Lord of the Flies Introduction Notes

About the Novel Set in mid 1940’s when Europe was in the middle of WWII. A plane carrying British school boys is mistaken for a military craft and shot down. Only the boys (no adults) survive the crash, and try to form a society and govern themselves.

Summary Notes British schoolboys are stranded on an uninhabited island during a nuclear war. Ralph meets Piggy, a fat boy with glasses, and together they find a conch shell which Ralph uses as a trumpet.

Summary Notes In response to the sound, other boys appear, some very small, none older than 12, and finally a group dressed in choir robes and led by Jack Merridew.

Summary Notes Realizing that there are no adults, the boys attempt to organize their own society. Ralph is elected chief and Jack is given control of the choir who become his “hunters.”

Summary Notes As the novel progresses, fear becomes a part of island life for the boys. One of the fears is that there is an unexplained “beast” on the island.

Themes The capacity for human nature to be both good and evil. All individuals have the natural capacity for brutality. A society can often be judged by the way it treats its most vulnerable citizens. People can lose their innocence when put in circumstances with the possibility of corruption.

Symbols in the Novel The Conch- Civilization and order The Beast- The fear that separates man from God Piggy’s Glasses- Reason, science, and insight Lord of the Flies- Evil Fire Signal- Hope, salvation

Need for Social Order The boys are separated from civilization They attempt to create their own form of order and government Without someone to enforce the rules, the boys fail to observe their own rules The boys eventually abandon the rules of civilization Without social order, the boys commit acts of savagery and murder

Power To Ralph, power is democratic The conch becomes a symbol of power To Jack, power is authoritarian Jack treats the members of his choir cruelly The littluns begin to exercise power of small creatures Roger enjoys unrestrained power

Vision Mirages impair the boy’ vision Although Piggy’s vision is poor, he can see most clearly what they need to do to survive Piggy is blind to the reality that evil exists in the boys themselves Simon has the clearest vision of the true nature of evil on the island Only Simon sees the “Lord of the Flies” Only Simon goes to the mountaintop to see the beast clearly in the daylight.

Fear of the Unknown The boys are afraid because they do not know where they are, why their plane crashed, or what will happen if they are not rescued. The littluns fear the beastie or snake-like thing that comes in the dark The bigguns fears beasts that are still unknown “The Beast” is a – Snake-like thing – that represents the the dead parachutist – The Lord of the Flies – Simon - The boys themselves

Loss of Identity The boys begin to lose their individual identities: littluns, bigguns, samneric The choir becomes hunters The mask allows the boys to become someone else Jack’s followers become a savage tribe Ralph has difficulty remember he is the leader and why rescue is important Percival forgets his own name

Loss of Innocence Ralph’s faith in democracy is shattered Following the rules offers no protection Piggy’s belief in fairness is proven false Violence takes the lives of three boys The boys come to accept the notion that the world is not completely good

The Symbol of the Shell The shell symbolizes power and order on the island The boy holding the shell has the floor to speak at assemblies When the shell is shattered, any semblance of order is gone

The Characters Ralph – “counsel” Good-natured, fair, uses common sense Jack – “one who takes over by force” Uses fear and threats to control the boys Simon – “listener” Most spiritual character, not afraid to go alone into the jungle, understands the reality of the “beast”

The Characters 4. Piggy – Is the most intelligent character on the island. He is an outcast, an outsider, and his death is foreshadowed by the killing of pigs on the island. 5. Roger – nicknamed “Spear” is the cruelest character. He uses brute force at whim, and dislodges the boulder that kills Piggy. Spear represents the worst in people when there is no society to keep people in check.

Simon as a “Christ figure” Simon goes alone into the jungle and confronts evil. Simon comes down from the mountain bringing news that will save the boys from their fear. However, instead of listening to Simon, the other boys kill him.

Themes Human beings need to belong to a group, such as a society. The story shows that laws and rules, policemen and schools are necessary to keep the darker side of human nature in line. When these institutions and concepts slip away or are ignored, human beings revert to a more primitive part of their nature.

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

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

Characters as Symbols Ralph - common sense, and responsibility Jack - immediate gratification and irresponsible authority Piggy - ineffective intellectualism Dead parachutist - the “sign,” evil developing on the island

Characters as Symbols Simon - mystic, Religious side of man. Understands good and evil but no communication. Samneric - incapable of acting independently. They represent loss of identity through fear of the beast.

Objects as Symbols Conch shell - law and order. The shell looses authority as anarchy grows. The conch fades in color and power. It’s power is broken with the “fall of piggy.”

Objects as Symbols Lord of the Flies -Refers to the head of the pig which Jack has left as an offering to the “beast.” Literal translation of the “Beelzebub,” prince of demons. Symbolizes man’s capacity for evil

Objects as Symbols Huts - represent the desire to preserve civilization; when Jack gains power they move into caves like the animals they have become.

Objects as Symbols Fire - its use divides civilization from savagery. Ralph uses it for hope; Jack for cooking. It is Jack’s group that allows the fire (hope) to go out

Objects as symbols Piggy’s glasses - They signify man’s ability to perceive, to think. That thought can be misused for destructive purpose is shown when Piggy’s glasses are used to smoke Ralph out.

Objects as symbols Night and Darkness - A typical symbol of evil, “the powers of darkness.” The boys would have recognized the chutist in the daylight, as would they have Simon. The beast is more real at night

Objects as Symbols Face paint - The paint helps the boys hide from their own consciences, turning them into anonymous savages who are freed from the restraints of “civilized” behavior.

Objects as Symbols Stick sharpened on both ends - Represents how much evil has taken the boys over. First it was used to offer the beast the pig sacrifice; next to offer it Ralph.