Lord of the Flies William Golding l Goldings

Lord of the Flies

William Golding l Golding’s first and most successful novel, Lord of the Flies, was published in England in 1954 but its popularity was not established until five years later when it appeared in paperback.

William Golding l This book was followed by a series of other novels, each concerned in one way or another with theme of man’s capacity for evil” The Inheritors, Free Fall and The Brass Butterfly.

Themes l The most obvious of themes is man's need for civilization. Contrary to the belief that man is innocent and society evil, the story shows that laws and rules, policemen and schools are necessary to keep the darker side of human nature in line. When these institutions and concepts slip away or are ignored, human beings revert to a more primitive part of their nature.

Themes l l Evil (the beast) is within man himself. Golding implies that the loss of innocence has little to do with age but is related to a person's understanding of human nature. It can happen at any age or not at all. Painful though it may be, this loss of innocence by coming to terms with reality is necessary if humanity is to survive.

Themes l Fear of the unknown on the island revolves around the boys' terror of the beast. The recognition that no real beast exists, that there is only the power of fear, is one of the deepest meanings of the story.

They’re the real thing l l Golding establishes a sense of reality by his descriptions of the boys and by the language of their conversations with each other. The boys have ordinary physical attributes and mannerisms of young boys. The group includes a variety of physical types: short, tall, dark, light, freckled, tow-headed, etc.

. . . They’re the real thing l To stress the universality of their later actions, Golding takes great pains to present the boys as normal. The ‘littluns” suck their thumbs, eat sloppily, etc. , while the older ones rolling about the sand, stand on their heads, and swim.

. . . They’re the real thing l Even their unkindness to Piggy is credible for children often display a “natural cruelty to anyone they consider different or inferior.

Life among the savages l Nor does their metamorphosis from ordinary schoolboys into bloodthirsty savages seem unlikely, for Golding has taken the descent one step at a time.

Characters as symbols l l l Ralph=common sense, and responsibility Jack=immediate gratification and irresponsible authority Piggy=ineffective intellectualism l l Simon=mystic, Religious side of man. Understands good and evil but no communication. Samneric=incapable of acting independently. They represent loss of identity through fear of the beast.

Characters as symbols l Dead parachutist= the “sign, ” evil developing on the island l Each of the characters represents a part of man.

. . . Characters as symbols l We all have good, evil, common sense, intelligence, a sense of nature within us.

Objects as symbols Conch shell l law and order. The shell looses authority as anarchy grows. The conch fades in color and power. It’s power is broken with the “fall of piggy. ” Lord of the Flies l Refers to the head of the pig which Jack has left as an offering to the “beast. ” Literal translation of the “Beelzebub, ” prince of demons. Symbolizes man’s capacity for evil

Objects as symbols Huts l represent the desire to preserve civilization; when Jack gains power they move into caves like the animals they have become. Fire l its use divides civilization from savagery. Ralph uses it for hope; Jack for cooking. It is Jack’s group that allows the fire (hope) to go out

Objects as symbols Piggy’s glasses l They signify man’s ability to perceive, to think. That thought can be misused for destructive purpose is shown when Piggy’s glasses are used to smoke Ralph out. Night and Darkness l an archetypal symbol of evil, “the powers of darkness. ” The boys would have recognized the chutist in the daylight, as would they have Simon. The beast is more real at night

Objects as symbols Face paint l The paint helps the boys hide from their own consciences, turning them into anonymous savages who are freed from the restraints of “civilized” behavior. Stick sharpened on both ends l Represents how much evil has taken the boys over. First it was used to offer the beast the pig sacrifice; next to offer it Ralph’s.

Jack, chief representative of evil in the novel, is too inhibited by society’s teachings to slay the piglet the first day, he later progresses to exhilaration in his first kill.

…Jack l Eventually he comes to kill for the sheer thrill of slaughter rather than the need for meat, and this becomes the motive for hunting.

Ralph l Ralph is a tall, blond twelve year old, establishes himself as the leader of the boys when he blows the conch shell to call the first assembly. Throughout the story, he struggles to maintain order and is forced to compete with Jack for respect.

Dynamic character l l A dynamic character is one who undergoes a change during the story because he learns a truth or comes to a realization about himself. Ralph is such a character.

A. His initial character 1. Enjoys the absence of adults on the island 2. Popular 3. Indifferent to Piggy 4. Enjoys the island 5. Likes Jack 6. Trusts others 7. Refuses to accept the beast.

B. What changes him 1. 2. 3. 4. Decay of order Insistence on rules Need for intelligence Brutal behavior revealed 5. Savagery in Jack 6. Betrayed by all 7. Savagery in himself and other

C. Character change 1. Wishes adults were present on the island 2. An outcast 3. Appreciates and misses Piggy 4. Hates the island 5. Fears Jack 6. Trusts no one 7. Knows the beast is within