Lord of the Flies Quotes and Analysis

Chapter 1: “All round him the long scar smashed into the jungle was a bath of heat”

THEME: Destructive Nature of Humanity - Idea that humans corrupt the natural world

ANALYSIS:

Use of violent imagery in the phrase “long scar smashed into the jungle” to suggest that the boys’ arrival has violently wounded the natural world - “Jungle” - Full of nature and wildlife

The noun “scar” has connotations of permanent damage - something that is unnatural and irreversible - foreshadowing how the boys will later damage not only the island, but also themselves morally

The verb “smashed” conveys aggression and carelessness suggesting that even before the boys are consciously damaging the environment and themselves, their presence is already bringing destruction

“Bath of heat” creates an oppressive atmosphere. The juxtaposition between “bath”, which usually implies comfort or cleansing, contrasts with “heat” which may foreshadow how suffocating and oppressive the island will become

“All around him” suggests that the destruction surrounds the boys completely emphasising how they have already destroyed the natural environment and foreshadowing how there will be no escape from their own savagery

AP: Reflects Golding’s pessimistic view of human nature that violence is innate in mankind and how Human beings are inherently destructive
Humanity’s violent imprint on the world especially after the Second World War - War is the ultimate example of human’s potential for savagery

Chapter 1: “A vision of red and yellow, flashed upwards with a witch-like cry” - Birds

THEME: Fear and the Supernatural, Loss of innocence, Destruction of Nature

ANALYSIS:

The simile of “witch” evokes an unpleasant imagery of the supernatural which is usually associated with fear. This coupled with the noun “cry” which connotes that somebody is in peril adds to the atmosphere of trepidation as both words suggest that the island is dangerous

Birds usually symbolise innocence and purity, but here they are associated with evil which is ironic emphasises how, even though at first the island is presented as paradisiacal, there is an underlying ambivalence occurring through the presentation of the island

Furthermore “red and yellow” are colours associated with danger and are the colours of fire which have quite hellish connotations. This may foreshadow the dangerous individuals the boys become and how they will cause harm to the natural world around them (fire in chapter 2)

AP: Golding may be suggesting how innocence and purity is offset by evil and fear

Even innocent creatures become associated with veil once fear and violence dominate

Chapter 1: “Toy of Voting” - Conch

THEME: Fragility of democracy, Superficial nature of civilisation, Innocence, Dangers of Irresponsible authority

ANALYSIS:

The noun “toy” has connotations of childishness and innocence and suggests something is artificial undermining the seriousness of democracy

The noun “voting” connotes authority and maturity, suggesting that the boys are still civilised at the beginning of the novel and are trying to establish an adult society however it is juxtaposed by the word “toy” creating irony

The conch is representative of order and structure, however describing it as a “toy” may imply the artificiality and fragility of that democracy and structure.

AP: Highlights Golding’s belief that civilisation is fragile and can be easily discarded - as seen by Jack and his group later in the novel
May reflect Golding’s belief that democracy is something that requires discipline and maturity however the boys weren’t able to keep democracy as they were young and immature and saw it as a “toy”

Chapter 1: “Young palm trees”

THEME: Innocence, Nature

ANALYSIS: “young” symbolises innocence and purity and may portray how at the beginning of the novel, the boys are innocent

“Palm trees” creates a calm and tranquil atmosphere as they are often associated with peace portraying the island as idyllic and paradisical at the beginning of the novel

AP: "The island serves as a microcosm for society, symbolising a metaphorical “blank slate” where the boys can create their own society - This is portrayed by the idyllic description of the island which has not yet been tainted by Human evil

Chapter 1: “Within the diamond haze of the beach, something dark was fumbling along” “The creature was a party of boys” - Jack’s Choir

“The boy who controlled them”

THEME: Savagery vs Civilisation, Loss of innocence

CHARACTER: Jack

ANALYSIS:

"something dark was fumbling along” - creates a sense of menace and uncertainty. The boys are not identified as human but instead referred to as “something”. The dehumanising language may foreshadow the boys’ + Jack’s eventual descent into savagery implying that, even at an early stage, humanity and civilisation is fragile

“dark” has connotations of evil and fear and may symbolise the darkness within human nature. The boys are described as “dark” even before they have committed violent and savage acts suggesting that savagery is innate rather than learned

“diamond” - implies beauty and clarity and highlights how beautiful and idyllic the island is, however this is juxtaposed with “haze” which implies confusion and disorientation.

