‘Lord of the Flies’
by William Golding (NOT GOULDING!)
The Island
On Writing Lord of the Flies (1954)
“It was simply what seemed sensible for me to
write after the war when everyone was
thanking God they weren’t Nazis. I’d seen
enough to realize that every single one of us
could be Nazis.”
--William Golding
Author—William Golding
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British novelist
Born on September 19, 1911, died 1993
Studied Science and English at Oxford
Fought in Royal Navy during WWII
Participated in invasion of Normandy on D-Day
At war’s end, returned to teaching and writing
Earned the Nobel Prize in Literature
Philosophical Influence
• Thomas Hobbes
– English Philosopher: 1588- 1679
– Man is by nature selfishly individualistic
– Man constantly at war with other men
– Fear of violent death is sole motivation to create
civilizations
– Men need to be controlled by absolute
sovereignty to avoid brutish behavior
“The
theme
is
an
Golding’s Message
attempt to trace the
“The themedefects
is an attempt
to trace the defects of
of society
society back
to the
defects
of human nature.”
back
to the
defects
of human nature.”
--William Golding
Themes
• Survival
• Power/leadership styles
• Civilization vs. Savagery
(Political Allegory)
• Loss of Innocence
• Human nature
• Duality of man
• Nature Vs. Nurture
• Good Vs. Evil
Political Allegory
• Lord of the Flies can be seen as an allegory on human society today.
• When utilizing political allegory, the characters are used as symbols
that, overall, represent some kind of political organization:
• Ralph
Roger
• Jack
the biguns
• Piggy
the littluns
• Golding represents the conflict between civilization and savagery in
the conflict between the novel’s two main characters: Ralph, the
protagonist, who represents order and leadership; and Jack, the
antagonist, who represents savagery and the desire for power.
Themes
• Survival
• Power/leadership styles
• Civilization vs. Savagery
(Political Allegory)
• Loss of Innocence
• Human nature
• Duality of man
• Nature Vs. Nurture
• Good Vs. Evil
Allegory--definition
• Allegory is a form of extended metaphor, in which
objects, persons, and actions in a narrative, are
equated with the meanings that lie outside the
narrative itself. The underlying meaning has moral,
social, religious, or political significance, and
characters are often personifications of abstract
ideas as charity, greed, or envy.
Thus an allegory is a story with two meanings, a
literal meaning and a symbolic meaning.
Helpful revision resources:
BBCBitesize KS4 Literature
Sparknotes website
Other revision guides (AQA)
Significant moments in Chapter One
The Sound of the Shell:
• Setting description- hints of evil.
• Physical descriptions and establishing of main
characters (protagonist and antagonist).
• The Conch.
• Leadership conflict.
• The choir school boys.
• The non-killing of the piglet.
• The treatment of Piggy.
• CLUES FOR WHAT IS TO COME!
Chapter One conflict:
Ralph and Jack (Merridew)- struggle for leadership
• How does Golding present this struggle? If the
boys don’t actually fight, how do they deal with
this situation and show their feelings about the
outcome? (What does each boy represent to
us?)
• Clues are used to suggest this struggle will
surface again: Jack’s description (his power and
bullying of the other boys,his eyes, knife,
potential for violence, his blushing, hair colour)
‘...the enormity of the knife
descending’
Why does Golding present
Jack as not being able to
kill the piglet at the end of
Chapter One?
Significance task…
Using your wisely chosen references, explore the
significance of the ending of Chapter One for
Jack’s character. Remember to comment on how
we might respond to his character at this point.
Stretch and Challenge- link back to one
reference from earlier when he first is
introduced to explore more deeply.
Chapter 2: Fire on the Mountain
• Ralph speaks to the boys about how holding the
conch means it’s your right to speak.
• Jack stresses the importance of the hunters.
• A six year old boy with a birthmark on his face
asks what they will do about ‘a beastie’ or ‘snake
thing’ he has seen. Jack says they will hunt it and
Ralph reassures him and says there couldn’t be
something like that.
• The fire- ‘Ralph and Jack looked at each other...’
• The fire gets out of control and one of the little
ones is missing.
How does Golding present the fire as evil?
Pick out 2-3 techniques and write about how
Golding uses them in this paragraph to make the
fire appear destructive and even evil, warning the
reader of what is to come.
Make sure you add thoughtful reader response
comments.
Stretch and Challenge:
Link back to earlier in Chapter 1 when the setting
is described as having the potential for danger
when Golding is subtely warning the reader.
Structuring a reading paragraph
Building difficulty and skill
Paragraph Section
What goes in it
Point
Your line of argument
Evidence
Quotation from the text
Analysis
Zoom in on particular word or small phrase
Interpretation
Zoom out to tell us interpretation of setting – multiple if
possible
Connect
Link to another quotation/detail about the setting
Evaluate
To what extent does it get Golding’s message across/reader
response?
