Lord of the Flies, on the surface, may resemble any other children adventure story. Beyond its literal sense, however, it actually has a lot more to offer: it is an attempt to unfold the superficiality and fragility of civilization, a pessimistic an
"And in the middle of them, with filthy body, matted hair, and unwiped nose, 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..." Written in 1954, when the world was trapped in a state of utter confusion and disarray as a result of the aftermath left by World War Two as well as the unpredictable conditions brought by the Cold War, William Golding's "Lord of the Flies" is an allegorical novel that centers on the darkest depths of human souls. "Lord of the Flies", on the surface, may resemble any other children adventure story. Beyond its literal sense, however, it actually has a lot more to offer: it is an attempt to unfold the superficiality and fragility of civilization, a pessimistic and dark commentary on our innate human nature and a downright challenge to the deep-rooted societal belief that children, British children in particular, must be naturally virtuous. Such unprecedented thematic focus, together with the extraordinary degrees of political realism portrayed symbolically in the novel, make "Lord of the Flies" a truly brilliant, remarkable and ground-breaking classic of all time. The novel opens with a group of British schoolboys who find themselves stranded on an unidentified Pacific island after a serious plane crash. With no adult surviving the crash, the boys are left to fend
"Why Did William Golding Name His Novel 'The Lord of the Flies'?"
"Why Did William Golding Name His Novel 'The Lord of the Flies'?" Golding's novel comprises many elements of adventure and mystery, but the greatest question surrounding the novel is the very title itself. Unlike other authors, William Golding does not appear to have chosen an appropriate title that deduces the adventure and savagery of the novel, but it is only at a closer look that the title represents the true meaning of the novel. Although throughout the book the only reference to the title is by "The Lord of the Flies" its small part in the book plays an enormous part of the overall meaning of the novel. We are only introduced to it in chapter 8 'Gift for Darkness', where it is nothing more than the decapitated head of a sow lodged onto a stick. In the text it is described as a rather haunting image, which was: ..."grinning amusedly in the strange daylight, ignoring the flies, the spilled guts, even ignoring the indignity of being spiked on a stick." The author talks about the pig's head as if it is alive by using language such as "grinning". Also the way Golding writes "strange daylight" appears that the sow represents the darkness of life, as it is only in the comfort of light that the boys have vision to see it for what it really is. This is as the "Lord of the Flies" represents the fear of the boys for something imaginary, for the beast is nothing more than a
How Does Golding Create The Impression The Fire Has A Life Of Its Own?
Lord Of The Flies How does Golding create the impression that the fire has a life of its own? Golding uses many techniques to create the impression that the fire has a life of its own; in particular he uses similes, metaphors, animal imagery and personification. He compares the fire to creatures which would usually be found in the forest / jungle area. A red squirrel is known for being vicious, fast, strong and having brightly coloured fur; in Golding's description of the fire he uses a simile and a metaphor to describe the fire like a red squirrel. "Scrambled up like a bright squirrel," the fire has a life of its own because like a squirrel it can 'scramble' up a tree and is of a bright vibrant colour. The metaphor, "The squirrel leapt on the wings of the wind and clung to another standing tree, eating downwards." The fire is compared to a red squirrel that has similar characteristics to the fire, it moves swiftly through the air or from tree to tree, it is known for being vicious and this is shown by "eating downwards." Another animal trait given to the fire is that of a jaguar, "The flames, as though they were a kind of wild life, crept as a jaguar creeps on its belly towards a line of birch-like saplings." The fire is 'hunting' for its next prey, and is moving slowly before pouncing on attack. This creates the impression that the fire is humble then becomes powerful
Analyse William Golding's choice of language during and after the killing of Simon. Why does the language use change?
