Figurative Language In Lord Of The Flies
What are examples of gurative language used in the rst two chapters of Lord of the Flies?
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mwestwood
| Certified Educator
Written as a figurative work itself, the allegory Lord of the Flies contains many examples of evocative
literary language in the first two chapters.
Metaphor - an unstated comparison between two unlike things or people.
In the opening paragraph of the novel, the path of the crashed airplane is called a "long scar smashed
into the jungle," and it has made "a bath of heat."
A bird is called "a vision of red and yellow" that flies upward.
The leaves of the palm trees along the shore are "green feathers," and they make "a green roof."
As Ralph realizes that he is on a beautiful Eden-like island, he emits "bass strings of delight." Here,
he thinks is "coral island"--a comparison to Ballantyne's novel.
The beach stops at one point where "a great plaform of pink granite" rises.
Simile - a stated comparison between unlike things or people.
The bird that is startled by Ralph and Piggy screams with a "witch-like cry."
Ralph pulls off his shirt and stands amid the "skull-like coconuts."
The lagoon that the boys discover is "as still as a mountain lake."
The boys from the choir arrive and are "panting like dogs."
As Ralph lolls in the water, "Sleep enveloped him like the swathing mirages...."
One boy describes a fearful "beastie," a "snake-like thing."
Personification - The attribution of human qualities to that which is non-human
In the above description of Ralph lolling in the water, the mirages "were wrestling with the brillance
of the lagoon."
Broken pieces of the plane are described as having been "dragged out to sea."
The huge ledge of pink granite "thrust up uncompromisingly through forest..."
As Ralph dives and swims, "a golden light danced..."
Imagery - Language that appeals to the senses.
Much color imagery is used as Ralph's body is "golden," "the white surf" hits a "coral reef," the sea
is a "dark blue," "shadowy green and purple." The granite rocks are "pink" and the conch is
significantly a "fading pink." One little boy has a "mulberry-colored birthmark.
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Gretchen Mussey
| Certified Educator
Allusions are a brief, indirect reference to something with historical, cultural, or political significance.
Throughout Chapter 1, Golding alludes to the novels Treasure Island, Swallows and Amazons, and Coral
Island when the boys hold an assembly.
Alliteration is the succession of a number of words with the same first consonant sound occurring in a
series. Golding utilizes alliteration in Chapter 2 when he describes the fire on the mountain. Golding writes
the following:
"To keep a clean flag of flame flying on the mountain was the immediate end and no one looked
further" (57).
An onomatopoeia is a word, which mimics the natural sound of a thing and imitates the thing it describes.
Golding utilizes several onomatopoeias throughout the first two chapters of Lord of the Flies:
"Sche-aa-ow!" (Golding, 13).
"Whizzoh!" (Golding, 14).
"Whee-aa-oo!" (Golding, 37).
Personification is a literary device in which an inanimate object, idea, or animal is given human attributes
and characteristics:
"He turned over, holding his nose, and a golden light danced and shattered just over his face"
(Golding, 15).
"With that word the heat seemed to increase till it became a threatening weight and the lagoon
attacked them with a blinding effulgence" (Golding, 17).
"He trotted through the sand, enduring the sun’s enmity, crossed the platform and found his
scattered clothes" (Golding, 17).
Symbolism is the use of symbols to signify an alternate, deeper meaning in an object throughout literature.
One of Golding's most significant symbols throughout the novel is the conch. In Chapter 1, Ralph and
Piggy find a conch in the lagoon and use it to call the other boys together. During their assemblies, the
conch is passed between each boy wishing to speak. The conch symbolizes civilization, order, and
structure throughout the novel.
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