Chapter 3: contrasts between Jack and Ralph’s characters:
Huts on the Beach
Overview/significant moments:
Revision questions:
Jack trails a pig.
Ralph and Simon are building
the shelters.
Conflict between hunters and
Ralph- bickering.
Simon helps the little ones and
finds his place in the forest.
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How is Jack described at the
beginning of the chapter?
Find a quote to use as evidence.
Does this change surprise usexplain why/why not?
P49- ‘The madness came into his
eyes’- explain what this is
suggesting about Jack.
What is the main disagreement
between Ralph and Jack in this
chapter?
What does it suggest about both of
their personalities?
Find a quote to reflect each
character.
Chapter 3 reading in class:
1. Argument Ralph and Jack.
2. Simon in the jungle of trees.
Find key chapters/moments
Ralph and Piggy
Ralph:
Piggy:
Chapter 1: introduced/ teasing and lack of
acknowledgement
Chapter 2:
Chapter 3:
Chapter 4: their relationship changes as Ralph
moves away from Jack (Jack attacks him).
Chapter 5: Ralph protects Piggy
Chapter 6:
Chapter 1: introduced/ looks up to Ralph and
NEEDS him!
Chapter 2;
Chapter 3:
Chapter 4: vulnerability emphasised
Chapter 5: views on the beast/stands up to Jack
Chapter 6:
Chapter 12: hunted and saved
Chapter 11: killed
Simon
Chapter 1: introduced and at the end of this
chapter the way he sees the candle leaves.
Chapter 9: finds the truth which leads him to be
savagely murdered. Image of body.
Tension in Chapter 4?
Painted Faces and Long Hair
Overview/significant moments:
Children getting used to new life
(heat) but night brings
nightmares.
Roger and Maurice/ sandcastle
moment.
Ship comes but fire out.
Hunters return with pig and Jack
slaps Piggy, breaking his
glasses. Argument Ralph and
Jack- Ralph turns to Piggy and
resentment is fuelled again.
Reenactment of hunt and Ralph
on his own- calls a meeting.
Revision questions:
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What is the significance of how Roger
and Maurice behave towards the
younger boys?
What is Golding trying to suggest about
the way Roger behaves towards Henry?
How is Jack transforming even more?
What is the argument between Ralph
and Jack about?
How does Golding describe this physical
conflict between Jack and Piggy? What
does it hint at?
What has changed between Ralph, Jack
and Piggy?
’Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Bash her
in.’- What is Golding suggesting about
the behaviour of the boys?
Chapter 5: Ralph’s character
Beast from Water
Overview/significant moments:
Revision questions:
Ralph’s thoughts- calls a
meeting.
Meeting shows his leadership
skills children frightenedthe beast is mentioned and
Jack says they will kill it.
Ralph becomes insecure but
Piggy and Simon reassure
him they need him.
Crying littlun ends the chapter.
• What is happening to Ralph’s
character?
• Find a quote to show this.
• What is Piggy trying to say about
the fear they feel?
• What are all the children arguing
about?
• What does Simon mean when he
says, ‘maybe there is a
beast...maybe it’s only us.’
• What has happened by the end of
the meeting?
• Why do the children seem to
have to have a ‘beast’ or ‘enemy’?
Chapter 6:
Beast from Air
Overview/significant moments:
Revision questions:
Battle overhead.
Twins sleep on duty and
parachutist comes down.
They panic and run to the
camp so they send search
party.
Ralph and Jack brought
together again- Ralph tells
the boys off as they play
with the rocks.
• Why does the parachutist seem
like a monster or beast to Sam ‘n’
Eric?
• When they tell the others about
it, why are all the extra details
added?
• Explain what you think Simon
means when he thinks, ‘the
picture of a human at once heroic
and sick.’
• How is the rock described as
being like a monster?
• How does Ralph show his true
leadership skills in this chapter?
Chapter 7:
Shadows and Tall Trees
Overview/significant moments:
Revision questions:
Ralph- the image of the sea.
He joins the hunt and feels the
thrill.
Reenactment of hunt even crazier
this time and Robert is nearly
hurt. Jack suggests a littlun.
Jack then Ralph and Roger climb
the mountain and see the
dead parachutist- think it’s a
monster and run down.
• What does the enactment of
the hunt suggest to us about
the boys?
• Choose a sinister quote to
suggest what it could lead to.
• Choose one of the following
moments and write about the
conflict between Jack and
Ralph.
• When the three boys
approach the ‘beast’, how
does Golding create great
tension for the reader?