This contrast may reflect how the beautiful island is corrupted by human presence and may also mirror how the boys are outwardly innocence, yet are internally capable of brutality

The noun “creature” dehumanises Jack’s choir and presents them as a single animalistic entity. This dehumanisation may foreshadow how later in the novel, the lack of personal responsibility enables them to commit violent acts like killing Simon

AP: Foreshadows the boys descent into savagery and Golding highlights how the capacity for violence exists in everyone regardless of their age.

Chapter 2: “snake-thing” “teeth" - Beast

THEME: Illogical fear is the enemy of logical thinking

ANALYSIS:

“snake-thing” - vague and childlike, reflecting the boys’ inability to rationalise their fear and how the boys cannot fully define what has been seen may highlight how the Beast itself is based on fear and psychological rather than physical

“snake” - biblical connotations as in Christianity, the snake represents temptation and evil. By linking the Beast to a snake, Golding may be implying that the true evil on the island is internal not external.

“teeth” - symbolises violence and predation + the lack of descriptive detail suggests the irrational nature of their fear and how it does not need logic to spread but rather thrives on imagination. Furthermore, “teeth” humanises the beast and may foreshadow how the Beast is closer to them than they thought + how it is an internal evil

AP: The vague description of the beast in the early chapters of the novel portrays how the Beast is created through fear, which later is used to control them by Jack and justifies their descent into violence

May reflect how during World War 2, fear had been a tool of control by totalitarian regimes - Propaganda created imaginary enemies to Unite people - may foreshadow how later in the novel, Jack uses the boys’ fear of the beast to control them and justify their violent actions

Chapter 2: “We must make smoke on top of the mountain. We must make a fire. A fire! Make a fire!” - Ralph

THEME: Civilisation, Rational leadership, Fragile nature of Order

CHARACTER: Ralph - Symbol of Rational Leadership

ANALYSIS:

Repetition of “we must” and the use of the modal verb “must” establishes Ralph as a responsible and determined leader as well as conveys urgency and necessity portraying how Ralph understands the seriousness of the situation and is thinking about long-term survival rather than acting on Impulse like Jack - highlights his rational mindset

“Fire!” - The use of exclamative reflects his desperation to be rescued + fire symbolises hope and rescue as well as being their only connection to the civilised world. However later in the novel, fire is used as a way to destroy the natural world around them and themselves.

The exclamatory sentences covey Ralph’s emotional intensity however shows how his leadership lacks control even if his intentions are correct.

This characterises Ralph as a rational leader who thinks about long term survival rather than immediate gratification through hunting. It portrays how he stays connected to civilisation and tries to keep order + is the voice of reason however suggests that he lacks control

AP: Highlights how civilisation requires discipline and responsibility + reason

Ralph is the one who tries to keep the fire going throughout the novel highlighting how he is the only one who tries to keep the order between the boys however ultimately fails as he lacks the control that Jack has through his use of Fear

Chapter 2: “We’re not savages, we’re English and the English are best at everything” - Jack

THEME: Civilisation, Imperialism, collapse of civilisation

CHARACTER: Jack

ANALYSIS:

Highlights Jack as ignorant and arrogant. Deeply ironic as the statement “we are not savages” directly contradicts his later behaviour in Chapter 3 where he hunts in a predatory and animalistic way

His belief that by being “English” they are superior and the “best at everything” exposes Jack’s immaturity

He marks himself as not “not savage” to separate himself from what he views as primitive, which is Ironic as Jack becomes one of the most savage character in the novel.”

