LOTF test 6/9

Ralph

Elected leader of the boys; represents civilization, order, and leadership

Jack

Leader of the hunters; represents savagery, desire for power, and rebellion

Piggy

Scientific, rational thinker; represents intellect, logic, and reason

Simon

Mystical and spiritual boy; represents morality, natural goodness, and a Christ-like figure

Roger

Sadistic boy who becomes increasingly violent; represents brutality and cruelty

Samneric

Twins who act as one; represent conformity and loss of personal identity

The Littluns

Younger boys; represent innocence and the general public

Percival

Waif-like littlun who cries for his name; shows loss of identity and innocence

Naval Officer

Represents the adult world and irony of supposed civilization

The Choir

Originally disciplined; become savage hunters under Jack's command

Conch Shell

Represents law, order, structure, and democratic authority

Piggy’s Glasses

Represents intellect, technology, and the ability to see clearly (literally and figuratively)

The Beast

Represents inner fear and the dark side of human nature

The Lord of the Flies

Represents evil and corruption; the "voice" of the beast within

Fire

Represents hope of rescue, and the boys' link to civilization

Face Paint

Represents loss of identity and descent into savagery

The Island

A microcosm of human society; paradise that becomes dystopia

The Scar

Represents man's destruction of nature; the damage humans do

Dead Parachutist

Represents the adult world and the reality of war

The Signal Fire

A symbol of the boys' desire to be rescued and return to civilization

The Spear

Becomes a symbol of violence and bloodlust

Plane crash leaves boys stranded on island

Beginning of the novel; sets up isolation

Ralph is elected leader

Establishes initial democracy and hope for order

Jack becomes obsessed with hunting

Marks the start of his descent into savagery

The signal fire goes out and a ship passes

Shows how savagery leads to missed rescue

Simon finds the "beast" is a dead parachutist

Reveals the beast is a symbol, not real

Simon speaks with the Lord of the Flies

Hallucinatory scene symbolizing internal evil

Simon is killed by the boys during a frenzy

Represents loss of morality and complete savagery

Piggy is killed by Roger with a boulder

Destruction of reason and logic

The conch is shattered

End of order and civilized discussion

Ralph is hunted like an animal

Complete breakdown of civilization

The boys are rescued by a naval officer

End of the novel; ironic return to adult world at war

"Maybe there is a beast… maybe it's only us."

Simon

"Ralph wept for the end of innocence."

Narrator

"Which is better – to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill?"

Piggy

"Bollocks to the rules!"

Jack

"Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!"

The boys (chant)

"The conch exploded into a thousand white fragments."

Narrator

"The thing is – fear can't hurt you any more than a dream."

Jack

"What are we? Humans? Or animals? Or savages?"

Piggy

"I’m frightened. Of us."

Ralph

"You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you?"

The Lord of the Flies (to Simon)

"The rules! You’re breaking the rules!"

Piggy

"Things are breaking up. I don’t understand why."

Ralph

"There was a blackness within, a blackness that spread."

Narrator

"The world, that understandable and lawful world, was slipping away."

Narrator

Ralph vs. Jack

Represents conflict between civilization and savagery

Piggy's death

Marks the destruction of reason and logic

Simon's death

A symbolic sacrifice; represents martyrdom and loss of innocence

Jack’s tribe

Hunters turned savages; represent chaos and primal instinct

Roger’s transformation

Becomes increasingly violent; symbolic of unchecked cruelty

Fire going out

Represents loss of hope and failure of leadership

Face paint and chanting

Allow boys to hide their guilt and act savagely

Simon’s encounter with the pig’s head

A vision that confirms the "beast" is internal

Rescue by naval officer

Ironic; world beyond island is also at war

Lord of the Flies title

Translates to “Beelzebub,” a name for the devil

Golding's message

Human nature is inherently savage when left without rules

Allegory

The novel is a political, psychological, and moral allegory

Theme of civilization vs savagery

Seen in the conflict between Ralph and Jack

Loss of innocence

Shown by transformation of boys into killers

Power and control

Jack’s rise illustrates how power corrupts

Fear and its consequences

Fear leads to irrational behavior and violence

Symbolism

Objects like the conch, fire, and beast carry deeper meaning

Irony

Rescue by a warship shows the “civilized” world is also violent