggy c. savagery; a means from hiding from oneself

_____4. The Conch d. hope and salvation; rescue

_____5. Jack’s painted face e. the evil in all of us

_____6. Piggy’s Specs f. ignorance, fear, superstition

_____7. The Signal Fire g. Christ-like goodness

_____8. The Island h. safety, openness, games, communication

_____9. Simon i. anarchy; savagery; breaking the rules and hunting

_____10. Roger j. the evil adult generation

_____11. Lord of the Flies k. common sense and responsibility

_____12. The Beach Area l. Garden of Eden and the corruption of man

_____13. Darkness m. knowledge; intelligence and reason

_____14. The Officer n. man’s inclination to harm others; brute force

_____15. Piggy’s Death o. seeing things clearly

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Your Final Essay:

As an end of the novel project, you will write a well-developed five-paragraph essay tracing a symbol throughout the novel The Lord of the Flies and describe how it demonstrates the decent of the boys into savagery. It should show evidence of the symbol in the beginning, middle, and end of the novel. The following symbols are the most prominent ones found within the novel.

the conch hair Piggy’s specs clothing (or lack thereof) fire face paint and chanting killing

You should choose more than one symbol to outline so you are not constrained by only one at the end of the novel. It would best serve you to note not only specific important quotes, but character reactions with the symbol and how it affects the situations and happenings on the island. The more you reflect on in your chart, the easier your writing will be.

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Lord of the Flies: Symbolism

There are many symbols that appear in Lord of the Flies. Trace the conch throughout the novel and describe how it demonstrates the decent of the boys into savagery.

Example: conch Examples (Quotations)Beginning

establishes order

Middle

tries to maintain order

End

order is destroyed

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Lord of the Flies: Symbolism

Examples (Quotations)Beginning

Middle

End

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Lord of the Flies: Symbolism

Examples (Quotations)Beginning

Middle

End

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Vocabulary: Lord of the FliesChapters 1-6

Word (pg. #) Definition Example from text

specious (12) pleasing to the eyebut deceptive

“Ralph had been deceived before now by the specious appearance of depth in a beach pool[,] and he approached this one preparing to be disappointed” (12).

The gold rock has a specious appearance as it turned out to be Fool’s Gold.

Write a sentence below using the vocabulary word correctly.

hiatus (31) a break or interruption inthe continuity of a work,series, action

As Jack hunted, “[t]here came a pause, a hiatus, the pig continued to scream . . .” (31).

Unfortunately, the musical was on hiatus, and not scheduled to start up again until February.

Write a sentence below using the vocabulary word correctly.

festooned (44) a string or chain of flowers,foliage, ribbon, etc., suspendedin a curve between two points.

The jungle creepers were “festooned [among] the dead and dying trees” (44).

The garland was festooned on the branches of the Christmas tree, making it look festive.

Write a sentence below using the vocabulary word correctly.

furtive (23) sly; shifty, secretive; a furtive manner

As Jack is hunting, he becomes “a furtive thing, ape-like among the tangle of trees” (49).

To discourage cheating, the teacher had us take the test seated at cubicles. She said they didn’t allow for any furtive glances at our neighbors’ papers.

Write a sentence below using the vocabulary word correctly.

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belligerence (60)

a warlike or aggressively hostilenature, condition, or attitude.

Even though Johnny had “a natural belligerence[,] [j]ust now he was being obedient because he was interested . . . “ (60).

There is a darker edge to his belligerence or hostility that, quite rightly, frightens his co-workers.

Write a sentence below using the vocabulary word correctly.

effigy (87)

a representation or image, especially sculptured, as on a monument

“At first [Percival] was a silent effigy of sorrow; but then the lamentation rose out of him, loud and sustained as the conch” (87).

The stone effigy of the fallen dictator was knocked over and broken into bits.

Write a sentence below using the vocabulary word correctly.

perilous (88-89)

involving or full of grave risk or peril;  hazardous; dangerous: 

“Simon felt a perilous necessity to speak; but to speak in assembly was a terrible thing to him” (88-89).

The slippery floor is perilous to walk on.

Write a sentence below using the vocabulary word correctly.

inarticulate (94)

1. lacking the ability to express oneself, especially in clear andeffective speech: an inarticulate public speaker.2. unable to use articulate speech: inarticulate with rage.