“Best at everything” - reflects his arrogance as there is no logic behind his claim, showing that Jack doesn’t choose to be reasonable and foreshadows how he later rules through fear and dominance rather than rationality

AP: Golding uses this contradiction to portrays that everyone is capable of savagery, regardless of class, age, race or nationality - it exists within everyone

Chapter 3: “Two Continents of experience and feeling, unable to communicate” Jack v Ralph

THEME: Civilisation vs Savagery, Conflict in Leadership,

CHARACTER: Jack v Ralph

ANALYSIS:

The metaphor “two continents” conveys the complete separation between Ralph and Jack as continents are vast and immovable, suggesting that the divide between them is not temporary but permanent, even early in the novel

“experience and feeling” - highlights the boys contrasting world-views - Ralph is driven by reason, responsibility and long-term survival while Jack is motivated by immediate gratification (hunting)

“unable to communicate” - Portrays the complete breakdown of understanding. Foreshadows the split of the group and the eventual descent into violence

AP: May reflect how during the Second world war there was a breakdown of international cooperation - portrays how ideological difference can lead to violence and war

Marks a turning point in the book, Ralph and Jack are completely unable to understand each other therefore the collapse of unity is inevitable

Chapter 3: “Jack himself shrank at this cry with a hiss of indrawn breath; and for a minute became less a hunter than a furtive thing, ape like among the tangle of trees”

THEME: Civilisation vs Savagery, Descent into savagery, loss of identity

CHARACTER: Jack

ANALYSIS:

• “hiss of in drawn breath” has predetorial and animalistic connotations portraying how Jack, even at this early stage, is becoming increasing animalistic in the absence of proper societal order

• Regressing to his more primal instincts, blending into nature - becoming more savage

Chapter 3: “He tried to convey the compulsion to track down and kill that was swallowing him up” - Jack

THEME: Loss of self-control, Savagery, Capacity for Violence
CHARACTER: Jack

ANALYSIS:

“compulsion” suggests the overwhelming and uncontrollable urge that Jack feels towards hunting. He is no longer choosing to hunt, however he is driven by a primal instinct that he can no longer resist. Reflects Golding’s belief that violence and savagery exists naturally within human beings

“tried to convey” - highlights the growing divide between him and Jack as well as how Jack is losing control of basic communication skills, portraying his disconnection from the civilised work and descent into savagery. Ralph cannot understand the Compulsion that Jack is experiencing because he is still operating within logic and morality whereas Jack is becoming increasingly driven by violence and instinct

“swallowing him up” suggests that his desire to kill is oppressive and all consuming and that he feels he has no other choice but to do so. The verb “swallowing” implies loss of control and disappearance as thought Jack’s humanity is being metaphorically devoured by his darker and violent instincts. Furthermore, “swallowing” has animalistic connotations highlighting how Jack is becoming increasingly primal and Animalistic

AP: Golding may be using this moment to show that savagery is something innate in every human being and that everyone has a capacity for violence. Jack’s loss of control in the earlier parts of the novel foreshadows his complete transformation into a violent being at the end of the novel.

Through Jack, Golding may be implying how, without societal restraint, humans naturally revert to more primal instincts and emphasises the fragility of civilisation

Chapter 3: “Simons found for them the fruit they could not reach, pulled off the choicest from up in the foliage, passed the back down to the endless, outstretched hands”

THEME: Innate human goodness, Morality

CHARACTER: SIMON - represents Innate human goodness and morality. Christ-like character

ANALYSIS:

The verb “found” suggests that Simon actively seeks to help others instead of acting out of self-interest which contrasts to Jack who hunts for immediate gratification emphasising how Simon’s good actions are instinctive

“the fruit they could not reach” - “fruit” symbolises nourishment and life highlighting how Simon is moral figure who provides nourishment to the people around him reinforcing Simon’s association with goodness instead of destruction and violence. “they could not reach” symbolises how Simon provides for those who are incapable of providing for themselves which contrasts to Jack to constantly belittle the littluns

The superlative “choicest” implies that Simon chooses the best fruit for others, not for himself emphasising Simon’s innate goodness as he chooses to help the less capable “littluns” over himself. Contrasts to Jack who demands the best cut of meat as a symbol of power.

Simon is a quieter character that doesn’t seek praise or authority highlighting how his goodness is instinctive and natural

Simon is often described as Christ-like - him feeding the littluns is similar to Jesus Christ’s feeding of the 5 thousand highlighting Simon’s innate goodness and compassion for others

AP:

Golding - Mankind has the potential for both good, represented through Simon, and evil, represented through Jack, however an active moral choice is needed in order to preserve civilised order

Chapter 4: “He began to dance and his laughter became a bloodthirsty snarling”

THEME: Loss of Humanity, Savagery , Violence

CHARACTER: JACK

ANALYSIS:

Verbs “dance” and “laughter” have a semantic field of joy and celebration however this starkly contrasts to “bloodthirsty snarling”. This use of juxtaposition emphasises how Jack and the boys are slowly losing their humanity and and leaning into their primal instincts. Furthermore, this mirrors how the boys are initially innocent and moral but then descend into savage and animalistic actions.