Analyse William Golding's choice of language during and after the killing of Simon. Why does the language use change? "Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!" This is the chant that begins the section, increased in its violence as it now says "kill the beast" representing the feelings of the boys. They want to destroy the beast but can't find it as it is inside each of them. This causes them to get ever more angry and frenzied, starting a ritualistic "dance" with "the chant" beating "like a steady pulse". This is reminiscent of Simon's experience earlier when a "pulse started to throb in his temple", just before he went into a fit. This suggests that the boys are also going into a trance or fit, but a much more dangerous one, unaware of their actions. They lose their individuality and start "the throb and stamp of a single organism", again with the throbbing and stamping inducing images of a trance-like ritual. Also the symbolisms of circles and the weather are repeated. The circle now "yawns emptily" waiting to catch someone inside. The weather is threatening, "Thunder boomed...the dark sky was shattered...scar...blow of a gigantic whip". This is a great contrast to the clear skies earlier in the book that symbolised peace. Now they begin to become terrified by the weather and the trance and out of this terror "rose another desire, thick, urgent, blind". This is
To what extent can Lord of the Flies be considered a Marxist piece?
To what extent can Lord of the Flies be considered a Marxist piece? Lord of the Flies centres on a group of boys stranded on a tropical island when their plane crashes en route from England to Australia as part of an evacuation during an atomic war (hypothetical war.) The story is essentially an allegorical tale of the innate evil of man - good versus evil. Of the book, Golding said that he wrote it to illustrate how political systems cannot govern society effectively unless they take into consideration the inherent defects of human nature. Marxism is seen as the development from an oppressive capitalist society to an equal and classless society. Golding tries to set a utopian world within the island devoid of adult, societal constraints but in the end the innate animal characteristics of man come to the fore. Golding based his story on the 19th century novel 'The Coral Island' written by R M Ballantyne. Whereas Ballantyne's novel, an adventure story of three boys stranded on a desert island, was optimistic, Golding's is terrifyingly pessimistic. The novel was written shortly after World War II , in the early days of the Cold War when paranoia about communism was at its height. In the early 1950s many people were accused, often falsely, of being communists (the McCarthy era in the USA at this time is a good example of this.) It is within this context that Golding wrote
The Beast in Lord of the Flies
The Beast in the Lord of the Flies Patrick Thompson Throughout the book the boys are constantly living in fear of some sort of wild beast which they believe inhabits the jungle. This beast is present among the boys from the very first day when a littlun informs them of a "snake-thing" that lives in the jungle the older boys dismiss this as a nightmare but the littluns are not convinced. Ralph tries to convince the boys that no such beast exists after a young boy has said that the beast comes from the sea and even Simon says their may be a beast undermining Ralph in front of the others which leads to even more fear of the so called beast. When a dead parachutist lands on the island the twins Samneric hear his parachute flapping in the wind they believe it is the beast and rush to tell the others about it at which point Jack suggests they hunt the beast, he is attempting to use their fear to get his own way but this time Ralph's common sense is supported over Jack's savage plans when he asks them "don't you want to be rescued" the boys still listen to common sense for now. Then the older boys go off to explore the area of the island which they have not ventured to yet. This is the area in which the dead airman is suspended in mid air. When the boys finally reach the corpse the wind is strong and as Ralph approaches the airman a gust of wind pushes the corpses
Quotes from the Spire
Quotes from the Spire CHARACTERS Jocelin "He shot an arrow of love" (after the chancellor) p8 Agape love and shows patronising attitude "He thinks he's a saint" "proud" "ignorant" p13 This is two dean's talking about him that he doesn't realise this emphasises his characteristics of pride and ignorance "It is my guardian angel" "Lord; I thank thee that though has kept me humble" p22 This demonstrates his delusion and pride as he thinks he is humble but contradictory to this he is clearly not humble as he assumes that God has sent him an angel "Did you see-see anything behind me there as I knelt?" p25 Shows his huge arrogance as the Catholic church of the time disencouraged visions but he is prepared to go against his superiors to try and prove that he is better than others (Jocelin claims that he is "not half as beaky" p23 This shows his vanity "I believe in one God- father in God Jocelin" p27 Golding juxtaposing the letter and the creed creates an antiphonal. It may suggest that Jocelin is his own God thereby showing that Jocelin is not a true Christian and that the Spire is being built because he wants it to be built (Jocelin) "Made a defensive sign at the bottom of the pit" p 79 This shows Jocelin's superstition which goes against his Christian faith and his initial impractical help in the construction of the Spire (Jocelin describes the pit as) "Some form
Using the following extract as a starting point, explore the ways Golding presents the relationship between Goody Pangall and Roger Mason.
