“Lord of The Flies” William Golding

Explain the Title:  The reason for the name of the title is because the book is about how the boys go from civilized to savages, and The Lord of the Flies symbolizes savages, since it’s a pig on a stick. It is also what drives some boys to insanity. When the Lord of the Flies first comes it makes the boys more aware of survival and less aware of humanity.

What makes an individual powerful?  Personality  Knowledge/ intelligence  Money and opportunity  Eloquence  Appearance  Ability to thrive in a bad environment  Confidence  Work ethic  performance

Themes:  Civilization vs. Savagery - conflict throughout the story the instinct to live by the rules and follow moral commands against desire to act violently  Loss of Innocence - boys on the island progress from orderly children longing for rescue, to bloodthirsty hunters who have no desire to return to civilization  Man vs. Nature - thrust into the harsh environment and geography of the island, the young boys express different attitudes towards nature that reflect their character traits

Conflicts:  Jack vs. Ralph- Throughout the novel these two boys argue over the ideas of staying civilized. It is important to Ralph although, Jack could care less about being saved.  Ralph vs. Ralph- Within Ralph struggles with the fact that he should be civilized but can be savage.  Boys vs. Wild- Throughout the novel the boys struggle with living in a wild state and having to survive without resources, and without adults.

Characters:  Ralph :12 years old, blonde, charismatic. Chosen as leader, positive personalities. Constant conflict with Jack.  Jack: Red hair, skinny build, freckled face. Seems to harbor savage emotions and motives. Wants to overrun Ralph as chief.  Piggy: short, overweight, thick glasses, asthma. Smartest on the island, lacks social skills. Has Trouble communicating or fitting in. In a fight for life, Piggy dies by a boulder that Roger pushed off a cliff (second murder).  Simon: younger than Piggy, Jack and Ralph but older than the littuns. Introvert, more intelligent than most on the island. Insists multiple times that they will be rescued. Beaten to death by the other boys (first murder)  Roger: small boy, dirty/ shaggy hair. Pure evil, wrongness, no mercy. Jack’s most loyal worker, follows orders.

Symbolism:  The conch shell - shows authority  Piggy’s Glasses - displays clarity/intelligence  The Fire - shows hope/ rescue  The shelters - unity, gathering, safety  The Beastie - represents fear within the boys  The Lord of the Flies - savagery/ power

Setting:  Time : Probably around (1944) because there is mention of war and atomic bombs; which meant most likely late into WWII. Also most likely summer due to: temperature and thunder storms.  Location : Takes place on an uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean,. The island itself is partly beach shoreline, mostly jungle with wild vines and boars, and partly mountainous on the south side.  Historical Importance : This novel takes place during the time of war. Most likely WWII because of the fact that the boys were most likely evacuated (from England) because of their accents. It also briefly mentions atomic bombs which correlates to timing of war.

Death:  The idea of death became prevalent after the first murder. The concept is not comprehended to its real meaning due to the fact that there is a lack of maturity within the boys.