Chapter 8:
Gift for the Darkness
Overview/significant moments:
Revision questions:
Jack calls an assembly and says Ralph
should not be leader but the boys
support him.
Jack storms off.
Piggy urges Ralph to build a new fire
on the beach but in the night many
sneak off to join Jack.
Hideous killing of the sow- ‘The Lord of
the Flies’- a gift for the beast. They
steal fire and tell Ralph’s followers
they can join them.
Simon goes to his jungle glade and
sees the head. Speaks to the headwarning here and apparition leads
him to faint.
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What conflict happens between Ralph
and Jack- how do we feel about it?
What big change has happened with
the group this chapter when Jack runs
off?
How does Golding use language to
describe the killing of the pig- how does
he manage to make it sound really
disturbing?
Which quote disturbs you the most?
What do you think is happening to
Simon as he stares at the pig’s head?
What has happened to the groups by
the end of this chapter?
Chapter 9: Simon’s death
A View to a Death
Overview/significant moments
Revision questions:
Simon finds the pilot/frees him
and runs down the mountain
to tell them.
Ralph and Piggy go to the feast
and most of the boys will join.
Starts to rain and frenzied
hunting dance again.
Simon returns and is torn apart.
Storm explodes and sea takes the
body away.
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When Simon frees the parachutist,
what does this show about his
character- what does he symbolise?
What change has happened to Jack and
some of the boys?
How does Golding create a sinister
tension as he describes the tribal
reenactment?
Why do you think Ralph and Piggy
become involved?
How does Golding describe the horror
of Simon’s murder? At what point do
we realise it is Simon?
At the end of the chapter, how does
Golding describe Simon’s body as it
floats out to sea?
Chapter 10:
The Shell and the Glasses
Overview/significant moments:
Revision questions:
Ralph and Piggy ashamedRalph knows murder has
been committed.
Conch/laughing. Only them,
the twins and a few littluns
left.
At Castle Rock Jack’s power is
absolute- beatings/torture.
They raid Ralph and Piggy in
the night and take his
glasses.
• What does the argument at
the beginning of the chapter
between Ralph and Piggy
suggest about Ralph’s
character?
• What has happened to Jack’s
tribe now?
• How does Golding use
language to create the drama
and excitement of the fight?
Comment on the final visual
image- what does it suggest?
Chapter 11:
Castle Rock
Ralph takes the conch to remind them of his
authority.
Jack attacks Ralph and the hunters capture
Sam and Eric. Ralph explodes and lunges at
Jack and when Piggy tries to speak Roger
shoves a massive rock over the top which
knocks him over and kills him.
Ralph escapes now completely on his own.
Chapter 12:
Cry of the Hunters
‘Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the
darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through
the air of a true, wise friend called Piggy.’
Ralph hides and when he finds the skull of the
pig he knocks it over and takes the spear. The
next day he hides but is found and the boys
use fire to smoke/burn him out. Just before he
is caught he falls and looks up to see a naval
officer rescuing them.
Find key chapters/moments
Ralph and Piggy
Ralph:
Chapter 1: introduced
Piggy:
Chapter 1: introduced
Chapter 12: hunted and saved
Chapter 11: killed
Simon
Chapter 1: introduced and at the end of this
chapter the way he sees the candle leaves.
Chapter 9: finds the truth which leads him to be
savagely murdered. Image of body.
Jack and Roger
Jack:
Chapter 1 introduced
Chapter 2 snatches glasses/against the
conch
Chapter 3 hunting image/obsessed with
killing
Chapter 4 new mask/violence to Piggy
Chapter 5 ‘bollocks...’
Chapter 7 conflict escalates with Ralph
Chapter 8 leaves/ savage killing of sow
Chapter 9 Simon’s murder
Chapter 11 Piggy’s murder/ fight with
Ralph
Chapter 12 hunting Ralph and final
image of young innocent boy with
glasses
Roger:
Chapter 1 introduced
Chapter 4 stones/sandcastles
Chapter 8 savage killing of the
sow
Chapter 10 Wilfred’s beating
Chapter 11 Piggy’s murder
Language, structure and form:
Language:
Structure:
Allegorical- the characters,
objects and setting infused
with symbolic significance.
Christian symbolism.
Realistic dialogue (class- Piggy).
Physical descriptions.
Figurative language- similes and
metaphors.
Sensual images for the
killing/action moments sow
(sex) and Simon.
Foreshadowing.
Conflict and climaxes build
tension leading to final
catastrophes.
Setting/heat/weather woven
throughout to create tension.
Form:
Omniscient third person narratorsometimes child-like.
Inner thoughts/flashback
memories.
Cinematic moments.
Symbolism