William Golding's Lord Of The Flies: Chapter Analysis

A recurring theme among leaders in many societies today is that “absolute power corrupts absolutely” (John Acton, a 1700’s English Catholic historian, politician, and writer). In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, this idea of leadership, power, and corruption is put in the spotlight. Jack, one of the boys on the island, forces his way into the leadership position without actually earning it. It is clear that Jack has become corrupt as he turns into a person who is intimidating, egotistical, and selfish. Ralph, on the other hand, is a quality leader under most conditions as he appeals to the boys’ sophisticated side and has a

wrote this after publishing Lord of the Flies. It is our world, in the form of a story. The two leaders in the story are Ralph and Jack. Ralph starts off a comfortable leader of the boys, but by the end of the book, Ralph and his companion Piggy are alone facing Jack and the rest of the boys. As the novel progresses and the society on the island starts to change, so does Ralph. He begins thinking he has all the answers, but comes to realize that without Piggy he would have never gotten this far. By the end of the book, Ralph and Jack are complete opposites. Jack is about savagery and fun while Ralph is holding on to society, rules, and civilization. Appearing to be a weak leader due to defection of his followers, Ralph is actually dedicated and insightful, only loosing his followers because he could not compete with one category that attracts nearly everyone in the world: fun.

It may have taken millions of years for humans to evolve enough to create the sprawling civilizations known today, but it only takes a few months for a group of civil, educated boys to regress back into savagery. In his novel Lord of the Flies, author William Golding depicts a group of young British boys getting stranded on a deserted island sans adults. The boys must look out for themselves, forming a basic governing system and trying to survive. But the challenge soon proves too much to handle, and order deteriorates. William Golding conveys the universal theme of civilization vs. savagery in his novel Lord of the Flies using the literary elements of plot, setting, and characterization.

We fell out of the sky today. I don’t know where we crashed. Other boys were on the plane so they had to be around here somewhere, but there are no grownups—that’s what Ralph said. Ralph thinks we’re on an island and he’s been calling me “Piggy.” I don’t want him to call me that; that’s what the boys at school call me. He’s been making fun of my asthma too. Anyways, he said his dad is in the Navy and he’s going to come rescue us. Ralph spotted a shell in the water—I told him it was a conch—and I remember someone that had one and would blow into it and his mum would come. Ralph blew into it (it took a couple of tries), and then children started appearing. There were a bunch. There were these twins, Sam ‘n Eric and Jack Merridew and his choir.

When fear is introduced into the boys’ society, their civilization quickly falls apart and fails because of it. As Ralph tries to convince everyone that there isn’t a beast, “he felt himself facing something ungraspable” (37).

“There isn’t anyone to help you. Only me. And I’m the Beast--Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill! Said the head. You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you? Close, close, close! I’m the reason why it’s a no go? Why things are the way they are?” (page 206)

I was adopted by parents who could barely afford to keep me. It was probably best that I was on the island.”

- "There isn't anyone to help you. Only Me. And I'm the Beast. . . . Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill! . . . You knew, didn't you? I'm part of your? Close, close, close! I'm the reason why it's no go? Why things are the way they are?"

Civilization can be destroyed as easily as it is created.  Without the walls of society, humans are capable of committing actions that they would have never thought possible.  Lord of the Flies focuses on a group of boys who are alone on an island without authority. The novel reveals what can become of humanity without the presence of authority.  In Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the protagonist Ralph symbolizes leadership, civilization,  as well as the loss of innocence.  Ralph is the closest resemblance to authority that the boys have on the island.  His appearance plays an important role in him signifying authority, “You could see now that he might make a boxer, as far as width and heaviness of shoulders went, but there was a

“There isn’t anyone to help you. Only me. And I’m the Beast … Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill! … You knew, didn’t you? I’m a part of you? Close, close, close! I’m the reason why it’s no go? Why things are the way they are?”

When a littlun described a large creature he saw in the jungle the night before, Simon revealed that it was only he, going to his special place.

In the novel, Lord of the Flies, one event that has significant importance is in Chapter Four, when Jack takes his hunters from guarding the fire and hunt pigs. At first, Ralph had seen a ship in the distance and tells Piggy and Simon, but he then noticed that the fire had gone out. He then went to find Jack with Piggy and Simon and found him with the rest of his hunters, dancing around a dead pig and chanting. Ralph was furious with Jack because he had let the fire go out and went to hunt pigs instead. He told Jack that there had been a ship in the distance and Piggy added that they could have gone home making some of the hunters wail with realization. “‘You and your blood, Jack Merridew!You and your hunting! We might have gone home’” (70).

Lord of the Flies is a historical, fictional novel which was written in 1954 by Nobel Prize award-winning British author William Golding. It is an allegorical novel which was inspired and influenced by Golding's experiences as a member of the Royal Navy during World War II and his long-time goal to write a novel. Golding became more conscientious about humanity and seemed to develop a broader view of the human psyche, which the theme of the novel derives from. Good vs. evil, civilization vs. savagery, and morality vs. immorality are the main themes in Lord of the Flies.

The novel “Lord of the Flies” was written by William Golding to demonstrate the problems of society and the sinful nature of man.

The excerpt “‘Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill!" said the head . . . You knew, didn't you? I'm part of you? Close, close, close! I'm the reason why it's no go?