“bloodthirsty snarling” has deeply animalistic connotations. The noun “snarling” strips Jack of his humanity and presents him as a predatory and violent beast emphasising his aggression and loss of rational thought. “bloodthirsty” intensifies this idea and suggests that his craving for blood and violence is uncontrollable, emphasising his descent into savagery.

“laughter” - associated with childhood innocence however is then contrasted with the violent imagery reinforcing Golding’s idea that evil can emerge even when young and that everyone has the capacity of it.

The dance and laughter becomes ritualistic and mirrors primitive tribal rituals, which were seen as uncivilised emphasising how the boys are losing touch with civilisation

AP: Golding may be implying how humans become uncivilised, violent and animalistic when they are stripped of societal constraint

Chapter 4: “Round the squatting child was the protection of parents, school, policemen and the law” - Roger throwing to miss

THEME: Social Conditioning, moral constraint, gradual emergence of cruelty

CHARACTER: Roger

ANALYSIS:

“parents. school, policemen and the law” - represents the structure of civilisation and how they create moral boundaries and socially condition humans. The asyndetic listing, starting with family to formal authority, highlights how deeply social control shapes the boys’ behaviours

“protection” may imply that morality does not come naturally and must be enforced as Roger stops himself from harming the littluns because he has been socially conditioned to do so, not because he is kind.

“child” has vulnerable connotations, which contrasts to Roger’s act of throwing stones at him, highlighting Roger’s emerging cruel nature which is still constrained by social conditioning

“squatting” emphasises this by highlighting the imbalance of power

Use of past tense with “was” highlights how this protection from social conditioning is already fading, emphasising the gradual emergence of cruelty and violence in Roger and the boys

Juxtaposition between Roger’s hesitation here and his complete lack of hesitation when he releases the boulder to kill Piggy emphasises his descent into cruelty and violence especially when societal constraints have been stripped

AP: Evil is innate within humans and is only restrained by society. Roger’s inclination to this evil, emphasised by the fact that he is inflicting it upon others who are “inferior” to him demonstrates how savagery exists in everyone.

Chapter 4: “Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood”

THEME: Savagery, Violence, Dehumanisation + power of group mentality

ANALYSIS
Chant is made up of short imperative sentences, creating a fast, aggressive rhythm, mirroring their violent actions. This use of the commands, “Kill, Cut, Spill” portrays their complete abandonment of moral restraint and rational thought

The repetition of this chant mimics tribal chants and suggests that violence has become ritualistic and emphasises their loss of humanity as they are acting as a mass rather than individuals

Foreshadows how the boys will later treat Simon in the exact same way and reduce him into prey. This may suggest how the boys make the violence easier and morally acceptable by dehumanising and reducing their victim to prey.

The use of violent imagery “cut her throat, “spill her blood” coupled with the use of the possessive pronoun “her” which humanises the pig, makes the violence more shocking and savage. Further foreshadows Simon’s death, where he is treated as an animal “Beast” to be slaughtered

“Spill” has connotations of carelessness, emphasising how the boys have lost so much of their humanity that they no longer care about committing acts of violence which contrasts to earlier in the book where Jack is unable to kill a pig.

The fact that everyone is chanting emphasises their loss of individuality as they are committing this violence as a collective

AP: The chant reflects primitive tribal behaviour, suggesting that when civilisation is removed, humans revert to primal instincts

Golding uses this moment to emphasise how humans revert to their savage and violent instincts when stripped of societal constraint.

