ENGLISH LITERATURE 2A: LORD OF THE FLIES

ESSAY PRACTICE
→ ​Topics:
● Lord of the Flies Essay Practice
○ Characters
■ Ralph
■ Jack
■ Piggy
■ Simon
■ Roger
■ Jack and Ralph
■ Ralph and Piggy
○ Themes
■ Savagery and civilisation
■ Power and leadership
■ Violence
■ Innocence
■ Nature of evil
■ Fear
■ Setting
■ Death
■ Friendship
■ Individualism vs community
■ Identity
CHARACTERS:
1. DO YOU THINK THAT RALPH IS AN IMPORTANT CHARACTER IN ‘LORD OF THE FLIES’?

● Introduction
Golding uses Ralph to explore ideas of the ​INHERENT EVIL OF MANKIND​ and O ​ RIGINAL SIN​. Whilst Ralph is the most ​symbolic​ character of
civilisation, even he ​FEELS THE PULL OF SAVAGERY​, showing that d​ espite being educated​, he is still prone to the man’s inherently evil nature.
Despite Ralph’ initial strong leadership, his ​STRUGGLES TO USE DEMOCRACY​ to control the group shows that ​SAVAGERY HAS ULTIMATELY
OVERTAKEN CIVILISATION​ on the island.

● Paragraph 1 = initial appearances

Golding presents Ralph as​ INNOCENT AND CIVILISED​ at the beginning of the novel, and he uses ​contrast​ to present Ralph as the ​antithesis​ of
Jack’s dictatorial character, highlighting his ​DEMOCRATIC WAYS. ​Golding uses a ​semantic field of colour​; he describes Ralph is described as​ ‘fair
boy’ with ‘fair hair’ and ‘golden body’ u ​ sing the h
​ omonym​ ​‘fair’​ to present him as not only physically attractive but also well balanced and
impartial. . On the other hand, Jack is c
​ ontrasted​ as being​ ‘freckled and crumpled’, and ‘ugly without silliness’.​ From the very beginning Golding
introduces the C ​ ONFLICT b​ etween ​SAVAGERY AND CIVILISATION, DEMOCRACY AND AUTOCRACY​, through Ralph and Jack. Ralph’s fair
appearance ​symbolises​ his innocence, as well as civilisation, ​contrasting​ to Jack’s s​ ymbolism​ of savagery. In W​ WII the Nazi regime was a great
threat to the survival of Britain​, and it was very much a b ​ attle between dictatorship and democracy​. Ralph’s ‘​ fair hair’​ presents him as a
typical English school boy​, like the many G ​ olding would have seen throughout his 9 years of teaching​, yet Jack’s ‘​ red hair beneath a black
cap’ ​symbolises​ that​ colours of communism​, and represent the o ​ pposing threat of the USSR to Britain during the Cold War​. Thus Ralph is
presented as the D ​ IRECT OPPOSITE OF JACK​ in the opening chapters, and consequently S ​ ETS UP THE CONFLICT​ amongst the island.

● Paragraph 2 = leadership and authority

Golding presents Ralph as​ INITIALLY HAVING STRONG LEADERSHIP AND AUTHORITY​, through the powerful ​symbol of the conch​. Ralph’s initial
power is similar to that of ​ChurchIll during WWII.​ However as the novel progresses his respect and authority decreases; Golding uses the ​BOYS’
LACK OF RESPECT FOR LEADERSHIP​ as a m ​ etaphor​ for how the boys have L ​ ITTLE NEED FOR CIVILISATION’S DEMOCRACY​. Ralph takes the lead
in the opening chapters, organising a vote for chief and eventually becomes chief, once being E ​ LECTED DEMOCRATICALLY​. The ​powerful symbol
of the conch​, is used by Ralph to gain control of the boys. ​‘The boys obeyed the summon of the conch’​, shows the significance of the power that
it had; Golding ​personifies​ the call of the conch, highlighting how it was not Ralph who summoned the boys, but the conch itself, presenting it as
all-powerful. However, the ​CONCH LOSES ITS POWER​ as Jack’s power increases, and consequently R ​ ALPH’S CREDIBILITY AS A LEADER FALLS​. At
the beginning of the novel, the conch gives Ralph the​ ‘ability to speak’​, but later in the novel, Ralph contemplates to even ‘​ blow the conch’​, in fear
that the boys won’t return. The ​DESTRUCTION OF THE CONCH ​ and its ​‘explosion into a thousand white fragments’​ ​symbolises​ the
ERADICATION OF CIVILISATION​ , however it could also represent new beginnings of society; Golding witnessed how the ​world as he knew it
almost came to an end during WW2​, yet despite it's destruction, society was able to rebuilt itself. Golding uses the ​image of the conch​ to show
how f​ ragile symbols of power in everyday life are, and how unstable a democracy can be.

● Paragraph 3 = descent from civilisation

Golding also used Ralph to show how ​EDUCATION IS NOT A CURE FOR SAVAGE INSTINCTS​, and instead civilisation can merely ​MASK TRUE
SAVAGE INTENTS​. Throughout his p ​ articipation in WW2​, particularly his r​ ole as a naval officer and in the D-Day Landings​, Golding was ​shocked
with educated people’s ability to carry out atrocious acts​ and he realised that even educated people had the ​ABILITY TO DO WRONG​. Despite
Ralph’s U
​ PPER MIDDLE CLASS BACKGROUND​, his father’s role in the navy, and his lack of ​ungrammatical and colloquial language​ like Piggy,
Ralph still F
​ OLLOWS THE BOYS’ DESCENT INTO SAVAGERY​, albeit at a much slower and less dramatic pace. Golding uses​ ​imagery​ to describe
Ralph’s wishes at returning home to civilisation. He remembers the ‘​ wild ponies’​ at his fence and ​‘cornflakes with sugar’​ before bed, yet Golding
uses ​Ralph’s hair as a symbol​ for his ​DISMISSAL OF CIVILISATION​ Ralph is seen repeatedly ‘​ push[ing] his hair back with clenched hands’
showing his attempts to resist the pull of savagery, and yet R​ ETAIN A SENSE OF CIVILISATION. ​The boys believe that they​ ‘are English, and
English are the best!’​ - a ​common perception of British boys growing up in the 1950s​, yet an ​ironic​ one, given that all these educated boys
EVENTUALLY SUCCUMB TO THE PULL OF SAVAGERY

● Paragraph 4 = descent into savagery - killing of the sow

Whilst Ralph represents civilisation in this novel, Golding uses R
​ ALPH’S PROGRESSION INTO SAVAGERY​ shows how every individual has the
HUMAN IMPULSE OF SAVAGERY MORE DEEPLY ROOTED​ than the human impulse for civilisation. Throughout the novel, even Ralph finds it harder
to withstand the ‘​ overmastering desire to squeeze and kill’​, and the pull of savagery. Whilst he didn’t participate in the killing of the sow, his pride
at injuring the boar ultimately f​ oreshadows​ the his participation in the death of Simon, and even if Ralph was against hunting, he was still relieved
to ‘​ take part in this demented but partly secure society’​. In a novel with no feminine characters, the sow’s death becomes even more significant,
as the boys attempt to I​ MPOSE THEIR WILL ON THE NATURAL WORLD​. Golding uses v ​ iolent sexual imagery​ to compare the killing of the sow to
the R ​ APE OF A WOMAN​. The boys are described as ​‘wedded to her in lust’​, and​ ‘heavy and fulfilled upon her’​. The use of s​ exual imagery
indicates the boys’ ​LOSS OF INNOCENCE​, as they are no longer conditioned by society and are now ​FREE TO EXPRESS VIOLENCE​. In the 1950s,
with W ​ WII over, gender roles and the stereotyping of them would still be prominent​, with women only ​just moving out of housekeeping and
taking care of children. T ​ his would leave women ​vulnerable to the violent and tyrannical acts of men​, reflected in the boys’ treatment towards
the sow. This emphasises Golding’s belief that even the ​MOST INNOCENT OF BOYS​ can be capable of such ​ATROCIOUS ACTS
 ● Paragraph 5 = descent into savagery - killing of Simon
Finally, Golding uses Ralph’s P
​ ARTICIPATION IN THE KILLING OF SIMON ​to demonstrate man’s inherently evil tendencies due to​ ‘Original Sin’; the
the Augustine Christian doctrine​ that says that everyone is born sinful. Using​ ‘The Coral Island’ by R.M Ballantyne​ for inspiration, Golding
suggests that putting boys on an island, away from civilisation and adults cannot end harmoniously. In ​‘The Coral Island’, the British boys; Ralph,
Jack and Peterkin put down the savages and impose their religion​ on the island’s inhabitants, living peacefully. This is not the case in Golding’s
novel, where even the m​ ost symbolic character of civilisation​ feels the pull of savagery and evil. This is reflected in the communal event of killing
Simon;​ animal imagery​ is used to draw attention to the boys’ loss of humanity. The boys act as a ​‘single organism’​ and kill him​ ‘without words’
and with the ​‘tearing of teeth and claws’​. Although they realise that it is Simon, their V
​ IOLENT AND SAVAGE INSTINCTS HAVE OVERPOWERED
THEIR RATIONAL THINKING​, and the boys’ savagery reaches their peak. The death of Simon m ​ irrors the death of Jesus​, as Simon was a s​ ymbol
for Jesus. When Simon’s body is carried off with the tide, the water​ ‘dressed Simon’s coarse hair with brightness’​, s​ ymbolic of a halo​, and ​stone
imagery i​ s used to describe him as a knowledge as fundamental as the earth. Despite Simon’s calm and peaceful return to nature, his ​VIOLENT
DEATH​ serves as a contradiction; the boys killed with the intent of slaying the evil, when in reality they have only ​HIGHLIGHTED THE EVIL,
BEASTLY QUALITIES OF THEMSELVES​, made more significant by R ​ ALPH’S PARTICIPATION

QUOTATIONS:
● ‘fair boy’ with ‘fair hair’ and ‘golden body’
● ‘freckled and crumpled’, and ‘ugly without silliness’.
● ‘red hair beneath a black cap’
● ‘the boys obeyed the summon of the conch’
● ‘ability to speak’
● ‘blow the conch’
● ‘explosion into a thousand white fragments’
● ‘wild ponies’
● ‘cornflakes with sugar’
● ‘push[ing] his hair back with clenched hands’
● ‘are English, and English are the best!’
● ‘overmastering desire to squeeze and kill’
● ‘take part in this demented but partly secure society’
● ​‘wedded to her in lust’, and ‘heavy and fulfilled upon her’​.
● ‘single organism’
● ‘without words’
● ‘tearing of teeth and claws’
● ‘dressed Simon’s coarse hair with brightness’
2. DO YOU THINK THAT JACK IS AN IMPORTANT CHARACTER IN ‘LORD OF THE FLIES’?

● Introduction
Golding uses Jack to explore ​IDEAS OF THE INHERENT EVIL OF MANKIND, AND ORIGINAL SIN​ Jack’s rejection of civilisation, descent into
savagery and obsession with hunting shows that despite being educated, he is ​STILL PRONE TO THE PULL OF EVIL​. Golding uses his ​own
experiences in WW2​ to compare Jack’s actions to the ​acts he experienced in the D-Day landings​, ultimately ​symbolising​ the L
​ ACK OF
GOODNESS AMIDST AN ABUNDANCE OF EVIL

● Paragraph 1 = initial appearances

Golding presents Jack as ​SHOWING SIGNS OF SAVAGE INTENTIONS​ from the beginning of the novel, through the u ​ se of contrast​, presenting
Jack as the ​antithesis​ of Ralph’s character. He insists on being known by his last name, indicating his ​SUPERIORITY COMPLEX​ from the very
beginning, shown in ‘​ Kids names [...] Why should I be Jack? I’m Merridew.’ T ​ his presents Jack in a way that depicts ​male dominance and
patriarchy in the 20th century​, and sets him up as a D ​ ICTATORIAL FIGURE​ from the beginning of the novel, ​foreshadowing​ later events. Jack’s
physical description also ​contrasts​ to Ralph’s ​‘fair hair’ and ‘golden body’​ that depicts him as an ​innocent English school boy​, typical of the
boys that Golding saw through his 9 years of teaching​. Jack however, is described as ‘​ ugly’, ‘freckled’ having ‘angry eyes’ and ‘red hair’​. The
colour of his hair is significant; r​ ed was a colour commonly associated with communism​, linking to the ​threat of the USSR to Britain during the
Cold War​ that was prevalent in Golding’s time. Jack’s features were also ​linked to Jewish characteristics​, possibly mirroring how the ​Jews killed
Jesus, and Jack eventually killed Simon, a Jesus-figure.​ The fact that Jack attempts to S ​ EIZE POWER UNDEMOCRATICALLY​ at the beginning of
the novel, despite failing, ​foreshadows​ his eventual R ​ EJECTION OF CIVILISATION​ as a whole. Jack is ​COMPARED TO THE NAZIS​ and the actions
they u​ ndertook in the Holocaust​; he is known to m ​ istreat weaker and less able people​ like Piggy, mirroring how the ​Nazis discriminated
against those with disabilities or ethnic minorities​. Golding was shocked that many of the horrors that had taken place during the war were done
by educated people who came from a ‘tradition of civilisation’. Jack too was educated; he was of an ​upper class background​ and was not only
the​ choirmaster but headmaster. ​Golding wrote this novel in response to books such as ‘​ The Coral Island’; from his experience as a teacher,
Golding knew that the idyllic life of Coral Island could never exist.

