Lord of the Flies by William Golding is an intriguing and exciting novel with hidden depths. The novel can be called an allegory as Golding expresses the theme of betrayal and survival throughout the novel. The allegory meaning is a split of good over bad in the book.
The novel itself was published in 1954, just after World War Two where the book is set. It follows a group of school boys who are stranded on a desert island with no adults to supervise them. The boys try to work together to survive but in the attempt they split up into two camps and lose all their civilised manner they had and essentially turn into savages.
The main characters in the novel are significant towards the storyline of the novel. The Ralph vs. Jack rivalry is effective throughout the book is showing the line between savagery and civilisation. Ralph was elected leader of the boys at the start, he was elected to care for the boys and keep them together until they get rescued but then came along Jack who believed he would be a better leader than Ralph and tried to over-throne him as leader but failed in attempt, and he storms off from the group.
He blundered out of the triangle towards the drop to the white sand.
The word blundered shows that he felt depressed and subdued as he walked away from the group, leaving a message of anyone who wants to hunt can join me! This moment split the island into two camps one led by Ralph and the other by Jack.
Simon is a lost character, he is confused between the split of camps and does not know where he belongs. Ralph represents good, rules and order. Simon believes that these are the ways in which the island should be run in order to survive but then he looks at Jack and is intrigued by his style of leadership, as he believes ion rebellion and savagery. In some way he is Christ-like, hes gentle and comforting. For example, when Jack is criticising Piggy for not helping to build the fire, Simon says:
We used his specs, he helped that way.
This shows that Simon is constantly observing and trying to show his community the useful contributions of other boys. Simon also stops the conflict between Ralph and Jack. His quietness comes back to haunt him as he tries to sneak past when the boys are having a party and they hear rustling in the boys think its a pig and go towards the bush thrusting their spears towards it, but instead of a pig it was Simon and he ends up being killed by the boys.
The character Piggy takes on the role of peacemaker. Piggy conducts himself in a democratic manner. Piggy is obviously the most intelligent boy on the island. However his lack of social skills prevents him from maintaining order within the group. The dream of a democratic society eventually dies with Piggy. Piggy becomes an outcast in this novel. He is described as a chubby boy with glasses who is constantly ridiculed by the other boys on the island. Piggy has many good ideas. However, none of the other boys bother to listen to him. Most of Piggys plans have to be carried out through Ralph, the elected chief. Ralph is the one boy who recognizes Piggys brilliance. At the first assembly meeting the rules of the island are established. Piggy also represents the seriousness of the situation to the other boys.
You are hindering Ralph. You are not letting him get to the most important thing ... Nobody knows where we are.
This shows Piggys adult perspective. Also he is trying to help establish Ralphs authority. His democratic mind knows that someone must be a leader in order to have any kind of civilization. At first rules are obeyed. However, these rules are eventually ignored and chaos begins to brew.
Symbols are important to many people because it is a representation of their individuality. In the novel, Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the conch shell is a representation of the leadership in society. The conch shell is used to speak during the meeting on the island. He who holds the conch is leader. Throughout the novel, a few people get a hold of the conch to express their ideas and get their voices heard. Power can always be the most unexpected thing. The conch was one of the things that brought control to the island.
Ill give the conch to the next person to speak. He can hold it when he speaks.
This shows that the conch is there to keep order and help voices be heard, without the conch all civilized manner is lost.
Another of the most important symbols used to present the allegory the novel contrasts, is the beast. In the imaginations of man of the boys, the beast is a tangible source of evil on the island. However, in reality, it represents the evil naturally present within everyone, which is causing life on the island to deteriorate. Simon begins to realize this even before his encounter with the Lord of the Flies, the Lord of the Flies is a pigs head on a spike which was presented as a gift to The Beast, and during one argument over the existence of a beast, he attempts to share his insight with the others. Timidly, Simon tells them.
Maybe, maybe there is a beast or what I mean is, maybe its only us.
In Response to Simons statement, the other boys who had once conducted their meetings with some sense of order immediately begin to argue more fiercely. The crowd gives a wild whoop when Tack rebukes Ralph, saying
Bollocks to the rules! Were strong, we hunt! If theres a beast, well hunt it down! Well close in and beat and beat and beat!
Clearly, the boys fear of the beast and their ironic desire to kill it shows that the hold which societys rules once had over them has been loosened during the time they have spent without supervision on the island.
William Goldings allegory is expressed throughout the novel, in the shape of characters and symbolic objects used for both good and bad. I believe I have answered the question throughout this critical essay using quotes from the book, Lord of the Flies.
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