Chapter 4: “… the mask was thing of its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from the shame and self-consciousness” - Jack

“The Mask compelled him”

THEME: Loss of personal responsibility, Savagery, power of anonymity

CHARACTER: JACK

ANALYSIS:

“the mask was a thing of its own” suggests that the mask has taken on an independent identity. Golding’s personification of this masks highlight how it now controls Jack symbolising how savagery overcomes personal moral restraint in the face of anonymity. Emphasises how Jack is hiding to escape guilt and responsibility

“hid” - verb implies cowardice and avoidance, emphasising that by concealing his face, Jack is concealing his personal responsibility and morals

"liberated from shame and self-consciousness” emphasises how Jack views morality as a burden and now that he completely free from it, he can act without guilt. “shame” normally acts as a moral barrier which prevents cruelty, however Jack hiding from this and breaking free of shame highlights his complete descent into savagery

“compelled” - suggests intense force and inevitability, highlighting how Jack no longer has control over his actions emphasising his lack of humanity to the point that he cannot control his own actions once has embraced savagery

Crucial turning point as Jack stops pretending to be civilised and fully embraces violence

AP: Through Jack, Golding may be implying how, once accountability and identity is stripped away from a person, they are free to become brutal savage.

Chapter 5: “What are we Humans? Animals? or Savages?” - Piggy

THEME: Thin line between civilisation and savagery, Collapse of rational thinking, Loss of order

CHARACTER: Piggy - symbolises intelligence and rational thought

ANALYSIS

Three short rhetorical questions

Listing of “humans, animals, savages” - starts with morality and civilisation and slowly progresses into moral corruption and lack of control

This ordered descent reflects the boys’ own moral decline.

Piggy tries to force the group to confront the uncomfortable truth that they are moving further away from humanity and closer to brutality emphasising his own intelligence and how he is still able to hold on to rational thought even when everyone around him isn’t. Highlights Piggy’s role as a voice of logic and reason as well as the moral conscience of the group

AP: Through these questions and Piggy’s uncertainty of the morality of the group mirrors the post WW2 Moral crisis that people faced after finding out the brutal things that people, who thought of themselves as civilised, were able to commit

Furthermore, Piggy’s question not only confronts the boys, but also the reader. Golding forces the reader to reflect on their own nature.

Even when the truth that they are descending into savagery is recognised, it is ignored by the boys as the continue their complete descent.

Chapter 5: “Bollocks to the rules! We’re strong - We hunt!” - Jack

“Jack had no conch […] but nobody minded”

THEME: Collapse of Order, Rejection of authority

CHA

RACTER: Jack

ANALYSIS:

“Bollocks to the rules!” - exclamative and aggressive statement reflects Jack’s increasing rejection of civilisation and social restraint. Highlights how Jack no longer respects order and discussion. This marks a turning point as rules are no longer seen necessary by Jack but as an obstacle

Jack starts to speak in shorter sentences and starts to speaks in taciturn throughout the novel. Here he uses short, blunt sentences to convey his need for violence and immediate gratification, emphasising his rejection of societal constraints and descent into savagery

The conch is a symbol of order however the fact that Jack has no conch emphasises his complete detachment from order and civilisation. Furthermore, “nobody minded” that Jack had no conch highlighting how even the boys are following in Jack’s footsteps and losing their care for order and authority and also demonstrates how Jack is gaining more power over everyone else.

AP:

Through Jack’s actions, Golding shows that civilisation is fragile and depends on maturity and discipline. Jack’s rejection of maturity and discipline through his actions and how he faces no consequences emphasises the complete breakdown of democratic order on the island e

Chapter 5: “Simon became inarticulate in his effort to express mankind’s essential illness”

THEME: Human nature - idea that evil is internal - the beast within

CHARACTER: Simon

ANALYSIS:

“essential” suggests that mankind’s illness is unavoidable and is not learned but an intrinsic part of human nature.

The noun “illness” implies something that taints and infects, highlighting how this evil “illness” corrupts mankind

Simon’s inability to articulate the truth reflects how he understands the truth but cannot communicate it in a way that others will understand

The fact that Simon is the only person that is able to figure out this truth further isolates him as a spiritual and moral character and makes his death even more tragic as the only voice that understands mankind’s innate evil is removed from the island, leaving the boys to further descend into savagery

AP: Golding uses this moment to highlight that evil is something that exists within every human and is like an “illness” which infects everyone.

Chapter 5: “Maybe there is a beast… maybe it’s only us” - Simon

THEME: Evil is Innate, The beast within

CHARACTER: SIMON

ANALYSIS:

Repetition of “maybe” conveys the difficulty that Simon faces confronting such a disturbing truth. The ellipses emphasises this difficulty and creates a sense of uncertainty and fear at revealing this truth.