● Paragraph 2 = power and leadership

Golding presents the P ​ OWER THAT JACK HAS OVER THE OTHER BOYS ​ using a ​ nimal imagery​. Jack’s choir is described as ‘​ the creature was a
party of boys, marching’.​ This depicts the choir as a group of boys moving in sync, f​ oreshadowing​ their descent into savagery and L ​ OSS OF
IDENTITY​ later in the novel. Jack’s power hungry nature is further displayed in him talking with ‘​ offhand superiority’ a ​ nd expecting to be chief. He
is described as ‘​ the most obvious leader’​ and therefore thought he ‘​ ought to be chief’​. By this, Golding suggests the idea that politicians are
often n
​ ot judged based on their ability to lead a party​, or a country, but rather on their p ​ hysical attributes such as attractiveness​. Jacks
power is further emphasised by the statement; ​'authority sat on his shoulder and chattered in his ear like an ape.'​ The p ​ ersonification of
authority ​depicts Jack’s power as being ​CONTROLLED BY HIS EVIL NATURE​ and the image of an ​‘ape’ s​ hows that Jack has ​DESCENDED INTO A
PRIMITIVE STATE​, depicting his descent from civilisation. Golding also uses i​ rony​ to present Jack as hypocritical; he begins stating that;​ ‘We’ll
have rules. Lots of rules! That way when anyone breaks them. Whee-oh!’​ The ​use of exclamation marks​ shows his excitement at rules, and
EVEN MORE SO AT PUNISHMENT H ​ owever, Jack rejects rules that he doesn’t like; he’s the ​FIRST THE REJECT CIVILISATION​ and shout ‘​ bollocks
to the rules!’​, and say that the​ ‘conch doesn’t count’.​ These D
​ OUBLE STANDARDS ​can be seen to represent​ Britain’s justification of the
atrocities during WW2​; Britain justified this on the basis that they had​ ‘right’ on their side​, and this is mirrored in Jack’s actions in which he
believes that he is R​ IGHT TO BEND THE RULES TO HIS CHOICE​.

● Paragraph 3 = leadership
Golding also presents Jack as a ​VIOLENT AND AGGRESSIVE CHARACTER​. The ​USE OF VIOLENCE CHANGES t​ hroughout the novel; Jack initially
fails to kill a pig because of the ​‘enormity of the knife and descending and cutting into a living flesh’​. However, later in the novel, after Jack and
his hunters feel the​ ‘compulsion to kill and attack’​. Golding presents​ JACK AS AN ANIMAL ​with his​ ‘bloodthirsty snarling’.​ This ​animal imagery
DISTANCES HIMSELF FROM CIVILISATION​ and shows his descent into savagery. Their pride in having killed the pig ​foreshadows​ the death of
Piggy, especially due to the g ​ raphic imagery​ used to describe the way in which the pig is killed; ​‘Piggy [...] with no time for even a grunt’​ shows
the similarities between the two deaths. In a novel with no feminine characters, the sow’s death becomes even more significant, as the boys
attempt to ​IMPOSE THEIR WILL ON THE NATURAL WORLD​. Golding uses ​violent sexual imagery​ to compare the killing of the sow to the ​RAPE OF
A WOMAN​. The boys are described as ‘​ wedded to her in lust’​, and​ ‘heavy and fulfilled upon her’​. The use of ​sexual imagery​ indicates the boys’
LOSS OF INNOCENCE​, as they are no longer conditioned by society and are now F ​ REE TO EXPRESS VIOLENCE​. Violence is originally R ​ ESTRICTED
TO A CONDONED PLACE​, reflecting the way that in society, violence is viewed as being a ​ cceptable in some instances such as in war or
combating criminality. ​However, violence ​SPILLS INTO MURDER​ and eventually becomes uncontrolled. Finally, Jack ​LOSES HIS CHILDHOOD AND
IDENTITY​ when he becomes a ​‘Chief’​, a title often u​ sed for army generals​, as Golding would have been​ familiar with during his time in the
army​. He wears his garland ‘​ like an idol’​ and orders the boys around, abusing his power. The F ​ ACE PAINT LIBERATES THE BOYS INTO SAVAGERY
and frees them to act in a way that ​SCHOOLS, PARENTS AND POLICEMEN HAVE NEVER LET THEM
 ● Paragraph 4 = power maintained through violence
Golding shows how Jack’s ​POWER IS MAINTAINED THROUGH VIOLENCE AND FEAR​. Jack uses fear-mongering techniques, often ​common of
political leaders​, in order to c
​ reate a common enemy and unite the group.​ For example, he tells them that the beast can disguise itself so that
they C​ AN NEVER REALLY KILL IT​ this keeps the boys feeling insecure and threatened and I​ NCREASES JACK’S POWER OVER THEM​ Jack
encourages boys to join his tribe and promises ‘​ protection’​; this relates to ​Hitler’s inherent fear of ‘lesser beings’ such as ethnic minorities,
Jews and disabled people,​ and he built his N ​ azi regime on the fear​ for these groups, and the p ​ romised protection from them.​ The boys’ fear
ultimately leads to their A​ DOPTION OF JACK’S VIOLENT TENDENCIES​, and refusal of civilisation. Golding draws on the ​political climate of the
Cold War​, which was a figurative ‘war’ created by the​ fear of the opposing side starting nuclear war​, causing each side to b ​ uild and advance
their own nuclear weapons.​ This is reflected in the C​ OMMUNAL EVENT OF KILLING SIMON​. A ​ nimal imagery​ is used to draw attention to the boys’
loss of humanity. The boys act as a​ ‘single organism’ and kill him ‘without words’​ and with the ​‘tearing of teeth and claws’​. Despite his
promised protection, Jack ends up creating a D ​ ESTRUCTIVE SOCIETY​. This is ​symbolised​ by the image of the ​‘stick sharpened at both ends’​,
suggesting that it could ​HURT THE HUNTER AS WELL AS THE PREY​. This relates to Golding’s experiences in W ​ WII as lieutenant in the navy​;
experiencing the N ​ azi regime first hand in the D-Day landings​ influenced Golding’s writing and enabled him to see the ​destruction that power
used unwisely, as in the case of the Nazis, could bring.

QUOTATIONS:
● ‘Kids names [...] Why should I be Jack? I’m Merridew.’
● ‘fair hair’ and ‘golden body’
● ‘ugly’, ‘freckled’ having ‘angry eyes’ and ‘red hair’
● ‘the creature was a party of boys, marching’
● ‘offhand superiority’
● ‘the most obvious leader
● ‘ought to be chief’
● 'authority sat on his shoulder and chattered in his ear like an ape.'
● ‘We’ll have rules. Lots of rules! That way when anyone breaks them. Whee-oh!’
● ‘bollocks to the rules!’
● ‘conch doesn’t count’
● ‘enormity of the knife and descending and cutting into a living flesh’
● ‘compulsion to kill and attack’
● ‘bloodthirsty snarling’
● ‘Piggy [...] with no time for even a grunt’
● ‘wedded to her in lust’, and ‘heavy and fulfilled upon her’
● ‘Chief
● ‘like an idol’
● ‘Protection’
● ‘single organism’ and kill him ‘without words’
● ‘tearing of teeth and claws’
● ‘stick sharpened at both ends’
3. DO YOU THINK THAT PIGGY IS AN IMPORTANT CHARACTER IN ‘LORD OF THE FLIES’?

● Introduction
Golding presents Piggy as a character representing C ​ IVILISATION, INTELLIGENCE AND THE RATIONAL WORLD​. Piggy is a character that vastly
represents the ​social disparity and difference in class ​at the time. Whilst Piggy appears to H
​ AVE ALL THE ANSWERS​ to the boys’ fears and
questions, his P
​ HYSICAL APPEARANCE IS NEVER ATTRACTIVE ENOUGH​ for people to respect him and T ​ REAT HIM AS A LEADER.

● Paragraph 1 = initial appearances

Golding uses​ ​contrast​ to present P​ IGGY AS AN OUTSIDER​ in the opening chapters. Piggy is described as​ ‘plump’ and ‘fat’​, whilst Ralph is a ​‘fair
boy’ that ‘might have been a boxer’​. Although comparison immediately puts Piggy at a P ​ HYSICAL DISADVANTAGE​, the reader is P ​ REDISPOSED
TO SYMPATHISE​ for Piggy. The reader can see that whilst the rest of the boys are involved with physical work, Piggy takes a step back due to
another P ​ HYSICAL HANDICAP​ his ‘​ assmar’.​ The majority of the boys also seem to come from ​UPPER MIDDLE CLASS BACKGROUNDS​. In the 1950s,
it was c​ ommon practice for children at this level of society to attend a single-sex preparatory school​, often living away from home as
boarders. Ralph, Jack and the choirboys fall into this category, and it is evident that they are from a ​DIFFERENT CLASS IN COMPARISON TO
PIGGY​. Piggy on the other hand, has had a different upbringing. This also links into the fact that Piggy is S
​ HUNNED DUE TO HIS WEIGHT AND
ASTHMA​; as being overweight would have been a ​sign of greed in the 1950s​. The reader is also able to see the difference in class through the
language​ that Piggy uses. ‘​ We was attacked!’​ is an example of the u ​ ngrammatical and colloquial dialect​ that Piggy uses due to his ​LOWER
CLASS​ As a result, despite his intelligence and rational thinking, the c
​ ontrast​ between Piggy and many of the other boys on the island marks him
as an O​ UTSIDER​, not fully understood by the other boys.

● Paragraph 2 = Piggy’s glasses

Another technique that Golding uses to present Piggy’s character is s​ ymbolism​. Piggy’s ​GLASSES REPRESENT CLARITY​ not just in terms of ​SIGHT
BUT IN HIS MIND AS WELL​. For example, Piggy is one of the only boys who believes that the ​BEAST DOES NOT EXIST​. Piggy states that​ ‘I know
there isn’t no beast.’​ Piggy’s glasses are the one aspect of the island that ​symbolises​ ​SCIENCE, ADVANCEMENT AND INTUITION​, whilst the rest of
the boys turn savage. However, Piggy’s ​GLASSES ARE MISUSED​. Jack suggests that they ‘​ use them as burning glasses’ t​ o start the signal fire,
and Jack​ ‘dangled Piggy’s broken glasses’​. At this point in the novel, the glasses no longer represent Piggy’s intelligence, but instead s​ ymbolise
for how far the boys have come from civilisation. Golding uses this ​symbolism​ to present P ​ IGGY AS RATIONAL​ and as the one A ​ DULT-LIKE
CHARACTER​ in the novel. Piggy’s knowledge allows him to U ​ NDERSTAND AND INTERPRET THINGS​ that the other boys do not know how to. Whilst
Ralph was the one who spotted the conch, Piggy was the person who fully understood the value of the conch and the N ​ ECESSITY FOR ORDER
amongst the chaos of the island. The ​parallels​ between Piggy’s death and his S ​ KULL CRACKING, AND THE CONCH SHATTERING​ into ‘​ a thousand
white fragments’​ just moments before , all links to the​ DESTRUCTION OF CIVILISATION AND ORDER​, beginning with the death of Piggy.

