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Lord of the Flies
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Lord of the Flies (1954) (edit title/settings)

by William Golding (Author) (edit contributors)

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Description edit see section history

A classic tale of a group of English school boys who are left stranded on an unpopulated island, and who must confront not only the defects of their society but the defects of their own natures.

Summary edit see section history

A group of private school boys are crossing the ocean (possible evacuation from England during WWII), and the plane crashes. None of the adults on the plane survive. Ralph befriends Piggy. The boys find a conch shell; when Ralph blows in it, other survivors (ranging from about 6-12 years of... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

A group of private school boys are crossing the ocean (possible evacuation from England during WWII), and the plane crashes. None of the adults on the plane survive. Ralph befriends Piggy. The boys find a conch shell; when Ralph blows in it, other survivors (ranging from about 6-12 years of age) follow the source of the sound and gather. The children vote for Ralph as the leader and Ralph deems Jack (head of the choir group) as the head hunter.

Jack's power as hunter manifests within him, and the more violent or fearful children join Jack's clan. Ralph prefers democratic rule but is overpowered by Jack's violence. Jack's first priority is food and the kill while Ralph wants to maintain smoke signals for possible rescue. When Jack steals Piggy's glasses (fire-starter), Ralph realizes his own chance of survival is severely diminished.

Eventually, Jack gains the most power on the island; he and his hunters make Ralph his prey. The boys set the island on fire trying to capture him. When they are rescued by a Naval Officer who sees the island on fire, the boys become children once more but must live with the consequences of their power struggles.

Characters edit see section history

  • Ralph: A 12 year old boy chosen as leader of the group who tries to keep civility intact. He likes to have fun, but he can focus if he needs to. He's Piggy's (only) friend. The protagonist of the story, Ralph represents human beings' civilized nature. Ralph always stays civilized. He has fair hair and is built so that he might have made a boxer though his eyes are mild. Symbolically he represents common sense.
  • Jack Merridew: Jack, an English Boy that started off as the one who leads the choir group but throughout the story he develops and changes into a savage, trying to destroy the other kids in the novel heartlessly. He and the choir boys are the designated hunters of the group, and they are also in charge of keeping the fire going. Jack has freckles and red hair. Back in England he was the chapter chorister and head boy of the choir.
  • Simon: An older boy who is a friend of Ralph's. He was one of the "Choir Boys." Small and skinny with black hair and a dark tan complexion.
  • Piggy: A chubby, older boy who is close friends with Ralph and is frequently chastised due to his weight and asthma. He enjoys keeping order on the island and is very intelligent. Piggy's glasses are constantly used to start fires. Symbolically, he represents civilization, laws, and order in a whole.
  • Roger: A close ally of Jack. He is Jack's "lieutenant". He represents evil. He is very dark and is the real leader of everyone.
  • Sam and Eric: A pair of twins closely allied with Ralph. They are often referred to as one entity, 'Samneric, which essentially removes the boy's individuality. Sam and Eric represent weakness of human nature.
  • Maurice: One of the older choir boys who hunts with Jack
  • Robert: One of the older choir boys who hunts with jack
  • Percival Wemys Madison: One of the 'littluns.' Known for playing little and crying often. One of the smallest boys on the island. He is mouse-colored and not very attractive even to his mother.
  • Henry: One of the 'littluns.' Roger enjoys tormenting him. Distant relative of the boy with a birthmark on his face. Biggest of the littluns.
  • Bill: A follower of Jack.
  • Johnny: One of the 'littluns.' One of the smallest boys on the island. Well built with fair hair and blue eyes. He has a natural belligerence..
  • The boy with the Birth Mark: One of the little 'uns. Known only for his mulberry-marked face. A distant relative of Henry's
Show all 13 characters
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Quotes edit see section history