This is a moment that Simon recognises that the savagery and evil that they are associating with the Beast actually is coming from within and reinforces Golding’s belief that evil is innate in every human being

“only” minimises the idea and emphasises how the Beast isn’t something supernatural, but ordinary kids

Simon’s voice is quiet and uncertain highlights how the truth is ignored and is drowned out by fear and aggression. The boys ignoring this insight, foreshadows their descent into savagery as they are unable to listen to Simon’s voice of reason.

Furthermore, the fact Simon, the only one who figured out this truth, is killed by the boys highlights how they are so detached from civilisation, to the point they kill the only person who understands the truth.

AP:

This moment also further symbolises Simon as a Christ-like figure who recognises the truth about humanity’s sinfulness and is ultimately sacrificed by the group

Golding uses Simon’s realisation of the truth to suggest that the greatest threat to civilisation is not something external, but the innate evil that every human possesses

Chapter 7: “The desire to squeeze and hurt was over-mastering” - Ralph

THEME: Innate Savagery, Corruption of Innocence

CHARACTER: Ralph

ANALYSIS:

“desire” highlights how this need to hurt is an uncontrollable urge, portraying that even Ralph, who is a symbol of civilisation and order, is not immune to savagery

“squeeze” and “hurt” have physical and brutal connotations and echo animalistic behaviours emphasising Ralph’s moral decline as he is reducing to primal instincts

“over-mastering” further highlights the complete loss of control that Ralph has over his behaviours. It portrays how Ralph’s civilised and rational identity is being overwhelmed by primal and violent instincts.

Turning point in Ralph’s character, as he is no longer resisting savagery but is now experiencing its appeal

AP:

Even the boy who represents order and democracy is vulnerable to savagery, emphasising Golding’s message that evil and savagery exists within everyone

Chapter 8: “The beast had teeth” “and big black eyes” - Ralph describing the Beast

Contrasts to “The thing is - fear can’t hurt you any more than a dream” Chapter 5

THEME: Fear. power of imagination, breakdown of logic and reason

CHARACTER: Beast, Ralph

ANALYSIS:

“Teeth” - immediately associates the Beast with violence and predatory instinct as teeth are natural weapons used by animals, portraying danger and savagery. This also portrays how the beast has become humanised instead of a being described as a “snake-like thing” emphasising how fear has completely taken over their logic and reason

“big black eyes” - “black” connotes evil and the unknown, which portrays the beast as something deeply frightening and also undefined. Eyes and sight are often associated with truth, yet the fact that they are “black” may suggest the boys have completely lost sight of reason and logic.

The description comes from Ralph, a character who has represented logic and order throughout the novel as he is the only one who has thought about the long-term survival of the group and has tried to establish a democracy. However, now, he imagines the beast in such vivid, monstrous terms portraying how this intense fear of the Beast has completely corrupted rational thought

By giving the beast physical features, the boys make it easier to fear and hate something external rather than accept responsibility for their savagery and own violence

AP: Golding portraying how even reason can be overwhelmed by panic and the power of imagination through Ralph vividly describing the beast.

Chapter 8: “Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill” - The Lord of the Flies

THEME: Evil is internal, not external

CHARACTER: the Beast

ANALYSIS:

“Fancy thinking” - The beast is mocking and scornful of the boys, emphasising the boys’ belief in a physical beast is naïve and foolish. The LOTF speaks in an almost condescending tone, highlighting how childish the boys are being by thinking there is an actual physical beast

“something you can hunt and kill” - links to Jack’s obsession with hunting and his thought that they could kill the Beast. However, The LOTF reveals that violence cannot defeat the beast as the beast is not external, but internal.

Furthermore, the beast appears through Simon’s subconscious, emphasising how it is actually inside the boys rather than external.

AP: Through the Lord of the Flies, Golding reveals that humanity’s greatest danger cannot be hunted or destroyed, because is exists within the human mind itself.