● Paragraph 3 = Piggy’s death

Foreshadowing and imagery​ is used by Golding to present the D ​ EATH OF PIGGY​. The reader gets to know that in his school, the children used to
call him ‘Piggy’, and this is the name that sticks with him throughout the book. As a result, Golding has placed the O ​ BVIOUS CONNECTION​ between
Piggy and the M ​ AD URGE TO HUNT AND KILL THE PIGS​ on the island, in the readers’ minds from the very beginning. Golding also uses this name
to f​ oreshadow​ the F
​ ATE OF PIGGY​. Piggy is described as ​‘a bag of fat’​, and later when he is killed, Golding compares his movements to ​‘a pig’s
after it has been killed’​. Only a few chapters earlier the sow in the pig hunt was described as ‘​ bloated bags of fat’​. In a novel with no feminine
characters, the sow’s death becomes even more significant, as the boys attempt to ​IMPOSE THEIR WILL ON THE NATURAL WORLD​ Piggy, in
some ways is ​metaphorically​ linked to the sow in terms of his​ ‘FEMININE’ ATTRIBUTES​. Described as H ​ AIRLESS, SOFTLY ROUNDED, AND
DISLIKING PHYSICAL LABOR​, Golding compares Piggy’s S ​ TEREOTYPICALLY FEMININE CHARACTERISTICS​ to the sow’s, also ​foreshadowing​ his
death at the end of the novel. In the 1​ 950s, with WWII over, gender roles and the stereotyping​ of them would still be prominent, with women only
just ​moving out of housekeeping and taking care of children​. In addition to this, ​‘the booing rose and died again as Piggy lifted the white,
magic shell’​ is another part of the novel that​ f​ oreshadows​ Piggy’s death, along with the death of civilisation. I​ magery​ was also used by Golding to
link Piggy to the sow.​ ‘Piggy [...] with no time for even a grunt’​ and ‘​ Piggy’s arms and legs twitched a bit like a pig’s after it had been killed’
are clear characteristic comparisons between the two, and ​‘the water boiled white and pink’​ indicate the colour of a pig’s skin. Overall, Piggy’s
death truly represents the E ​ ND OF ORDER, CIVILISATION AND THE FALL OF MAN

● Paragraph 4 = social differences

Participating in WWII, particularly in the D-Day landings affected Goldings’ thinking about humanity​. He was shocked that many of the
horrors that had taken place during the war were done by ​educated people​ who came from a ‘​tradition of civilisation’.​ Golding uses Piggy to
present his ideas about the social differences, especially regarding class. Piggy is the only character in the book who ​DOES NOT COME FROM AN
UPPER MIDDLE CLASS BACKGROUND​, yet he is one of the only boys who truly R ​ EPRESENTS LAW AND ORDER IN THE ADULT WORLD​. This is
shown when he describes the group of boys as ‘​ Like kids! Acting like a crowd of kids!’​ , and insists on learning names, ‘​ frowning to remember
them’​. He sees each boy as another human being, and wants to give them the ​PRIVILEGE OF BEING CALLED BY THEIR PROPER NAME​. This
matters to Piggy because just like the conch, it represents a ​SYSTEM OF LAW AND ORDER​. However, when Piggy dies Golding implicates that logic,
intelligence and democracy ​CANNOT WITHSTAND THE INHERENT EVIL​ of mankind. In fact, the value of logic, and Piggy’s life is ​ONLY REALISED
AT THE END OF THE NOVEL​ when Ralph weeps for the​ ‘fall through the air of a true, wise friend called Piggy.'​ The reader is able to see that
although Piggy is logical and has clever ideas, he is​ NOT RESPECTED​ by the other boys on the island. This could be due to the fact that he is of a
different social class to the rest of the boys, or that he has physical handicaps such as his ​‘assmar’ and ‘specs’​. By this, Golding suggests the idea
that​ politicians are often not judged based on their ability to lead a party​, or a country, but rather on their ​physical attributes​ such as
attractiveness.​ Piggy is not physically attractive enough to lead the boys, even when he is probably the ​MOST SUITED TO
 ● Paragraph 5 = killing of simon
During WWII, the B​ ritish justified the destruction​ that they brought upon their opposition, on the ​basis that they had ‘right’ on their side​.
However ​Golding gradually came to see that all humans had savagery within them.​ The reader can see this when Ralph and Piggy participate
in the ​KILLING OF SIMON​. Throughout the novel, Piggy has been one of the only characters that has stuck by the idea of civilisation and order,
however even Piggy felt​ ‘eager to take a place in this demented but partly secure society’​. In the next chapter, Piggy ​DISMISSED THE MURDER
of Simon, making excuses such as ​‘It was dark. There was that- that bloody dance. There was lightning thunder and rain. We was scared!’
Piggy has been one of the most ​LOYAL CHARACTERS​ throughout the novel, especially to Ralph, with firm beliefs in science and technology. Yet
here the reader can see that E ​ VEN PIGGY GIVES INTO THE PULL OF SAVAGERY​, much like the evil that G ​ olding experienced during WWII.

QUOTATIONS:
● ‘plump’ and ‘fat’
● ‘fair boy’ that ‘might have been a boxer’
● ‘Assmar’
● ‘we was attacked!’
● ‘I know there isn’t no beast.’
● ‘use them as burning glasses’
● ‘dangled Piggy’s broken glasses’
● ‘a thousand white fragments’
● ‘a bag of fat’
● ‘a pig’s after it has been killed’
● ‘bloated bags of fat’
● ‘the booing rose and died again as Piggy lifted the white, magic shell’
● ‘Piggy [...] with no time for even a grunt’
● ‘Piggy’s arms and legs twitched a bit like a pig’s after it had been killed’
● ‘the water boiled white and pink’
● ‘Like kids! Acting like a crowd of kids!’
● ‘frowning to remember them’
● ‘assmar’ and ‘specs’
● ‘It was dark. There was that- that bloody dance. There was lightning thunder and rain. We was scared!’
4. DO YOU THINK THAT SIMON IS AN IMPORTANT CHARACTER IN ‘LORD OF THE FLIES’?

● Introduction
Golding uses the character of Simon to explore ​IDEAS ABOUT HOPE AND GOODNESS​ in an I​ NHERENTLY EVIL WORLD​. He is the first out of two
characters who understand how ​HUMANS HAVE EVIL BUILT WITHIN THEM​, and Golding uses Simon’s brutal death at the hands of the other boys
to show the S​ CARCITY OF GOOD AMONGST AN ABUNDANCE OF EVIL

● Paragraph 1 = initial appearances

Golding uses ​contrast​ to present S​ IMON AS AN OUTSIDER​. He is described as a ​‘skinny vivid little boy’​ with​ ‘straight hair that hung down, black
and coarse’.​ This distinctly c
​ ontrasts​ to the description of Ralph and Jack, who are described in ways that R​ EPRESENT MALE DOMINANCE AND
PATRIARCHY IN THE 20TH CENTURY​, whereas Simon is described as ​WEAK AND NOT RESPECTED​ by the other boys as Ralph is. Simon’s first
appearance in the novel is when he faints, and he is described as ‘​ the choir boy who had fainted’​, even ​BEFORE HIS NAME IS REVEALED​. Despite
this, Ralph still C
​ HOOSES HIM TO DISCOVER THE ISLAND​ over Piggy, suggesting that even in the early parts of the novel. Ralph sees something in
Simon that ​MAKES HIM RESPECT SIMON​ Ralph described Simon as ‘​ delightfully gay and wicked’​ which is ​ironic​, as Simon is regarded as a
Jesus-figure.​ Other boys describe him as​ ‘batty’, ‘queer’, and ‘cracked’​; these s​ hort and simple adjectives​ show the L ​ ACK OF VOCABULARY
that the other boys have to describe him, and how he is perceived as ​STRANGE AND THEREFORE AN OUTSIDER

● Paragraph 2 = Simon as a Christ-figure [1]

Golding uses ​symbolism​ to represent S
​ IMON AS A CHRIST-FIGURE​. As ​Jesus was killed by the Jews​, Simon was killed by Jack who was
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE JEWS​ with his ‘​ red hair beneath a black cap’​. Simon possessed many​ QUALITIES SIMILAR TO JESUS​ He was deeply
SPIRITUAL, COMPASSIONATE, NON-VIOLENT ​and in ​HARMONY WITH THE NATURAL WORLD​. He was also ​OSTRACIZED AND RIDICULED​ as an
‘outsider’. This was c
​ ommon of many prophets​, for what others perceive as​ ‘queer’ or unorthodox behaviour​. Golding uses b
​ iblical allusions​ to
prove the similarity between Jesus and Simon. For example, when Simon discusses the prospects of returning home, he says​ ‘you’ll get back to
where you came from’​. The use of the​ ​pronoun​ ‘​you’ instead of ‘we’ s​ uggests that S
​ IMON KNEW ABOUT HIS OWN DEATH​, and in fact
foreshadows Simon’s death​ for the reader. In the Bible, Jesus knew that he was going to die too, shown in the G
​ ospel of Mark where Jesus
predicts his death three times.

● Paragraph 3 = Simon as a Christ-figure [2]

Another example of Simon’s representation of Jesus is when Simon passed fruit to ‘​ the endless outstretched hands’​. The word choice of​ ‘endless’
is interesting, as there were ​ONLY A FEW LITTLUNS​ on the island. This resembles ​Jesus as he helped an endless number of people​ and could
also r​ elate to the miracle of the 5 loaves and 2 fish​, where Jesus f​ ed 5000 with only this small amount of food​. Golding uses Simon to
represent a C ​ ONTRARY IDEA OF HUMAN GOODNESS​; Simon acts morally not out of guilt or shame, but because he B ​ ELIEVES IN THE INHERENT
VALUE OF MORALITY​. Simon’s confrontation with the Lord of the Flies resembles C ​ hrist’s conversation with the devil ​during his ​40 days in the
wilderness​ and by seeking to confront the figure on the mountaintop, Golding allows Simon to ​FULFIL HIS MISSION OF DESTINY.

● Paragraph 4 = discovery of the beast

Simon was the ​FIRST OF THE ONLY TWO CHARACTERS w ​ ho discovered and understood how all ​HUMANS HAVE EVIL BUILT WITHIN​, described as
‘mankind’s essential illness’​. Simon described the beast as​ ‘harmless and horrible’​, the​ a
​ lliteration​ creating a​ SIMPLICITY TO THE IDEA ​ that
humans are the source of evil, despite the other boys’ speculation of​ ‘snake-things’ and ‘beasties’​. Simon not only has the ability to understand
the true nature of the beast, but is able to ​COMMUNICATE WITH IT​ The beasts ​‘talks in the voice of a schoolmaster’​, indicating how Simon has
realised that ​EVEN ADULTS AREN’T INNOCENT​, and he is​ ‘filled with the cynicism of adult life’​. However, despite Simon’s realisation that there is
NO PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION ​ of the beast, he is U ​ NABLE TO EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT OF EVIL​ yet has the intelligence to understand a concept
as big as this.

● Paragraph 5 = Simon’s death

Simon’s importance is highlighted when Golding uses him to show the idea of how​ DESPITE THE LITTLE HUMAN GOODNESS​, it is ​EASILY
OVERPOWERED BY MANKIND’S INHERENT EVIL​ The brutal murder at the hands of the other boys indicates the ​SCARCITY OF GOOD AMID AN
ABUNDANCE OF EVIL​. Simon loses his identity, and instead of s​ ymbolising Jesus​ at this point, he ​symbolises​ how far the boys have come from
civilisation, and how their ​FEAR HAS OVERPOWERED HIM​. However, even through this,​ ‘Simon was crying out something about a dead man’​. This
shows that despite the evil at hand, he S​ TILL WANTS TO WARN THE BOYS​ about the beast. Golding uses ​irony​ to show the L ​ ACK OF
RATIONALITY​ that the boys have; if they had listened to Simon about his revelation about the beast, they W ​ OULD NOT BE MURDERING HIM​. When
Simon’s body is carried off with the tide, Golding shifts the focus from his body movements to ​LARGER PROGRESSIONS OF THE EARTH, SUN AND
MOON​. The water​ ‘dressed Simon’s coarse hair with brightness’​, s​ ymbolising a halo​, and ​stone imagery​ ​is used to describe him as a knowledge
as fundamental as the earth. ‘​ The line of his cheek silvered’ ​and ‘​ shoulder became sculptured marble’​ relates to religious statues, further
connecting​ Simon to a Jesus-figure.
5. DO YOU THINK THAT ROGER IS AN IMPORTANT CHARACTER IN ‘LORD OF THE FLIES’?