Percival let out a wail that “turned to an inarticulate gibbering” (94).

She was so afraid that she was inarticulate. The only sound she could make was a pathetic whimpering.

Write a sentence below using the vocabulary word correctly.

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Word (pg. #) Definition Example from text

interminable (99) seemingly incapable ofbeing terminated; unending

Because they were afraid, the blackness lingered. “An interminable dawn faded the stars out, and at last[,] light . . . filtered into the shelter” (99).

I can’t handle the interminable dripping of the kitchen faucet.

Write a sentence below using the vocabulary word correctly.

leviathan (105) a sea monster;anything of immense sizeand power

The ocean water is compared to “a sleeping leviathan breath[ing] out” when the tide rises (105).

Despite the project's leviathan size and many intricate details, there's almost no margin for error.

Write a sentence below using the vocabulary word correctly.

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Chapter One Discussion Questions1. List several physical, outward characteristics of Ralph. Use exact quotes from the text in

your list. Then, explain what Ralph's physical characteristics suggest about his personality.

2. Describe the physical, outward characteristics of Piggy. What physical weaknesses does Piggy display? Use exact quotes from the text in your list. Then, explain what Piggy's outward / physical characteristics suggest about his personality.

3. Contrast Ralph's attitude toward the absence of adults on the island with Piggy's attitude. Use at least two quotes to support your answer.

4. Describe the conch that the boys find. What is the reaction of the children on the island to the blowing of the conch? What might the conch symbolize to the children at this point in the novel? Explain, using at least two quotes to support your answer.

5. What positive abilities does Piggy show in this chapter? Explain, using at least two quotes to support your answer.

6. Describe the character of Jack Merridew, based on his actions in this chapter. Use at least two quotes to support your answer. How do Jack and Ralph seem to feel about each other in this chapter? Use a quote to support your answer.

7. What leadership qualities does Ralph exhibit in this chapter? Use quotes from the text to support your answers.

Chapter Two Discussion Questions

1. What is Jack's response to the idea of "rules"? What do you think this reveals about Jack's character? What is his attitude toward his English heritage? What does this reveal about Jack? Include at least two quotations in your response.

2. How does Ralph respond to the suggestion about "the beastie" being on the island? With what is Ralph most concerned? Include at least two quotes in your response.

3. Examine the boy's attempt to build the fire. How would you describe their behavior? What about Piggy's reaction to the whole incident? In what ways is Piggy superior to the rest of the boys? Include at least two quotes in your response.

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4. How is Piggy treated by the other boys when he tries to speak? How is the power of the conch starting to diminish? What might this symbolize?

5. What has happened to the "little 'un that had a mark on his face"? In what ways is this boy a symbolic character? What might he symbolize? Explain, using at least two quotes in your response.

Chapter Three Character Review

* Jack = growing savagery- physical description (pg. 48)- obsession with hunting- The madness came into his eyes again.

"I thought I might kill" (51)

* Conflict between Ralph & Jack- Ralph wants shelter; Jack is obsessed with meat, hunting.- Jack feels as if he's "being hunted" while he's out in the jungle. - Is it the beast?- Jack is forgetting about civilization.- Jack had to think for a moment before he could remember what rescue was.

"Rescue? Yes, of course! All the same, I'd like to catch a pig first..."(53).

* Simon - different from the other boys- Helpful

- helps out Ralph with shelters- helps out the littluns; watches over them

- Loner- quiet, doesn't talk much- sneaks off to his private place- The whole space was walled with dark aromatic bushes, and was a bowl of heat

and light.- Simon listens to the sounds of the island as night comes.

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Chapter Four Discussion Questions

1. How does Jack act after he applies a painted mask to his face?

2. A ship passes by the boys. Why doesn't the ship notice them? What is Ralph’s reaction? Jack’s? Piggy’s? Simon’s? Ralph’s?

3. Who breaks one of the lenses of Piggy's glasses? What does this signify? Does this change anything?

4. Who offers Piggy the rest of his meat when Jack refuses to give Piggy any? Why does this person do so? Pity? Selflessness? Caring?