Chapter 9: “Piggy and Ralph, under the treat of the sky, found themselves eager to take a place in this demented but partly secure society - Ralph and Piggy joining in with Jack’s Dance

“There was a throb and the stamp of a single organism”

THEME: Loss of individuality, Power of group mentality, Fear overpowering reason

CHARACTER: Piggy, Ralph

ANALYSIS:

“under the threat of the sky” The natural world itself seems hostile, establishing the atmosphere of fear and tension and mirrors the boy’s emotional state.

The use of pathetic fallacy from the storm symbolises the chaos and moral disorder that Ralph and Piggy are experiencing and also suggests that the fear has overwhelmed their logic and rationality

“demented” connotes madness and irrationality however that contrasts to “secure” which suggests safety and belonging. This use of juxtaposition is ironic and may highlight how humans are willing to sacrifice their morality for the illusion of security

“eager” portrays how they are drawn to the dance and emphasises how even the most rational and logical people are vulnerable to savagery

“throb and stamp of a single organism” coneys the loss of individuality as the boys are no longer separate people but are part of one single violent entity - “organism” suggests something primal and highlights how they are acting without though or conscience

This moment highlights the power of group mentality as the boys are acting without shame and thought as though they have lost their individuality.

AP: Golding uses this moment to show how fear can control even the more rational people into doing evil acts. Emphasises the power of collective violence and fear.

Chapter 9: “The crowd surged..” “There were no words, and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws”

THEME: power of group mentality, Descent into savagery and loss of innocence + individuality

ANALYSIS:

“surged” suggests an uncontrollable violent movement showing that the boys have lost any sense of individual choice or restraint emphasising the boys’ loss of individuality

“no words” highlights the total breakdown of language and has been replaced by violence, emphasising the collapse of civilisation

Furthermore, the nouns “teeth” and “claws” have animalistic connotations and reduce the boys to predators and completely strips them of their humanity, further emphasising their complete descent into savagery and loss of individuality

“tearing” implies loss of control and brutality, further dehumanising the boys

AP: This moment is when the boys kill Simon, the only person who knew the truth of the Beast and highlights the complete collapse of civilisation as the boys fear something that they think is external but rather, is internal.

Furthermore, this moment also shows how easily humans abandon morality when absorbed into a mob as they lose individuality. The shame of killing Simon becomes collective instead of individual.

Chapter 9: “The line of his cheek silvered and the turn of his shoulder became sculptured marble” - Simon Dead body

THEME: Loss of Innocence
CHARACTER: Simon as a Christ-like figure

ANALYSIS:

The beautiful imagery contrasts with Simon’s violent and brutal death

“silvered” is often associated with the moon and spirituality as well as suggesting purity and holiness emphasising the innate good within Simon

Furthermore, “silvered” and “sculptured marble” are usually white portraying his purity even after experiencing such a brutal death. “marble” and “silver” are also usually associated with value emphasising how Simon was morally superior to the others.

“sculptured marble” is often used for statues of Gods and heroes, emphasising the good nature of Simon and portrays him as a God-like figure. He is elevated above the violence that kills him , presenting him as morally pure.

Simon is described in terms of beauty and stillness, his very body becomes something of value and purity. reinforcing him as a symbol of goodness and truth. By associating him with "marble”, he is associated with something rigid which emphasises his rigid moral values that were untouched by the savagery of the other boys.

AP:

This moment portrays a total loss of innocence as the boys kill someone is represents goodness and truth

Chapter 10: “The fragile white conch”

THEME: Fragility of Civilisation, weakening of civilisation on the island

ANALYSIS:

“fragile” conveys vulnerability. The conch is symbolic of order, law and democratic authority is now completely weakened and powerless. The fragility of it represents the collapse of civilisation and order on the island

“white” signifies purity and innocence which has been lost from the boys

By focusing on the Conch’s fragility, Golding foreshadows its destruction in Chapter 11 as well as Piggy’s death.

AP:

Golding portrays the conch as fragile and delicate, portraying how quickly civilisation and order can collapse. The conch which was once seen as something that was highly important has been reduced into something vulnerable and delicate.

