Irony is a widely used tool in "Lord of the Flies", and it is sometimes used in an obvious way, sometimes more concealed. For example, the morning after the savages have attacked the remains of Ralph's group to steal the glasses, Ralph and Eric are both proud of the fight they put up. But as a matter of fact, they beat each other in the dark. Another irony is that the boys escaped from one war, and arrived at another. Then a naval officer, a representative for the war, takes them back to what is probably still a war. When Golding describes the nature on the island, he uses metaphors and personification. Often he points out the difference between dark and light, to show us what signals that particular spot gives the boys.
In the novel, Jack beliefs in the English. He believes that British boys shouldn’t let their own country down. He is very much with the idea of propaganda. Jack and the other boy’s appearances change throughout the novel; they get dirtier and dirtier and the children’s behaviour change because they are realising what the long term things are.
In this novel there is a political level. The novel can be viewed as a contrast between democracy and anarchy. Ralph is elected by the boys to be their chief. Governed by rationality, he tries to be a democratic leader, listening to the concerns of all (even the fears of the littleuns), watching out for the good of all (building and maintaining the fire), and protecting them all (building shelters). To remind the others of his leadership, he wisely and sparingly uses the conch as a symbol of his authority.
Jack does not like the democracy and its rules. He tries to convince the other boys to vote Ralph out of office and put him in the leadership role. When they refuse to elect Jack, he reacts in anarchy. He deserts the democratic way of life, seizes a part of the island for himself, and gains followers through strong arm tactics. He and his savage hunters raid the democratic headquarters and steal the last remnants of their civilization (the fire and the glasses) and break the conch (their authority). Then Jack begins to rule selfishly for his own good and pleasure. Like a dictator, he makes his own laws regardless of the consequences, doles out punishment as he sees fit, encourages savagery amongst his followers, and demands loyalty to the point of servitude. Although democracy does not survive on the island, neither can anarchy.
Ralph and Piggy believe in right and wrong. This is shown when they establish priorities according to rational principles. They begin to realise the important long term interests such as the shelters, amenities and safety, but Jack rejects the rules. This shows a sign of self interest and irrational emotions. Ralph and Piggy recognize the work that has to be done but still do it.
The Lord of the Flies is often described as a retelling of Christian parables. The book echo certain Christian images and themes. Christian iconography is not directly symbolized in the novel. The island itself, particularly Simon's open space, functions as a kind of Garden of Eden that is gradually corrupted by the introduction of evil. The Lord of the Flies may be seen as a symbol for the devil, since it works to help evil among mankind. Further, because Simon is the character who arrives at the moral truth of the novel, and because he is killed sacrificially as a consequence of having discovered this truth, his life has certain strong parallels with that of Jesus Christ. His conversation with the Lord of the Flies also parallels the confrontation between Christ and the devil in Christian theology.
However, it is important to remember that the parallels between Simon and Christ are not complete. For one thing, Simon lacks the supernatural connection to the divine that is the main characteristic of Jesus. Simon is wise in many ways, but he is not the son of God, and his death does not bring salvation to the island. Rather, his death plunges the island deeper into savagery and moral guilt. For another, Simon dies before he is able to tell the boys what he has discovered, while Christ was killed only after spreading his moral philosophy. In this way, Simon (and the novel as a whole) echoes Christian ideas and themes without developing precise differences with them. Because Lord of the Flies uses its religious motifs to improve its moral theme, Christian iconography is an artistic technique in the book, but it is not necessarily the primary key to interpreting the story.
Also another Christian iconography is when Simon is on the hill. This represents Moses and the tablets of the law. Another is the beast. This represents the Serpent and Fall of Man. The symbols can work and the people on the island represent figures in the bible.
Simon is a mystical figure. His epilepsy appears to the boys a form of madness. The insightful wisdom that he possesses regrettably goes unseen by the boys and this inability to comprehend Simon is what leads to the breakdown of the society of the island. Golding is saying is that humanity "is deaf to the voices of its prophets". Golding also expresses his point of view by Simon's interview with Lord of the Flies where he indicates that man is inherently evil. The author communicates his morals and beliefs through the character of Simon.
The novel ends with naval officers arriving on the island. The one that spies Ralph and the savages, who chase him, sees the boys as dirty children involved in fun and games. When he learns from Ralph what has happened on the island, he is amazed that civilized British children could sink to such a low level of humanity. Ralph and the boys listening to his scolding and break into tears that quickly become sobs. They are crying over the horror of their experience and relief over returning to civilization. As the boys weep, the naval officer simply looks out to sea to allow them to regain their equanimity. Ralph is the only one that understands what has happened. He weeps for the end of innocence, the darkness of mans heart, and fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy.
The naval officer fails to see the significance of the boys' experience. His not realizing what has happened on the island mirrors his own inability to recognize evil within himself and mankind. These children should be innocent and should be playing games, instead, they have become the reality in all of us, not that of innocence, but of evil.