Chapter Five Discussion Questions

1. Changes in Ralph (76-77)

2. Ralph's thoughts on Piggy (78)

3. The assembly: Problems that Ralph identifies

4. Attitudes toward the Beast:Ralph:Jack:Piggy:Simon:

5. Percival Wemys Madison: his "incantation"

6. Attitudes toward the rulesJack’s:Ralph’s:

7. Piggy's fear

Chapter Six Discussion Questions

1. The parachutist lands

2. Sam 'n Eric's description of the Beast

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3. Ralph's attitude toward the conch (101-102)

4. Simon's view of the beast (103, 105)

5. The rocky area: Ralph's attitude Jack's attitude

6. Last line of the chapter: significance?

Chapter Seven Discussion Questions

1. What longing does Ralph express at the start of Chapter Seven? (109)

2. How does Ralph react after he hits the boar with the spear? (113) In what ways is Ralph experiencing an internal conflict?

3. Look closely at the "game" the boys "play" with Robert after they fail to kill the boar. What does this ritual reveal about the boys? Specifically, what does it reveal about Ralph? (114-115)

4. Why do you think that Simon volunteers to go back to the shelters (alone) to help Piggy? What does this reveal about him? (117)

5. In what ways does the conflict between Jack and Ralph escalate in this chapter? What drives the conflict? (119)

6. Describe Roger's behavior as they go to see the beast (at the end of the chapter). How do Jack and Ralph react to him when he speaks? How would you characterize Roger? (121-123)

Chapter Eight Discussion Questions

1. What "charges" does Jack make against Ralph at the assembly he calls? How accurate are these charges? What does this incident reveal about Jack? (126-127)

2. Who remains in Ralph's tribe after Jack's departure? Describe Piggy's attitude now that Jack has left the tribe. (130-132)

3. The boys hunt and kill a sow (135-136). Look closely at the vivid description that Golding gives of the hunt. Write down several vivid phrases that are used as the boys

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kill the sow. As you look at the phrases, what other symbolic (not literal) activity does the killing of the sow seem to suggest? (It's pretty disturbing, but don't be afraid to say what you think.)

4. Look at the discussion that takes place on pages 141-142. What seems to be happening to Ralph? How is he changing?

Chapter Nine Discussion: Simon's Death

1. What characteristics does Simon demonstrate when he confronts the parachutist on top of the mountain? Include at least one passage that helps support your observations.

2. Opinionnaire: Fill in the following opinionnaire regarding Simon's death. Be prepared to explain your responses.

strongly agree

agree disagree strongly disagree

1. Jack is the person who is most responsible for Simon's death.2. Ralph and Piggy are just as responsible for Simon's death as the other boys.3. With the way things were going on the island, Simon's death was inevitable (unavoidable).4. The storm (nature) was largely responsible for Simon's death.5. People like Simon are often persecuted by other human beings.

3. Look closely at the way Golding describes Simon's body being swept out to sea. Write down some of the vivid descriptive details that Golding uses. How do you think that Golding regards (feels about) the character of Simon? Is there anything symbolic about the fact that Simon's body is taken out to sea, rather than being left to rot on the island?

Chapter Ten Discussion Questions

1. Why don’t Sam, Eric, Ralph and Piggy openly admit that they helped kill Simon? Why do they excuse their actions by saying it was dark?

2. How does Jack excuse the death of Simon?

3. Jack punishes Wilfred. How? What does this say about Jack’s leadership?

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4. Jack raids Ralph’s camp. Why? Why didn’t he take the conch?

Chapter Eleven Discussion Questions

1. Of all the boys, after Jack raids the camp for Piggy’s glasses, how many are left now in Ralph’s group? At the pitifully small meeting they call, what is decided?

2. Why does Ralph forget about rescue at times and have to be reminded of it by Piggy?

3. When they reach Castle Rock, describe how Jack’s tribe looks.

4. When Piggy showed the boys the conch shell and tried to talk, what did Roger do? What happened to Samneric? What happened to Ralph?

Chapter Twelve Discussion Questions

1. What does Ralph understand now about his status with Jack’s tribe?

2. Samneric are guarding Castle Rock when Ralph returns to it. Ralph gets what information from Samneric after climbing Castle Rock and talking to them furtively? What do the twins shove at Ralph as he leaves?

3. After thinking, what does Ralph realize Jack and Roger are planning to do with him when they capture him?

4. Ralph becomes gradually aware that what has happened on the island?

5. The officer asks Percival his name. Why can’t Percival remember what he had recited about his name?

6. What is ironic about the island being on fire?

7. What is ironic about the rescue by an officer?

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