● Introduction
Golding uses Roger to show the ​EFFECTS OF CONDITIONING OF SOCIETY​, and how despite civilisation’s tight grip on the boys, being put on the
island allows mankind’s ​INHERENTLY EVIL NATURE TO BECOME CLEAR​. Roger’s dramatic descent into savagery and dismissal of his old way of
life represents Golding’s views of mankind as ​PRIMITIVE AND SAVAGE​. Golding drew upon from his experiences as a​ lieutenant of the navy in
WW2​; having seen the​ atrocious acts committed by educated and civilised people​, he came to realise that mankind has an ​INHERENTLY EVIL
NATURE

● Paragraph 1 = initial appearances

At the beginning of the novel, Roger is described using a​ l​ exical field of secrecy​, ​foreshadowing​ how he is H ​ IDING HIS TRUE EVIL NATURE ​.
Golding describes Roger as ​‘slight and furtive’​ with an ‘​ inner intensity of avoidance and secrecy’​. Roger is one of the only characters ​WITHOUT
A REVEALED BACKGROUND​, and this lack of knowledge adds to the ​MYSTERIOUS AURA​ surrounding him. This suggests that there is something
hidden within Roger, and throughout the novel, Roger becomes a F ​ IGURE OF TERROR​ as his violent nature is revealed. G ​ olding was shocked that
many of the horrors that had taken place during the war​ were done by ​educated people​ who came from a ​‘tradition of civilisation’​. Golding
also introduces Roger as a f​ oil to Simon​; one ​symbolising​ inherent evil, and the other s​ ymbolising​ human goodness amongst an abundance of
evil. Whilst Roger is described as having a​ ‘dark shadow’ a ​ cross his face, Simon is described as ​‘delightfully gay and wicked’​. This description is
ironic​, as S
​ IMON IS THE LEAST WICKED​ character out of all the boys, but shows the boys’​ LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF TRUE EVIL​ as Roger
possesses. Golding wrote this novel in response to books such as ‘​ The Coral Island’; from his experience as a teacher, Golding knew that the
idyllic life of Coral Island could never exist.​ ‘Lord of the Flies’ shows his ideas about the darker side of human nature starting from the same
basis of boys stranded on a desert island. The setting of an island away from all civilising influences is not only a ​microcosm of the adult world​ at
war with one another, but also suggests that S ​ OCIAL NORMS MASK THE TRUE EVIL NATURE OF MANKIND

● Paragraph 2 = conditioning of civilisation

Golding also suggests that while savagery is a part of every human being,​ CIVILISATION CAN MASK AND POSSIBLY DAMPEN THE FULL EFFECTS​.
For example, Roger is C ​ ONDITIONED BY CIVILISATION​ and unable to throw the stones, still ​bound by laws of ‘old life’​. He is described as being in
’protection of [...] policemen and the law.’ ​This shows how Roger was originally aware, but also f​ oreshadows​ how Roger ​ISN’T CONDITIONED
LATER​. Here, Golding uses Roger to represent those in society who T ​ AKE PLEASURE OUT OF THE PERSECUTION OF OTHERS​ Another of Golding’s
key ideas is that people will T
​ URN SAVAGE AND DESTROY THEMSELVES​ once they are outside a system with ​PUNISHMENTS AND
CONSEQUENCES​ He believes that negative consequences of savagery are there as C ​ IVILISATION HAS ALLOWED IT​ For example, violence is
RESTRICTED TO A CONDONED PLACE​ in the case of the hunters, as they need to hunt and find meat. This reflects the way that in society, violence
is v
​ iewed as acceptable in some instances such as war or combating criminality​. In the early chapters, an important function of a civilised
society is to provide an O​ UTLET FOR SAVAGE IMPULSES​. Jack and Roger’s initial desire to K ​ ILL THE PIGS TO DEMONSTRATE BRAVERY​ is
channeled into the hunt. Roger’s destructive impact on the boys is s​ ymbolised​ by the​ ‘stick sharpened at both ends’​, suggesting that it could hurt
the hunter as well as the prey, symbolising that the boys have C
​ REATED A SELF-DESTRUCTIVE SOCIETY​. This relates to Golding’s experiences in
WWII as lieutenant in the navy​; enabling him to see the ​destruction that power used unwisely, as in the case of the Nazis, could bring.

● Paragraph 3 = killing of the sow

Roger’s participation in the ​KILLING OF THE SOW​ demonstrates his evil nature. Golding uses ​violent sexual imagery​ to compare the killing of the
sow to the​ RAPE OF A WOMAN​. The killing of the sow can be seen as the ​TURNING POINT OF VIOLENT INTENTIONS​ in the novel. In a novel with
no feminine characters, the sow’s death becomes even more significant, as the boys attempt to I​ MPOSE THEIR WILL ON THE NATURAL WORLD​.
The boys are described as ‘​ wedded to her in lust’​, and ​‘heavy and fulfilled upon her’​. The use of s​ exual imagery​ indicates the boys’ L
​ OSS OF
INNOCENCE​, as they are no longer conditioned by society and are now F ​ REE TO EXPRESS VIOLENCE​. The sow is also described as​ ‘boated bags
of fat’​, similar to how Piggy is later described as​ ‘a bag of fat’.​ This ​foreshadows​ his death by Roger, as well as compares Piggy’s
STEREOTYPICALLY FEMININE CHARACTERISTICS​ to the sow’s. In the 1​950s, with WWII over, gender roles and the stereotyping​ of them would
still be prominent, with women only just​ moving out of housekeeping and taking care of children.​ This would leave women ​vulnerable to the
violent and tyrannical acts​ of men, reflected in the boys’ treatment towards the sow. In addition to this, whilst Roger ​PREVIOUSLY DOES NOT
INITIATE ​ evil actions but merely is present, the killing of the sow is the first act in which he L
​ EADS AND TAKES PLEASURE FROM​. This ​foreshadows
how he kills PIggy on his own behalf. Golding depicts Roger as having​ ‘held death in his hands’​. The fact that ‘​ death’,​ an abstract noun that is
unable to be touched or held, can be held by Roger shows his ​CLOSE PROXIMITY TO EVIL AND DEATH ALIKE

● Paragraph 4 = killing of Piggy

Roger’s killing of Piggy depicts how quickly he has ​MOVED AWAY FROM SOCIAL CONSTRAINTS​ on the island, and D ​ ETACHED HIMSELF FROM
CIVILISATION​ Whilst Roger is initially the one to suggest having a vote for Chief, Golding shows the ​irony​ that he is the ​FIRST TO FOLLOW JACK’S
DICTATORSHIP​ Golding describes him as a ​‘nameless authority’,​ highlighting his L ​ OSS OF IDENTITY​ through his descent into savagery; this
however mirrors how he increasingly D ​ EHUMANISES OTHER CHARACTERS​ in the novel. For example, he uses i​ magery of inanimate objects​ to
describe Ralph and Piggy; he describes Piggy as a​ ‘sack of fat’​ and Ralph as a ‘​ shock of hair’.​ Piggy’s death is used to show the extent to which
VIOLENCE HAS PROGRESSED​ Whilst Roger was initially bound by the ‘​ taboo of old life’​, he is now able to kill Piggy with ​‘a sense of delirious
abandonment’,​ showing how civilisation N ​ O LONGER CONDITIONS HIM​. Along with Piggy’s death, the V ​ IOLENT DESTRUCTION OF THE CONCH​ as
it​ ‘exploded into a thousand white fragments’​, symbolises the S ​ UBSEQUENT DEATH OF CIVILISATION​, and proving once again how V ​ IOLENCE
HAS OVERCOME THE ISLAND​, along with Roger’s dismissal of civilisation. This highlights the inherent evil of mankind, and relating back to
Augustine Christian doctrine that says that everyone is born sinful due to ‘Original Sin’,​ showing how Roger’s actions are T ​ YPICAL OF HUMAN
NATURE
6. HOW DOES GOLDING PRESENT JACK AND RALPH’S RELATIONSHIP IN ‘LORD OF THE FLIES’?
● Introduction
Golding uses the relationship between Jack and Ralph to present the C ​ ONFLICTING IDEAS OF DEMOCRACY AND DICTATORSHIP​ that were
prevalent at the time the novel was published, especially due to the e
​ vents of the Cold War. ​The changing relationship between Jack and Ralph
represents the boys’ D
​ EPARTURE FROM CIVILISATION​ and their inescapable D ​ ESCENT INTO SAVAGERY​, and this is ultimately caused by the boys
increasingly D
​ ISTANT TIES TO SOCIETY​.

● Paragraph 1 = initial relationships [1]

Golding depicts the ​RIVALRY BETWEEN JACK AND RALPH​ from their first appearances in the novel, despite their I​ NITIAL RESPECT​ for each other.
Golding uses the two boys’ ​PHYSICAL APPEARANCES AND CHARACTERISTICS​ to ​foreshadow​ their deteriorated relationship. He uses c ​ ontrast​ to
present Jack as the a ​ ntithesis​ of Ralph’s dictatorial character, highlighting Ralph’s democratic ways. Golding uses a s​ emantic field of colour​; he
describes Ralph is described as ​‘fair boy’ ​with ‘​ fair hair’​ and​ ‘golden body’​ using the ​homonym​ ​‘fair’​ to present him as not only ​PHYSICALLY
ATTRACTIVE​ but also well B ​ ALANCED AND IMPARTIAL​. This also depicts him as an i​ nnocent English school boy​, typical of the boys that ​Golding
saw through his 9 years of teaching.​ On the other hand, Jack is contrasted as being ‘​ ugly’​,​ ‘freckled’ h ​ aving ​‘angry eyes’ a
​ nd ​‘red hair’​. The
colour of his hair is significant; r​ ed was a colour commonly associated with communism​, linking to the​ threat of the USSR to Britain during the
Cold War t​ hat was prevalent in Golding’s time. Jack’s features were also linked to J ​ ewish characteristics​, possibly mirroring how the ​Jews killed
Jesus​, and J
​ ack eventually killed Simon, a Jesus-figure.

● Paragraph 2 = initial relationships [2]

Golding also presents J ​ ACK’S SUPERIORITY COMPLEX​, foreshadowing his ​AUTOCRATIC RULE​ later in the novel. He says, ‘​ Kids names [...] Why
should I be Jack? I’m Merridew.’​ This presents Jack in a way that d ​ epicts male dominance and patriarchy in the 20th century​, and sets him up
as a ​DICTATORIAL FIGURE​ from the beginning of the novel. ​Golding was shocked that many of the horrors​ that had taken place during the war
were done by e ​ ducated people who came from a ‘tradition of civilisation’​. Jack too was educated; he was of an ​upper class background​ and
was not only the​ choirmaster but headmaster​. Golding wrote this novel in response to books such as​ ‘The Coral Island’​; from his experience as a
teacher, Golding knew that the i​ dyllic life of Coral Island could never exist.​ Ralph’s fair appearance ​symbolises​ his innocence, as well as
civilisation, ​contrasting​ to Jack’s s​ ymbolism​ of savagery. In ​WWII the Nazi regime​ was a great t​hreat to the survival of Britain​, and it was very
much a battle between ​DICTATORSHIP AND DEMOCRACY. ​Thus Ralph is presented as the D ​ IRECT OPPOSITE OF JACK​ in the opening chapters,
and consequently ​SETS UP THE CONFLICT a ​ mongst the island.

