Structure & P.O.V.

This novel, Lord of the Flies by William Golding, has an allegorical structure. The reason I think this is that the plot and the characters symbolize some truths about mankind. The way that the boys are forced to adapt to life on the island is representative of how people react to seriously scary or challenging situations. The characters symbolize the different kinds of people who exist in the world. There is Ralph and Piggy who are the ones who attempt to establish order like the society they are used to, and then there is Jack and Roger who apparently want to revert to an uncivilized, savage lifestyle. With this violent behavior having taken over Roger, he ends up killing Piggy by pushing a large rock onto him, and Jack’s response is, “That’s what you get…the conch is gone” (163). These two boys are consumed by this evil inside of them and the desire to have power. This is evident because they commit murder without remorse and the idea of the conch being shattered symbolizes Ralph’s loss of power, which satisfies Jack. Also, the point of view in the novel is third person omniscient. Ralph is the main protagonist, but the narrator includes the inner thoughts of the other boys as well.

Theme & Author's Purpose

I am on page 139 of Lord of the Flies by William Golding. A theme in this novel is the idea of these boys losing their innocence on the island. When these boys first arrive on the island they are young and accustomed to a much more structured society. As they spend more time in this setting they experience a dark side of human nature. After the boys have murdered Simon, Ralph feels extreme guilt and amazement from what they did. When Piggy tries to rationalize what happened to Simon with their fear of the beast, Ralph says to him, “I wasn’t scared…I was–I don’t know what I was” (139). He sounds ashamed and confused about why he and the others acted in the way they did. Ralph is realizing there is this darkness deep inside of him, which every human possesses, that has been brought out by this environment that they are in. The author’s purpose in writing Lord of the Flies is to make the statement that some people in the world will often give in to these urges to be violent creatures. The author puts these children in this setting to demonstrate how people act by nature.

Tone & Diction

I am on page 128 of Lord of the Flies by William Golding. Jack, Roger, and a few other boys decide to leave the group after a conflict with Ralph. Jack does not like Ralph being in charge because he wants to be in control. Jack and the others go searching for pigs to hunt, and the tone of this scene is dark and brutal. These boys are so barbaric as they chase and kill this creature. They seem like animals. The chase is made to feel vicious and violent through images of the pig who “went crashing away through the forest” and the “demented shriek” of the young piglet (119). Also, words such as “sweat and noise and blood and terror” in parallel structure creates the sense of urgency and fear from the pigs (120). Overall, the diction adds a great deal to the tone that is dark and vicious.

Literary Devices

I am now on page 25 of Lord of the Flies by William Golding. The boys’ fascination with the conch is interesting. In the beginning of chapter two a meeting is held where the characters discuss how their group is going to be run, including ways of finding food and maintaining order amongst the boys. Ralph suggests that they use the conch that he and Piggy found to indicate who can talk, comparing this method to “’Hands up’ like in school” (25). They place this significance on the conch that makes it valued by the boys. The conch really symbolizes power in this little government-like cluster that they have formed. 

Characterization

The opening of Lord of the Flies by William Golding illustrates the characterization of the boys in the novel. The story begins as the boys find themselves stranded and unsupervised on an island following a plane crash. When Ralph and Piggy first meet the physical differences between the two are noted. Piggy is described as being “shorter than the fair boy and very fat” and wearing “thick spectacles” (1). Also, their actions and dialogue indirectly characterize the boys. For example, after Piggy asks Ralph for his name, Ralph does not ask Piggy for his in return (3). This may indicate that Piggy is more friendly and considerate than Ralph. When the two encounter the other boys, Piggy’s shy, passive side is revealed. He is portrayed as being intimidated by them, especially Jack (13). The introduction of the characters in the beginning gives us an idea of who they are, but more will surely be revealed throughout the novel.