Extract Essay Using the following extract as a starting point, explore the ways Golding presents the relationship between Goody Pangall and Roger Mason. Extract - p56, last paragraph -> "shaking her head" p57 The opening of the extract reveals that the relationship between the pair may not be mutual, and may appear to Goody to be threatening. This becomes apparent through the way in which her movements are described as being "brisk" yet "without much will to go forward". This provokes the reader to fathom that there is some sort of aggressive energy between the duo, particularly when coupled with the projected image of "open terror" in her face. This may seem to be Golding's method by which to foreshadow any abusive occurrences yet to come such as rape or violence. However, this whilst it may initially appear to be an abusive situation for Goody is infact quite the opposite as it is later revealed that her timid actions are not due to fear of an aggressor, but due to the "tent" which is said to be "feared" by them both. This "tent" as it is described is an invisible bond between the two, much like the "rope" which once tethered together Jocelin and Pangall. This bond however, unlike that between the two priests is almost self-enforcing as it confines them with each other and is described as having "shut them off" from the other characters. As this union between them is
Importance of Roger Mason in 'The Spire'
Consider the presentation and importance of Roger Mason in "The Spire" Roger Mason is a vital character in the novel, without whom there would be no spire at all. Even before the reader is introduced to Roger there are hints that he will be important to the plot. Jocelin's first mention of the phrase 'cost what you like' coincides with the first introduction to Roger; this foreshadows the sacrifice of Roger and the breakdown he suffers due to the pressure put on him by Jocelin, the spire and even his relationship with Goody Pangall. In many ways Roger can be seen as the strength behind the spire. From Golding's physical description of him, using phrases such as 'bullet head', 'like a bear' and 'his heavy eyebrows', the reader gains the impression that he is solid and his expertise in building shows him to be very factual and rational. Nearly all of Roger's attributes are the antithesis to Jocelin's; where Roger is down-to-earth, Jocelin is spiritual and deluded. Both men are compared to animals in the novel, Roger is likened to 'a bear' and a 'dog' whereas Jocelin is described as 'an eagle' and 'beaky', Golding's choice of animals here show the reader how the two men have completely different views of the world. Roger's confrontation with Jocelin highlights the antithesis between them. Roger, as an earthy man, can see that the spire is dangerous and a nearly impossible
Human Nature in Lord of the Flies
Miller Noah Miller Mr. Gallaher English F 4 September 2012 Human Nature Exposed In Lord of the Flies, William Golding suggests that the darkness in men’s hearts is endemic: all men suffer from it. Most of the boys follow Jack; Ralph and Simon, themselves. They are not consciously evil, yet they partake in activities which they know to be wrong and follow a leader whom they do not even like. They are like sheep led by a figurehead wolf puppet called Jack, who is in turn manipulated by the real evildoer, Roger. However, Golding also suggests that some people, such as Simon and Ralph are aware of the evil within and attempt to fight against it. Jack ultimately falls victim to his inner demons mainly through ignorance and by giving in to personal desire. Golding expresses that if a person were to be put in an environment where the rules of society had been stripped away, the person would revert back to his primeval nature. Society keeps everybody sane and civilized; people need rules and principles to live by. Without rules and a moral compass, humans tend to revert back to a pre-civilized culture. People are so comfortable in the confines of a civilization that when those confines are removed, people turn into savages. Even in an uncivilized world, some taboos could not be broken. “Roger gathered a handful of stones and began to throw them. Yet there was a space