● Paragraph 3 = differences in leadership

Whilst Jack is initially respectful of Ralph’s leadership, their ​RELATIONSHIP IS SEEN TO DETERIORATE​ when Jack attempts to ​LEAD THE BOYS
AGAINST RALPH​ Golding highlights and dramatizes the ​INTERNAL CONFLICT BETWEEN SAVAGERY AND CIVILISATION​ through the ​EXTERNAL
CONFLICT​ between Jack and Ralph. The two ideologies are expressed by each A ​ TTITUDES TOWARDS AUTHORITY​ Ralph uses his authority to
establish rules, enforce moral and ethical codes of the English society​ and represents a d ​ emocratic society.​ However, Ralph’s hair is used as a
symbol​ for the boys’ ​DESCENT INTO SAVAGERY​. Ralph is described as ​‘one hand holding his hair back, the other clenched.’ T ​ he long hair not
only shows that he is ​BECOMING SAVAGE-LIKE​, but the action of holding his hair back reflects him preventing himself from becoming a savage like
Jack, highlighting how D ​ ESPITE THEIR STRAINED RELATIONSHIP​, they are ​MORE SIMILAR​ than they believe. However, Jack uses his authority to
GRATIFY HIS MOST PRIMAL INSTINCTS​, make the other boys worship him as an idol and ​symbolises​ an a ​ utocratic society​. This reflects the battle
between ​dictatorship and democracy in WWII​, which Golding experienced first hand with his​ involvement in the navy and the D-Day landings.
Jack is c
​ ompared to the Nazis and actions they undertook during the Holocaust. ​This is i​ ronic​, as Jack is ‘​ proud to be English’​, but he ends up
RULING THROUGH BULLYING AND POWER​ This mirrors the way that ​Britain presents itself as democratic​ but often resorts to ​dictatorial tactics
to get what it wants, showing that even the M ​ OST CIVILISED COUNTRIES HAVE SAVAGE TENDENCIES

● Paragraph 4 = shift in power

Golding depicts Jack and Ralph’s ​PRECARIOUS RELATIONSHIP​ through the changing ​symbol​ of the fire; although it is originally a ​symbol​ for
Ralph’s strong leadership, it comes to s​ ymbolise​ Jack’s dictatorial power system. The fire initially stands as a s​ ymbol​ for Ralph’s ​RESCUE AND
SAFETY​; he knows that ‘​ the fire is the most important thing on the island’.​ However most of the boys​ DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE
of the fire and therefore do not take it seriously. The first glimpse that the fire’s significance will shift can be seen when ​JACK AND HIS HUNTERS
LET THE FIRE OUT​, and subsequently they describe the horizon as​ ‘impersonal, barren of all but the faintest trace of smoke’​. Golding uses the
smoke as a s​ ymbol of civilisation​; civilisation is not only P
​ HYSICALLY FURTHER​ from the boys, but also P ​ SYCHOLOGICALLY​ as Jack and his
hunters begin to ​DISREGARD RALPH’S AUTHORITY​. This depicts Jack’s lack of respect for Ralph, and is the beginning of his rapid descent into
savagery. The fire also provides a ​PLACE OF SAFETY​ and a sense of being H ​ OME​ for Jack, but he goes further than just that. To Jack, the fire
marks the ​tribe’s territory, cooks their meals, acts as their tribal dance area and their social meeting point. ​Golding’s s​ ymbol​ of the fire as
rescue has now been changed to one of ​DESTRUCTION AND SAVAGERY​ This is shown most clearly in the novel’s final scene; the ​irony​ that the fire
that Jack lights, causing the D
​ ESTRUCTION OF THE ENTIRE ISLAND​, leads to them being rescued. Golding uses the i​ mage​ ​of the signal fire to
show how f​ ragile and mercurial symbols of power in everyday life are​, and how u ​ nstable a democracy can be​, thus reflecting Jack and
Ralph’s​ UNSTABLE AND INCREASINGLY PRECARIOUS RELATIONSHIP.
 ● Paragraph 5 = similarities [1]
Despite their obvious differences, Golding shows how the two characters are ​MORE SIMILAR THAN THEY INITIALLY APPEAR​. Both characters grow
up in a society where the e ​ ffects of WW2 and its atrocities are still firmly in people’s minds​, and parents would have t​ aught their children
about the powerful leaders such as Churchill, Roosevelt, and even Hitler with his autocratic rule​ over his citizens. Having grown up in a highly
patriarchal society ​where males were naturally ​expected to lead​, both Ralph and Jack demonstrate their H ​ UNGER FOR POWER​. When the boys
first arrive, they cling onto civilisation and want a​ SOCIETY SIMILAR​ to what they’re used to. Ralph’s democratic society is needed as the boys
FOCUS ON RESCUE AND RULES​ - even Jack is excited in having ​‘lots of rules!’​, which is ​ironic​ since he is the first to ​DISREGARD​ the carefully
constructed hierarchy of power and leadership. As the boys become more savage, their ​DESIRES BECOME MORE BASIC​; they need food, safety
and certainty, and in this case Jack’s ​DICTATORIAL LEADERSHIP​ is needed.

● Paragraph 6 = similarities [2]

However both boys can be S ​ EEN AS IMMATURE​ despite their need for power and a grip on the group of boys. Ralph D ​ OUBTS HIS ABILITY TO
LEAD A GROUP​ and wishes he could think like Piggy, reminding the reader that he’s J ​ UST A CHILD​ In the same way, Jack claims that he can ‘​ sing
C sharp’​; the fact that Jack thinks this has a bearing on his leadership qualities shows his ​IMMATURITY​, but also, only ​very young boys are able
to sing C sharp​. Similarly, both grow up in a ​world of violence​; Ralph is seen to have ‘​ machine-gunned Piggy’​. The use of ​war imagery​ shows
how from a young age even ​CHILDREN HAVE BEEN CORRUPTED​, as they joke about serious events in the world. Jack also encourages Roger to
create a ​‘stick sharpened at both ends’​, suggesting that it could ​HURT THE HUNTER​ as well as the prey. This shows how despite his promised
protection, Jack ends up creating a D ​ ESTRUCTIVE AND VIOLENT SOCIETY​ Here Golding shows that although these two characters have a
seemingly polarised and strained relationship, their initial respect stems from the fact that they are ​ALIKE IN MANY WAYS.

QUOTATIONS:
● ‘fair boy’ with ‘fair hair’ and ‘golden body’
● ‘ugly’, ‘freckled’ having ‘angry eyes’ and ‘red hair’
● ‘Kids names [...] Why should I be Jack? I’m Merridew.’
● ‘one hand holding his hair back, the other clenched.’
● ‘Proud to be English’
● ‘The fire is the most important thing on the island’
● ‘impersonal, barren of all but the faintest trace of smoke’
● ‘Lots of rules!’
● ‘Sing C sharp’
● ‘Machine-gunned Piggy’
● ‘Stick sharpened at both ends’
7. HOW DOES GOLDING PRESENT RALPH AND PIGGY’S RELATIONSHIP IN ‘LORD OF THE FLIES’?
● Paragraph 1 = initial relationships
● Paragraph 2 = Ralph’s disrespect for Piggy
● Paragraph 3 = Piggy’s support for Ralph
● Paragraph 4 = Ralph’s dependence on Piggy
THEMES:
1. HOW DOES GOLDING PRESENT THE THEMES OF SAVAGERY AND CIVILISATION?

Golding presents savagery as being masked by civilisation; he suggests that civilisation is not as deeply rooted in humans as savagery. He also
explores the idea of civilisation, and its authority, punishments and consequences conditioning the boys, as shown through characters like Jack
and Ralph. Golding shows that all humans have savage tendencies within them, and draws on his experience as a naval lieutenant in WWII to
reflect this.

In the opening chapters of the novel, Golding shows how the boys cling onto civilization. Ralph and Piggy try to find glimpses of civilisation on the
island, which is ironic as they are as far away from civilisation as they could possible be. They juxtapose the lagoon to ‘swimming in a huge bath’,
and the jungle as ‘like the Home Counties’. However, their reluctance to leave civilisation also contrasts to and foreshadows their swift dismissal of
civilisation. In the opening scene Ralph’s ‘school sweater [...] trailed from one hand’, foreshadowing their rejection of the civilisation and its
important features such as the education system. Golding would have seen glimpses of boys’ mischief and evil tendencies in his 9 years of
teaching, ultimately inspiring him to write ‘Lord of the Flies’. Democratic ideas, such as the idea of the conch as a symbol for order are also brought
from their civilized past. When referring to the conch, Piggy remarks ‘Careful! You’ll break it -’ , foreshadowing its destruction. Whilst this was
originally a symbol for civilisation and democracy, its destruction turned it into a symbol for the boys’ distance from civilisation.

Golding also suggests that while savagery is a part of every human being, civilization can cover up, and possibly dampen the full effects. For
example, Roger is conditioned by civilisation and unable to throw the stones, still bound by laws of his ‘old life’. He is described as being in
’protection of [...] policemen and the law.’ This foreshadows how Roger isn’t conditioned later in the novel, and instead savagery has overcome
civilisation; Roger is now able to push the lever with a ‘sense of delirious abandonment’. Similarly, Jack cannot kill the pig as he does not have the
courage. He describes the ‘enormity of the knife descending and cutting into living flesh’, but remarks that ‘next time there would be no mercy’.
This sinister remark foreshadows violence with the ritualistic killing of the sow. The boys are described as ‘heavy and fulfilled upon her’; the use of
sexual imagery indicates the loss of innocence and the boys’ descent into savagery.

Golding highlights and dramatizes the internal conflict between civilization and savagery through the external conflict between Jack and Ralph.
The two ideologies are expressed by each attitudes towards authority. Ralph uses his authority to establish rules, enforce moral and ethical codes
of the English society and represents a democratic society. However, Ralph’s hair is used as a symbol for the boys’ descent into savagery. Ralph is
described as ‘one hand holding his hair back, the other clenched.’ The long hair not only shows that he is becoming savage-like, but the action of
holding his hair back reflects him preventing himself from becoming a savage. In contrast, Jack uses his authority to gratify his most primal
impulses, make the other boys worship him as an idol and symbolises an autocratic society. This reflects the battle between dictatorship and
democracy in WWII, which Golding experienced first hand with his involvement in the navy and the D-Day landings. Jack is compared to the Nazis
and actions they undertook during the Holocaust. This is ironic, as Jack is ‘proud to be English’, but he ends up ruling through bullying and violence.
This mirrors the way that Britain presents itself as democratic but often resorts to dictatorial tactics to get what it wants, showing that even the
most civilised countries have savage tendencies.

Another of Golding’s key ideas is that people will turn savage and destroy themselves once they are outside a system with punishments and
consequences. He believes that negative consequences of savagery are there as civilisation has allowed it. For example, violence is restricted to a
condoned place in the case of the hunters, as they need to hunt and find meat. This reflects the way that in society, violence is viewed as
acceptable in some instances such as war or combating criminality. In the early chapters, an important function of civilised society is to provide an
outlet for savage impulses. Jack’s initial desire to kill the pigs to demonstrate bravery is channeled into the hunt. This eventually leads to even
Ralph, a character representing civilisation, to succumb to savage and primal instincts. As long as Jack lives within the rules of civilisation, him
providing food is not a threat to the other boys. However, this is ironic, as it leads to them missing the ship, and foreshadows their ultimate
rejection of society as a whole.

Finally, the rift between savagery and civilisation is symbolised by the conch and the Lord of the Flies. The conch is a powerful symbol of
democratic order. It not only confirms Ralph’s leadership, but confirms the power of the assembly amongst the boys, and brings a sense of
civilisation onto the island. However, it loses symbolic importance as the conflict between Ralph and Jack continues. This represents the boys’
dismissal of civilization and their change in priorities. Golding uses contrast when describing the Lord of the Flies, which symbolises the dominance
of savagery on the island, and represents the unification of the boys under Jack’s rule. However, both symbols are eventually destroyed. The
destruction of the conch shell and its ‘explosion into a thousand white fragments’ signifies the eradication of civilisation. However, Ralph destroying
the Lord of the Flies symbolises his own descent into savagery and violence; by the final scene savagery has completely displaced civilisation.

To conclude, Golding presents savagery as being present in all human beings, but masked by the constraints of civilisation. He shows this through
the characters of Jack, Roger and even Ralph, emphasising how even the characters with the least evil get drawn by the pull of savagery, until
ultimately all boys have lost their innocence and sense of civilisation.
2. HOW DOES GOLDING PRESENT THE THEME OF POWER AND LEADERSHIP?

Golding presents the theme of power and leadership as a fragile idea, and something that cannot exist without imperfections. He shows the reader
this through the conflict between Ralph and Jack who represent the conflict between democracy and dictatorship. The power shift from Ralph to
Jack ultimately reflects his experiences in WWII as a lieutenant in the navy, and the power struggle between fascism and democracy.