Chapter 10: “A savage raised his hand and the Chief turned a bleak, painted face towards him”

THEME: Power, Savagery, Hierarchy

CHARACTER: Jack

ANALYSIS:

“savage” - immediately dehumanising the boys and portrays how far the group has descended from civilisation. The boys is reduced to something primitive and animalistic portraying the complete descent into Savagery

Jack no longer reflects human reason, he is described as “bleak “ which suggests coldness and ruthlessness emphasising how morally empty he has become

Jack is described with the epithet “Chief” to show how he has gained complete power over the boys through fear and brutality rather than reason

“painted face” highlights how Jack is hiding himself from guilt and shame, allowing him to act with complete cruelty, this is seen when he unfairly ties up and beats a boy named Wilfred. He rules with complete power and uses fear to enforce his rule.

AP: Golding portrays how easily totalitarian leaders can rule with fear.

Chapter 11: “The conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist”

THEME:

ANALYSIS:
“Ceased to exist” - Can never exist again - order is permanently destroyed. With the conch gone there is no authority left to challenge Jack’s tyranny, leaving savagery entirely unchecked

“Exploded” - harsh, chaotic and violent connotations - Reminiscent of war time (bomb)

“Fragments” - portrays how carefully pieced together the conch is - May symbolise how complex and fragile democracy is

“White” symbolises purity and innocence - highlights how innocence and purity is permanently destroyed - symbolises complete descent into savagery 

“Thousand white fragments” - Can never be pieced back together because there are a thousand white fragments - total loss of order

Right after the conch breaks - Piggy dies - the conch breaking is a catalyst for complete destruction and loss of order 

The breaking of the conch symbolises the complete collapse of order and reason, suggesting that civilisation has been irreparably broken and cannot come back, leaving savagery to completely overcome the boys

AP:

Golding shows that once society abandons reason, chaos and violence dominate completely

Chapter 11: “High overhead, Roger, with a sense of delirious abandonment, leaned all his weight on the lever” - Moment roger releases boulder to kill Piggy

THEME: Escalation of Violence, Human cruelty and loss of morality

CHARACTER: Roger (Piggy)

ANALYSIS:

“high overhead” gives a sense of dominance and control. Roger is physically elevated symbolising his physical and violent superiority. The use of spatial imagery shows this imbalance of power and may portrays Roger’s moral detachment from the consequences of his actions

“delirious abandonment” portrays Roger complete detachment from Logic and Reason and how he is no longer constrained by rules and empathy like he was before when throwing to miss at the littlun. He has now completely given himself up to savagery and violence

“leaned all his weight on the lever” emphasises how Roger is deliberately choosing to kill Piggy and how it isn’t an accident and there is not hesitation. This emphasises his complete loss of morals and descent into savagery

AP:

Golding emphasises the consequences of unchecked power and the loss of morality when all social conditioning has been stripped from a person, allowing them to act in brutal and immoral ways.

Chapter 12: “Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy”

THEME: Collapse of civilisation, loss of innocence

CHARACTER: Ralph

ANALYSIS:

“wept” portrays Ralph’s emotional vulnerability and is almost childlike showing how he is fully aware of the moral collapse of the boys.

“the end of innocence” - portrays Ralph’s realisation that they have lost all Childhood naivety and they can no longer be seen as innocent children

“darkness of man’s heart” - the metaphorical darkness represents the cruelty and savagery that is innate in every human

Piggy symbolises reason and intelligence and his death symbolises the complete end of rational authority on the island.

The word “true” emphasises Piggy’s loyalty and moral goodness and emphasises the bond that Ralph and Piggy shared, making the loss even more tragic

In this moment, Ralph reflects on humanity’s flaws and the fragility of civilisation, however this epiphany happens too late, after the complete loss of order

AP:

Golding emphasises how everyone has the capability of savagery and the consequences of the collapse of civilisation

Chapter 12: “I should have thought that a pack of British boys… would have been able to put up a better show than that”

“A little boy who wore the remains of an extraordinary black cap on his red hair and who carried the remains of a pair of spectacles at this waist, started forward, then changed his mind and stood still” - Jack in the presence of the Naval Officer

The shift in perspective from the Ralph who is consumed by fear and imminent death, to actual adult authority in the form of the Naval officer. The officer views the painted, armed savage boys as “little boys” which portrays how the Naval officer sees their “painted faces “ as a little game however the reader actually knows what atrocities happened on the island, creating dramatic irony.

The shift emphasises how the brutal actions were committed by children emphasizing the total loss of innocence.