The shift of power can be seen most clearly through the two characters of Ralph and Jack. When the boys first arrive, they cling onto civilisation
and want a society similar to what they’re used to. Ralph’s democratic society is needed as the boys focus on rescue and rules - even Jack is
excited in having ‘lots of rules!’, which is ironic since he is the first to disregard the carefully constructed hierarchy of power and leadership. As the
boys become more savage, their desires become more basic; they need food, safety and certainty, and in this case Jack’s dictatorial leadership is
needed. However both boys can be seen as immature despite their need for power and a grip on the group of boys. Ralph doubts his ability to
lead a group and wishes he could think like Piggy, reminding the reader that he’s just a child. In the same way, Jack claims that he can ‘sing C
sharp’; the fact that Jack thinks this is important shows his immaturity, but also, only very young boys are able to sing C sharp. Whilst the conch
maintains Ralph’s power in the beginning, Jack’s power is maintained through violence and fear. This is symbolised by the ‘stick sharpened at both
ends’, suggesting that it could hurt the hunter as well as the prey, symbolising that Jack has created a self-destructive society. This relates to
Golding’s experiences in WWII as lieutenant in the navy; experiencing the Nazi regime first hand in the D-Day landings influenced Golding’s writing
and enabled him to see the destruction that power used unwisely, as in the case of the Nazis, could bring.

One of Golding’s most poignant symbols of power and order is the conch, however its loss of influence and ultimate destruction symbolises the
end of Ralph’s leadership, and the subsequent departure from civilisation. After the crash separates the boys, the conch is used to summon the
boys together and the boys ‘obey the summon of the conch’. Before the boys turn savage, there is serenity on the island, however the blowing of
the conch is the loudest noise, even if it demands silence. Loudness is what Jack needs, and this is somewhat ironic, since he is the leader of a
church choir where harmony, not noise is the norm. His role as dictatorial leader requires him to be loud; he encourages his tribe to be loud whilst
dancing, hunting and killing. Whilst the conch was originally the loudness that brought the boys together, by the end of the novel it is Jack’s loud
tribal dances and hunts that become a symbol for the dictatorial power system.

The power the conch possesses is made clear by Golding when he describes the situation after the election of Ralph as the leader; ‘Most obscurely,
yet most powerfully, there was the conch’. The fact that the boys gain power by holding the conch shows that the conch stands for law and order,
as well as freedom of speech; a significant trait of a democracy. However, the conch’s power is completely dependent on the recognition by the
boys. When power shifts to Jack, the conch slowly loses its power and influence, and consequently Ralph’s credibility as a leader fails. Golding’s
novel is ultimately an allegory, mirroring the events of WWII with the struggle between democracy and fascism. At the end of the novel, the
democratic power system is symbolically terminated by the destruction of the conch; it ‘exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to
exist’. The violent verb ‘explode’ mimics Golding’s experiences of bombs in WWII, and symbolises the violent destruction of the democratic system.

Piggy’s glasses are another symbol for power and leadership. Piggy’s glasses represent clarity, not just in terms of sight but in his mind as well. For
example, Piggy is one of the only boys who believes that the beast does not exist. In Chapter Five, Piggy states that ‘I know there isn’t no beast.’
Although he is presented as physically inferior due to his ‘assmar’, Piggy’s glasses give him a different kind of power; knowledge. However, the
reader is able to see that although Piggy is logical and has clever ideas, he is not respected by the other boys on the island. This could be due to
the fact that he is of a different social class to the rest of the boys, or that he has physical handicaps such as his ‘assmar’ and ‘specs’. By this,
Golding suggests the idea that politicians are often not judged based on their ability to lead a party, or a country, but rather on their physical
attributes such as attractiveness. This suggests that although the glasses hold some power, it’s not enough to allow Piggy to lead the group of
boys, like the conch. This is seen when this tool of power is stolen by Jack, who acknowledges its importance, hence Jack acquires the knowledge
to make fire. This in turn diminishes Ralph and Piggy’s power; they were able to be used for two purposes - to light a fire and to help Piggy see.
After the theft, Jack can only give them one purpose; to start the fire round which the tribe gathers. This shows that the tool is converted into the
dictatorial arsenal, and reduces Piggy’s power.

Golding also uses the signal fire as a symbol for both the democratic and dictatorial power system. At the beginning of the novel it stands as a
symbol for Ralph’s rescue and safety; he knows that ‘the fire is the most important thing on the island’. However most of the boys do not
understand the importance of the fire and therefore do not take it seriously. The first glimpse that the fire’s significance will shift can be seen when
Jack and his hunters let the fire out, foreshadowing its altered symbol of savagery later in the novel. For Jack, the fire also provides a place of
safety and a sense of being home, but he goes further than just that. To Jack, the fire marks the tribe’s territory, cooks their meals, acts as their
tribal dance area and their social meeting point. Golding’s symbol of the fire as rescue has now been changed to one of destruction and savagery.
This is shown most clearly in the novel’s final scene; the irony that the fire that Jack lights, causing the destruction of the entire island, leads to
them being rescued. Golding uses the image of the signal fire to show how fragile and mercurial symbols of power in everyday life are, and how
unstable a democracy can be.

To conclude, Golding shows the shifting power between Jack and Ralph through the use of the changing meanings of symbols like the conch, fire,
and Piggy’s glasses, all of which come to represent something other than civilisation or democratic power. Through this, Golding shows that the
power that has shifted to Jack is self-destructive, just as the power of the Nazis in WWII.
3. HOW DOES GOLDING PRESENT VIOLENCE IN ‘LORD OF THE FLIES’:

Golding uses the theme of violence to show the inherent evil of mankind, and how every human being has the capacity for evil within them. He
presents this theme through the progression of intent for violence throughout the novel, showing how civilisation has masked and dampened the
boys’ violent tendencies.

Golding uses violent imagery from the beginning of the novel, to show how the boys have violent tendencies ingrained within them, however this is
often masked by their innocence and immaturity. When Ralph and Piggy first meet, they pretend to be ‘fighter planes, with wings swept back’ and
Ralph ‘machine-gunned Piggy’. The use of war imagery shows how from a young age even children have been corrupted, as they joke about
serious events in the world. This mirrors the threat of Cold War in Golding’s time, as well as the horrific experiences that he faced in the D-Day
Landings in WWII. The ‘machine-gun’ is also a metaphor for the stark contrast of what happen with the real, deadly violence that takes place later
in the novel, reminding the reader that children have been shielded from real violence in the adult world. In addition to this, the effect of the boys’
violent and destructive nature can be seen in their impact on the island. ‘All around him the long scar smashed into the jungle.’ The scar is
described as being extensive as well as permanent, and the violent and powerful nature of the verb ‘smashed’ is symbolic of the boys’ disruption
on the island. This shows how despite the boys’ seemingly innocent beginnings, their descent into savagery and violence is prevalent from the
beginning.

Golding also suggests that while violence and savagery is a part of every human being, civilization can cover up, and possibly dampen the full
effects. For example, Roger is conditioned by civilisation and unable to throw the stones violently, still bound by laws of ‘old life’. He is described as
being in ’protection of [...] policemen and the law.’ This foreshadows how Roger isn’t conditioned later in the novel, and instead savagery has
overcome civilisation; Roger is now able to push the lever with a ‘sense of delirious abandonment’, killing Piggy. Similarly, Jack cannot kill the pig as
he does not have the courage. He describes the ‘enormity of the knife descending and cutting into living flesh’, but remarks that ‘next time there
would be no mercy’. This sinister remark foreshadows violence with the ritualistic killing of the sow. These two examples show the progression of
intent for violence throughout the novel; whilst Jack and Roger are initially bound by civilisation and authority, their violence becomes
progressively more deliberate, as the laws of society have been forgotten

The extent of the boys’ violence can be seen by the actions of the hunters and the killing of the sow. Violence is restricted to a condoned place in
the case of the hunters, as they need to hunt and find meat. This reflects the way that in society, violence is viewed as acceptable in some
instances such as war or combating criminality. The killing of the sow can be seen as the turning point of violent intentions in the novel. In a novel
with no feminine characters, the sow’s death becomes even more significant, as the boys attempt to impose their will on the natural world. Golding
uses violent sexual imagery to compare the killing of the sow to the rape of a woman. The boys are described as ‘wedded to her in lust’, and
‘heavy and fulfilled upon her’. The use of sexual imagery indicates the boys’ loss of innocence, as they are no longer conditioned by society and
are now free to express violence. The sow is also described as ‘boated bags of fat’, similar to how Piggy is later described as ‘a bag of fat’. This
foreshadows his death, as well as compares Piggy’s stereotypically feminine characteristics to the sow’s. In the 1950s, with WWII over, gender roles
and the stereotyping of them would still be prominent, with women only just moving out of housekeeping and taking care of children. This would
leave women vulnerable to the violent and tyrannical acts of men, reflected in the boys’ treatment towards the sow.

Violence is also used by Jack as a method to gain control, not only through the hunt but through his tribe. Golding suggests that group mentality is
at play in the novel; the boys would rather take part in a ‘partly secure but demented society’ than be alone, even with violence. This is reflected in
the communal event of killing Simon, which is heightened by the fact that even Ralph and Piggy are pulled into the violence. Animal imagery is
used to draw attention to the boys’ loss of humanity. The boys act as a ‘single organism’ and kill him ‘without words’ and with the ‘tearing of teeth
and claws’. Although they realise that it is Simon, their violent and savage instincts have overpowered their rational thinking, and the boys’
savagery reaches their peak. The death of Simon mirrors the death of Jesus, as Simon was a symbol for Jesus. When Simon’s body is carried off
with the tide, the water ‘dressed Simon’s coarse hair with brightness’, symbolic of a halo, and stone imagery is used to describe him as a
knowledge as fundamental as the earth. Despite Simon’s calm and peaceful return to nature, his violent death serves as a contradiction; the boys
killed with the intent of slaying the evil, when in reality they have only highlighted the evil, beastly qualities of themselves.

Finally, Piggy’s death is used to show the extent to which violence has progressed. Whilst Roger was initially bound by the ‘taboo of old life’, he is
now able to kill Piggy with ‘a sense of delirious abandonment’, showing how civilisation no longer conditions him. However, violence spills into
murder and eventually becomes uncontrolled; the matter however, is made worse with Jack’s offhand comment on Piggy’s death; ‘I meant that!’,
This shows his complete lack of remorse and feeling for Piggy’s death., emphasising how far violence and death has come. Along with Piggy’s
death, the violent destruction of the conch as it ‘exploded into a thousand white fragments’, symbolises the subsequent death of civilisation, and
proving once again how violence has overcome the island.
4. HOW DOES GOLDING PRESENT INNOCENCE IN ‘LORD OF THE FLIES’:

Golding uses the theme of innocence to show the boys’ departure from civilisation into savagery, and how every human has the capacity for evil
within them, following the Christian ideology of Original Sin. Golding presents this theme through the progression of intent for violence and
savagery, showing how all the boys have lost their innocence on the island.

Golding uses violent imagery from the beginning of the novel, to show how despite the boys’ childish beginnings, their innocence and immaturity
masks their violent instincts. When Ralph and Piggy first meet, they pretend to be ‘fighter planes, with wings swept back’ and Ralph
‘machine-gunned Piggy’. The use of war imagery shows how from a young age even children have been corrupted, as they joke about serious
events in the world. This mirrors the threat of Cold War in Golding’s time, as well as the horrific experiences that he faced in the D-Day Landings in
WWII. This is also a metaphor for the stark contrast of the foreshadowed real, deadly violence that takes place later in the novel, reminding the
reader that children have been shielded from real violence in the adult world. In addition to this, the effect of the boys’ violent and destructive
nature can be seen in their impact on the island. ‘All around him the long scar smashed into the jungle.’ The scar is described as being extensive as
well as permanent, and the violent and powerful nature of the verb ‘smashed’ is symbolic of the boys’ disruption on the island. This shows how
despite the boys’ seemingly innocent beginnings, their descent into savagery and violence is prevalent from the beginning.

Golding suggests that civilisation is the cause of the boys’ seemingly innocent beginnings, tand that civilisation can cover up, and possibly dampen
the full effects of the boys’ savage instincts. For example, Roger is conditioned by civilisation and unable to throw the stones violently, still bound
by laws of ‘old life’. He is described as being in ’protection of [...] policemen and the law.’ This foreshadows how Roger isn’t conditioned later in the
novel, and his innocence has been locked; Roger is now able to push the lever with a ‘sense of delirious abandonment’, killing Piggy. Similarly, Jack
cannot kill the pig as he does not have the courage. He describes the ‘enormity of the knife descending and cutting into living flesh’, but remarks
that ‘next time there would be no mercy’. This sinister remark foreshadows violence with the ritualistic killing of the sow. These two examples show
the progression of intent for violence throughout the novel; whilst Jack and Roger are initially bound by civilisation and authority, their violence
becomes progressively more deliberate, as the laws of society have been forgotten, and their innocence has been lost.

Golding shows the speed at which the boys’ innocence is lost through the killing of the sow. Whilst Jack initially was unable to kill the pig due to his
reluctance to end life, as the novel progresses, his ability to cause pain increases and it becomes easy for him to kill the sow. The killing of the sow
can be seen as the turning point of violent intentions in the novel. In a novel with no feminine characters, the sow’s death becomes even more
significant, as the boys attempt to impose their will on the natural world. Golding uses violent sexual imagery to compare the killing of the sow to
the rape of a woman. The boys are described as ‘wedded to her in lust’, and ‘heavy and fulfilled upon her’. The use of sexual imagery indicates the
boys’ loss of innocence, as they are no longer conditioned by society and are now free to express violence. The sow is also described as ‘boated
bags of fat’, similar to how Piggy is later described as ‘a bag of fat’. This foreshadows his death, as well as compares Piggy’s stereotypically
feminine characteristics to the sow’s. In the 1950s, with WWII over, gender roles and the stereotyping of them would still be prominent, with women
only just moving out of housekeeping and taking care of children. This would leave women vulnerable to the violent and tyrannical acts of men,
reflected in the boys’ treatment towards the sow.

Although the boys were able to kill the sow, the culmination of their loss of innocence can be seen when they are able to kill Simon. Golding
suggests that group mentality is at play in the novel; the boys would rather take part in a ‘partly secure but demented society’ than be alone. Their
willingness to resort to violence depicts their clear loss of innocence, and Golding uses animal imagery to draw attention to this. The boys act as a
‘single organism’ and kill him ‘without words’ and with the ‘tearing of teeth and claws’. Although they realise that it is Simon, their violent and
savage instincts have overpowered their rational thinking, and the boys’ savagery reaches their peak.

However, the most significant part of this whole event, is that even Ralph and Piggy participate in the killing of Simon. Golding suggests that
humans have the impulse for savagery more deeply rooted than the impulse for civilisation, and this is true of this scene. It is at this moment that
the reader can see that even Ralph, a character symbolising civilisation, has lost his innocence. Simon’s death can be related to biblical times when
Jesus was crucified due to man’s sins and lack of innocence. Similarly to Simon, Jesus had knowledge and insight into the truth of man., and
subsequently he is killed for his knowledge. Therefore, the death of Simon symbolizes the death of innocence on the island. When Simon’s body is
carried off with the tide, the water ‘dressed Simon’s coarse hair with brightness’, symbolic of a halo, and stone imagery is used to describe him as a
knowledge as fundamental as the earth. Despite Simon’s calm and peaceful return to nature, his violent death serves as a contradiction; the boys
killed with the intent of slaying the evil, when in reality they have only highlighted the evil, beastly qualities of themselves, and fully lost their
innocence.
5. HOW DOES GOLDING PRESENT THE NATURE OF EVIL IN ‘LORD OF THE FLIES’:

Golding presents evil as being inherent in every character, despite their origins. He suggests that social norms can condition society, and lead
people to suppress their evil instincts; this is demonstrated through the fact that the two most ethical characters; Ralph and Simon come to
recognise their own capacity for evil, which places the emphasis on evil’s universality among humans. Ironically, the motivation for the boys’
increasingly cruel and violent behaviour is their fear of the beast, and this causes different characters to have differing abilities of controlling their
evil impulses, as well as the intensity of them.

Golding depicts how the boys’ fear of the Beast drives their evil actions, and leads to their increasingly cruel and violent behaviour throughout the
novel. The beast appears in different forms that shift from less consequential depictions to more serious symbols. This mirrors the boys’ descent
into savagery and loss of innocence; as the images become darker and less child-like, the effects of the beast are seen to be more damaging,
causing the evil inside the boys to emerge. For example, first it is a ‘beastie’, yet it changes within the monstrous symbol of the parachutist, giving
the Beast a physical form with it's ‘ruin of a face’. This depicts the ugliness and deformity of death, which is further echoed by the ‘pig’s head
grinning at Simon’, and then Ralph. In theological sources, predominantly Christian, ‘Beelzebub’ is another name for Satan, and is often translated
as ‘Lord of the Flies’; the fact that the Lord of the Flies ‘speaks with the voice of a schoolmaster’ shows how Simon also realises that the adult world
is corrupt, reflected in the ongoing war. Whilst Ralph manages to destroy the Lord of the Flies and therefore the symbol of evil, the fact that he is
prepared to attack others shows that he has been corrupted by evil. In fact, the Beast itself cannot be killed, as it is a manifestation of the fear and
evil inside the boys themselves.

Golding uses violent imagery from the beginning of the novel, to show how despite the boys’ childish beginnings, their innocence and immaturity
masks their evil instincts. When Ralph and Piggy first meet, they pretend to be ‘fighter planes, with wings swept back’ and Ralph ‘machine-gunned
Piggy’. The use of war imagery shows how from a young age even children have been corrupted, as they joke about serious events in the world.
This mirrors the threat of Cold War in Golding’s time, as well as the horrific experiences that he faced in the D-Day Landings in WWII. This is also a
metaphor for the stark contrast of the foreshadowed real, deadly violence that takes place later in the novel, reminding the reader that children
have been shielded from the real evil of the adult world. In addition to this, the effect of the boys’ evil and destructive nature can be seen in their
impact on the island. ‘All around him the long scar smashed into the jungle.’ The scar is described as being extensive as well as permanent, and the
violent and powerful nature of the verb ‘smashed’ is symbolic of the boys’ disruption on the island. This shows how despite the boys’ seemingly
innocent beginnings, their evil instincts are deeply rooted. .

The extent of the boys’ evil tendencies can be seen by the actions of the hunters and the killing of the sow. Violence is restricted to a condoned
place in the case of the hunters, as they need to hunt and find meat. This reflects the way that in society, violence is viewed as acceptable in some
instances such as war or combating criminality. The killing of the sow can be seen as the turning point of evil intentions in the novel. In a novel with
no feminine characters, the sow’s death becomes even more significant, as the boys attempt to impose their will on the natural world. Golding uses
violent sexual imagery to compare the killing of the sow to the rape of a woman. The boys are described as ‘wedded to her in lust’, and ‘heavy and
fulfilled upon her’. The use of sexual imagery indicates the boys’ loss of innocence, as they are no longer conditioned by society and are now free
to express their evil nature. The sow is also described as ‘boated bags of fat’, similar to how Piggy is later described as ‘a bag of fat’. This
foreshadows his death, as well as compares Piggy’s stereotypically feminine characteristics to the sow’s. In the 1950s, with WWII over, gender roles
and the stereotyping of them would still be prominent, with women only just moving out of housekeeping and taking care of children. This would
leave women vulnerable to the evil and tyrannical acts of men, reflected in the boys’ treatment towards the sow.

Although the boys were able to kill the sow, the culmination of their evil actions can be seen when they are able to kill Simon. Golding suggests
that group mentality is at play in the novel; the boys would rather take part in a ‘partly secure but demented society’ than be alone. Their
willingness to resort to such an evil and violent act depicts their clear loss of innocence, and Golding uses animal imagery to draw attention to this.
The boys act as a ‘single organism’ and kill him ‘without words’ and with the ‘tearing of teeth and claws’. Although they realise that it is Simon, their
violent and savage instincts have overpowered their rational thinking, and the boys’ savagery and evil natures reaches their peak.

However, the most significant part of this whole event, is that even Ralph and Piggy participate in the killing of Simon. Golding suggests that
humans have the impulse for savagery and evil more deeply rooted than the impulse for civilisation, and this is true of this scene. It is at this
moment that the reader can see that even Ralph, a character symbolising civilisation, has resorted to more primal and evil instincts. Simon’s death
can be related to biblical times when Jesus was crucified due to man’s sins and lack of innocence. Similarly to Simon, Jesus had knowledge and
insight into the truth of man., and subsequently he is killed for his knowledge. Therefore, the death of Simon symbolizes the death of innocence and
the overpowering of evil on the island. When Simon’s body is carried off with the tide, the water ‘dressed Simon’s coarse hair with brightness’,
symbolic of a halo, and stone imagery is used to describe him as a knowledge as fundamental as the earth. Despite Simon’s calm and peaceful
return to nature, his violent death serves as a contradiction; the boys killed with the intent of slaying the evil, when in reality they have only
highlighted the evil, beastly qualities of themselves, and fully lost their innocence.
6. HOW DOES GOLDING PRESENT FEAR IN ‘LORD OF THE FLIES’:

● Introduction
Golding presents fear as being the ​DRIVING CAUSE FOR THE BOYS’ VIOLENT AND CRUEL BEHAVIOUR​ throughout the novel, and suggests that
they S​ HOULD BE AFRAID OF FEAR​ itself, rather than the Beast. ​Ironically​, the M
​ OTIVATION​ for the boys’ increasingly cruel and violent behaviour
is their fear of the beast, and this causes different characters to have ​DIFFERING ABILITIES TO CONTROL THEIR SAVAGE IMPULSES​, as well as the
intensity of them. Golding draws upon his ​experiences in WW2​ and uses them as a b ​ asis for the ideas that govern the characters​; he believes
that it was the ​British people’s fear of the Nazis and Hitler that drove their violent actions in WW2.

● Paragraph 1 = fear of the beast

Golding depicts how the boys’ F ​ EAR OF THE BEAST DRIVE’S THEIR EVIL ACTIONS​, and leads to their increasingly cruel and violent behaviour
throughout the novel. The beast appears in different forms that S​ HIFT FROM LESS CONSEQUENTIAL DEPICTIONS​ to more s​ erious symbols​. This
mirrors the boys’ D
​ ESCENT INTO SAVAGERY AND LOSS OF INNOCENCE​; as the​ i​ magery become darker​ and less child-like, the effects of the fear
of the beast are seen to be more damaging, causing the E ​ VIL INSIDE THE BOYS TO EMERGE​. For example, first it is a​ ‘beastie’​, yet it changes
within the M
​ ONSTROUS ​SYMBOL​ OF THE PARACHUTIST​, giving the Beast a ​PHYSICAL FORM​ with its​ ‘ruin of a face’​. This depicts the ​UGLINESS
AND DEFORMITY OF DEATH​, which is further echoed by the ‘​ pig’s head grinning at Simon’​. In ​theological sources, predominantly Christian,
‘Beelzebub’ is another name for Satan, and is often translated as ‘Lord of the Flies’​; the fact that the Lord of the Flies ‘​ speaks with the voice
of a schoolmaster’​ shows how Simon also realises that the ​ADULT WORLD IS CORRUPT​, reflected in the ongoing war. Whilst Ralph manages to
overcome his initial fear and​ DESTROY THE LORD OF THE FLIE​ and therefore the ​symbol of evil,​ the fact that he is prepared to attack others
shows that he has been ​CORRUPTED BY EVIL​. In fact, the Beast itself cannot be killed, as it is a M
​ ANIFESTATION OF THE FEAR AND EVIL​ inside the
boys themselves.

● Paragraph 2 = Jack’s power - violence and fear

Golding shows how Jack’s power is M ​ AINTAINED THROUGH VIOLENCE AND FEAR​. Jack uses ​fear-mongering techniques, often common of
political leaders​, in order to create a C ​ OMMON ENEMY AND UNITE THE GROUP​. For example, he tells them that the beast can disguise itself so
that they can never really kill it; this keeps the boys feeling ​INSECURE AND THREATENED​ and increases Jack’s power over them. Jack encourages
boys to join his tribe and promises​ ‘protection’​; this relates to H
​ itler’s inherent fear of ‘lesser beings’ such as ethnic minorities, Jews and
disabled people,​ and he built his ​Nazi regime on the fear for these groups​, and the promised protection from them. Despite his promised
protection, Jack ends up creating a D ​ ESTRUCTIVE SOCIETY.​ This is ​symbolised​ by the ​image​ of the ‘​ stick sharpened at both ends’​, suggesting
that it could hurt the hunter as well as the prey, s​ ymbolising​ that Jack has created a self-destructive society. This relates to G
​ olding’s experiences
in WWII as lieutenant in the navy​; experiencing t​ he Nazi regime first hand in the D-Day landings influenced Golding’s writing​ and enabled him
to see the ​DESTRUCTION THAT POWER USED UNWISELY​, as in the case of the Nazis, could bring.

● Paragraph 3 = Jack’s power - adoption of violence

The boys’ fear ultimately leads to their​ ADOPTION OF JACK’S VIOLENT TENDENCIES​, and refusal of civilisation. Golding draws on the p ​ olitical
climate of the Cold War,​ which was a f​ igurative ‘war’ created by the fear of the opposing side starting nuclear war, c ​ ausing each side to
build and advance their own nuclear weapons. ​This is mirrored in the novel, where the boys’ heightened fear of the beast causes them to
INCREASE IN THE INTENSITY OF THEIR VIOLENCE​. When the idea of the beast was introduced to the group of boys, Jack saw an opportunity to
play off of the boys’ fear of the beast in order to ​GAIN POWER​. Golding uses​ ​animal imagery​ to present the W
​ ILD AND BARBARIAN EFFECTS​ of
his power;​ ‘authority sat on his shoulder and chattered in his ear like an ape’​ - the image of an ​‘ape’ c
​ onnotes U
​ NDERDEVELOPED HUMANS​,
before we evolved and came to embrace civilisation. This emphasises how Jack’s fear of the beast A ​ IDS HIS BARBARIC AND VIOLENT ACTIONS​. It
is clear that Jack’s strategy to gain power works, as many of the boys end up joining him and serving him like a king. Golding describes him as
‘Chief’​, a title often used for a
​ rmy generals, as Golding would have been familiar with during his time in the army​, and this highlights Jack’s
loss of identity.

● Paragraph 4 = death of simon [1]

Golding highlights the ultimate effect of the boys’ fear, both of the​ ‘Chief’ a
​ nd of feeling excluded from this ​‘secure society’​ through the ​DEATH OF
SIMON​ Simon was the first of the only two characters who discovered and understood how ​ALL HUMANS HAVE EVIL BUILT WITHIN THEM​,
described as ​‘mankind’s essential illness’​. Simon described the beast as​ ‘harmless and horrible’​, the alliteration creating a S ​ IMPLICITY​ to the idea
that humans are the S ​ OURCE OF FEAR AND EVIL​, despite the other boys’ speculation of ​‘snake-things’ and ‘beasties’​. Simon’s confrontation with
the Lord of the Flies resembles​ Christ’s conversation with the devil during his 40 days in the wilderness a ​ nd by seeking to confront the figure on
the mountaintop, Golding allows Simon to F ​ ULFIL HIS DESTINY OF REVELATION​. Simon’s lack of fear of the beast c ​ ontrasts​ with his stronger and
more R​ EAL FEAR FOR THE PEOPLE​ on the island’, and it is through Simon that Golding uncovers the ​TRUE SOURCE OF THE BOYS’ FEAR
 ● Paragraph 5 = death of simon [2]
However, despite Simon’s realisation, he is U ​ NABLE TO EXPLAIN THE IDEAL OF EVIL​, yet has the intelligence to understand a concept as big as
this.This leads to Jack viewing him as a T
​ HREAT TO HIS POWER​, accusing Simon of being the beast and eventually had him killed. Golding shows
that when a person tries to tell people the U​ NFORTUNATE TRUTHS ABOUT A LEADER’S RULE​ or rise to power, the leader will try to eliminate that
person by any means necessary. Simon’s death can be related to b ​ iblical times when Jesus was crucified due to man’s sins and lack of
innocence​. Similarly to Simon, ​Jesus had knowledge and insight into the truth of man​, in this case man’s inherent evil and true cause for fear,
and subsequently Simon is K ​ ILLED FOR HIS KNOWLEDGE​. Therefore, the death of Simon ​symbolizes​ the D ​ EATH OF INNOCENCE a ​ nd the
overpowering of fear on the island. When Simon’s body is carried off with the tide, the water​ ‘dressed Simon’s coarse hair with brightness’​,
symbolic​ of a halo, and ​stone imagery​ is used to describe him as a knowledge as fundamental as the earth. Despite Simon’s calm and peaceful
return to nature, his V
​ IOLENT DEATH SERVES AS A CONTRADICTION​; the boys killed with the intent of slaying the evil causing their fear, when in
reality they have only highlighted the evil, beastly qualities of themselves, and S ​ UCCUMBED TO THEIR FEAR.

QUOTATIONS:
● ‘Beastie’
● ‘ruin of a face
● ‘pig’s head grinning at Simon’
● ‘speaks with the voice of a schoolmaster’
● ‘Protection’
● ‘stick sharpened at both ends’
● ‘authority sat on his shoulder and chattered in his ear like an ape’
● ‘Chief’
● ‘secure society’
● ‘harmless and horrible’
● ‘snake-things’ and ‘beasties’
● ‘dressed Simon’s coarse hair with brightness’
7. HOW DOES GOLDING USE SETTING IN ‘LORD OF THE FLIES’:

● Introduction
Golding uses the setting of the island and its D
​ ISTANCE FROM CIVILISATION​ to show the ​POSSIBLE EFFECTS ON HUMANITY​. The lack of
authorities, punishment and consequence on the island allows a ​microcosm​ to be formed, revealing the ​TRUE NATURE OF MANKIND​. Although the
island as a whole is significant, the characters are S
​ EVERELY AFFECTED BY DIFFERENT AREAS​ of the island, and it encourages their actions
throughout the novel.

● Paragraph 1: disruption of the island

Golding uses​ ​violent imagery​, as well as d
​ eath imagery​ to describe the island initially, f​ oreshadowing​ later ​UNREST ON THE ISLAND​. For
example, before any characters are introduced, the B ​ OYS’ EFFECTS CAN BE SEEN ON THE ISLAND​. The ​‘long scar smashed into the jungle’.​ The
scar is described as being E​ XTENSIVE AS WELL AS PERMANENT​, and the v ​ iolent and powerful nature of the verb​ ​‘smashed’​ is ​symbolic​ of the
boys’ disruption on the island. This shows how despite the boys’ seemingly innocent beginnings, their ​DESCENT INTO SAVAGERY AND VIOLENCE​ is
prevalent from the beginning. The fact that the ​‘twigs scratched’ a ​ nd Piggy had to ​‘remove the thorns’​ depicts the island’s ​RELUCTANCE AT THE
BOYS’ PRESENCE​ In addition to this,​ ‘coco-nuts’ ​are described to be​ ‘decaying’​, f​ oreshadowing​ the death on the island, and the ​‘great platform
of pink granite thrust up’​, showing the U​ NFORGIVING NATURE​ of the island. The ​violent verb​ ‘thrust’​ also c ​ onnotes​ ​AGGRESSION AND
CONFLICT​, two aspects that almost destroy the island as a whole. Overall, this initial depiction of the island S ​ ETS THE SCENE FOR VIOLENCE,
CONFLICT AND DEATH​ that will occur.

● Paragraph 2: garden of eden [1]

Despite the initially sinister descriptions of the island, Golding uses ​religious imagery​ to compare the island to the ​Garden of Eden​, however this
foreshadows​ ​later unrest on the island. In the​ book of Genesis, the Garden of Eden is described​ as ​‘every tree that is pleasant to the sight and
good for food.’​ Similarly, Ralph describes the island as ​‘a good island’​, with​ ‘food and bathing-water and [...] everything’.​ Despite this, the
innocence that Adam and Eve experience in the Garden of Eden is shattered​ by eating the​ ‘forbidden fruit’​, resulting in the ​destruction of the
Garden of Eden. ​Whilst they both​ ‘felt no shame’ o ​ riginally, Adam and Eve soon realise the ​CORRUPTION INHERENT IN MANKIND​ this reflects
how the I​ NNOCENCE AND BEAUTY​ of the paradise island is C ​ ORRUPTED BY THE UGLINESS OF THE NATURE OF MANKIND.

● Paragraph 3: garden of eden [2]

Simon however, who r​ epresents a Jesus-figure i​ n the novel, can​ FIND PEACE AND CALM​ in the island, reflecting its U ​ NMARRED STATE BEFORE
THE CORRUPTION​ of the other boys. He describes the bushes as​ ‘dark evergreen and aromatic’​ and like ​‘candle buds’​. This ​religious imagery
compares the J ​ UNGLE TO A CHURCH​; the use of s​ ensory language​ compares the smell of the jungle to the ​scent of aromatic candles​. Here
Golding uses this comparison to draw attention to the ​ISLAND’S ORIGINAL STATE​ before human corruption. Despite this, Simon’s serenity and
calm section of the island is D
​ ESTROYED ​by the​ ‘frenzied’ ‘squeaking’​ of a pig, and Jack’s attempts to kill the pig. This c
​ ontrast​ between the
serenity of the jungle and the disruption caused by hunting f​ oreshadows​ the L​ ATER DESTRUCTION ​ to come; not only the killing of the pigs, but
the D
​ ESTRUCTION OF THE FIRE​ through the fire.

● Paragraph 4: mountain
Golding uses the mountain to ​symbolise​ the boys’ ​ATTEMPT TO RECREATE A CIVILISED SOCIETY​. Being the highest point on the island, the
mountain is the L ​ OCATION FOR THE BOYS’ SIGNAL FIRE​, and is their attempts to ​REUNITE WITH CIVILISATION​. I​ ronically​, it is also the location for
the ‘​ fire on the mountain’​, not only destroying a large section of the jungle, but causing the first (albeit unintentional) death on the island. In
addition to this, the mountaintop is where the ​DEAD PARACHUTIST LIES​ and where the beast is thought to reside. Golding uses the S ​ HIFT ​between
the view of the mountain as a C ​ ONNECTION TO CIVILISATION​, to the ​CAUSE OF THEIR SAVAGERY AND FEARS​, to show the effect of the island on
the boys, and how being distanced from civilisation can ​REVEAL MANKIND’S SAVAGE INSTINCTS

● Paragraph 5: castle rock

Golding uses ​CASTLE ROCK​ to introduce the ​ALTERNATIVE PERSONALITIES AND VIEWS​ of each of the characters. When exploring the island,
Jack’s E
​ XCITEMENT AT THE POSSIBLE FORTRESS​ is evident; he uses ​language associated with siege and attacks​ to describe the area. Jack
perceives the area in terms of if ‘​ an enemy came’ a ​ nd notices the ​‘narrow causeway’.​ Ralph’s view contrasts to this however; instead he views
‘Castle Rock’ as​ ‘a rotten place’​, ​foreshadowing​ the later​ ‘rotten’​ acts that would take place there. ‘Castle Rock’ comes to ​symbolise power and
control a​ s the novel progresses. The name itself reflects Jack’s R ​ ISE TO POWER AND TOTAL CONTROL​ over the tribe, as if he were a King. ‘Castle
Rock’ also represents the boys’ ​TURNING AWAY FROM CIVILISATION​; the fact that they choose to make a ​FORTIFIED CLUSTER OF BOULDERS
THEIR HOME​, rather than focus on the prospects of rescue, shows their C ​ HANGE IN PRIORITIES​. In addition to this, the death of Piggy, who
represents R ​ ATIONALITY, INTELLIGENCE AND REASONING​, is fitting. The fact that he meets his death at ‘Castle Rock’, the E ​ PICENTER OF JACK’S
AUTOCRATIC RULE​, highlights how far the boys have come from civilisation.
7. HOW DOES GOLDING PRESENT THE IMPORTANCE OF FRIENDSHIP IN ‘LORD OF THE FLIES’:
● Paragraph 1 = Jack and Ralph
● Paragraph 2 = Jack and Ralph
● Paragraph 3 = Ralph and Piggy
● Paragraph 4 = Ralph and Piggy

8. HOW DOES GOLDING PRESENT INDIVIDUALISM VS COMMUNITY IN ‘LORD OF THE FLIES’:

● Paragraph 1 = Jack vs Ralph
● Paragraph 2 = Jack’s hunting - self interest
● Paragraph 3 = Jack’s tribe - self interest - secure society

9. HOW DOES GOLDING PRESENT IDENTITY IN ‘LORD OF THE FLIES’:

● Paragraph 1 = beginning of novel
● Paragraph 2 = Jack
● Paragraph 3 = Jack’s tribe
● Paragraph 4 = killing of Simon
● Paragraph 5 = Castle Rock