  • “Maybe there is a beast...maybe it's only us.”
    Simon
  • “Sucks to your ass-mar.”
    Ralph
  • “Roger gathered a handful of stones and began to throw them. Yet there was a space round Henry, perhaps six yards in diameter, into which he dare not throw. Here, invisible yet strong, was the taboo of the old life. Round the squatting child was the protection of parents and school and policemen and the law.”
  • “Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of a true, wise friend called Piggy.”
  • “Kill the pig! Cut his throat! Bash him in!”
  • “Life...is scientific....I know there isn't no beast...but I know there isn't no fear, either....Unless we get frightened of people.”
    Piggy
  • “A stick sharpened at both ends. . .”
    Ralph
  • “I painted my face--I stole up. Now you eat--all of you--and I--”
    Jack Merridew
  • “This head is for the beast. It's a gift.”
    Jack Merridew
  • “You knew, didn't you? I'm part of you? Close, close, close! I'm the reason why it's no go? Why things are what they are?”
    Lord of the Flies
  • “"Because rules are all we've got."”
    Ralph
  • “This belongs to us.”
    Ralph
  • “"Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill!””
    Lord of the Flies
  • “We've got to have rules and obey them. After all, we're not savages. We're English, and the English are best at everything.'"”
    Jack Merridew
Show all 14 quotes from this book

Setting & Locations edit see section history

On an Island in the Pacific Ocean
  • Island: main setting of the story; deserted island where children run wild after plane crash
  • Castle Rock: Where Jack makes his new tribe after he splits off from Ralph.
  • The Scar: The Scar is the crash site of the boy's plane. The impact has left a jagged "scar" in the landscape.
  • The Beach
  • The Lagoon

First Sentence edit see section history

The boy with fair hair lowered himself down the last few feet of rock and began to pick his way toward the lagoon.

Table of Contents edit see section history

1. The Sound of the Shell
2. Fire on the Mountain
3. Huts on the Beach
4. Painted faces and Long Hair
5. Beast from Water
6. Beast from Air
7. Shadows and Tall Trees
8. Gift for the Darkness
9. A View to a Death
10. The Shell and the Glasses
11. Castle Rock
12. Cry of the Hunters

Glossary edit see section history

  • Ass-mar: The slang/derogatory term Ralph uses for Piggy's Asthma.
  • Littluns: The younger children on the islands. Approximately 7 years and younger.
  • Beastie: A mythological creature that the boys think exist in the island. It represents the savagery coming out in the boys the longer that they are stranded on the island.
  • one for his knob: A blow to the head

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

  • Dystopia: "Lord of the Flies" is characterized by being written just after the Second World War. It presents a pessimistic portrayal of the evil power over people.
  • Psychology: The novel depicts mental processes in the minds of youngsters, stranded on a desert island.
  • Ralph: Represents civilization on the island
  • Jack Merridew: Represents savagery on the island
  • The Choirboys: Represent savagery and blind obedience. They are comparable to the young Nazis.
  • Conch shell: Demonstrates Ralph's form of government / power. A symbol of order as well as a tool to maintain it. The conch establishes unity (calls them to a meeting), and upholds civility (taking turns). In an early chapter, Jack dirties the conch shell with his sooty hands, a symbol that foreshadows events later in the book.
  • Spear: Demonstrates Jack's form of government / power.
  • Piggy: Represents adult rationality on an island populated with young boys.
  • Good vs. Evil: Shows the potentional for evil in us all and the struggle we have to give into it.
  • Piggy's glasses: A symbol of Piggy's clear, rational view of events on the island (views the bigger picture). When they are broken, this represents civilization and reason breaking down.
  • Fire: Symbolizes societal connection, rescue or could symbolize the opposite (savagery and destruction).
  • Face-paint: A mask that the children wear to hide their innocence (or childhood). Feel guilt-free.
  • Religious allegory: Good and evil are present throughout the book in the Garden of Eden (island). "Lord of the Flies" is a translation of the name Beelzebub, which is used synonymously with Satan.
  • Butterflies: The Greek word for butterfly is psyche (represents the soul). Simon makes the connection about the truth of the human nature. When he confronts the beast, this suggests a triumph of the dark side of human (savagery) born out of fear.
  • Character Symbols: Ralph: Common Sense, Piggy: Knowledge, Simon: Religion & Spirituality, Sam and Eric (Samneric): Weakness of Human Nature. Jack: Violence, Roger: Evil, Lord of the Flies: Man’s Inherent Evil
Show all 15 Themes entries

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 62 of 96 in Newsweek's Top 100 Books: The Meta-List. (authoritative list)

Preceded by Animal Farm, and followed by In Cold Blood.

This book is in Biis. (edition-based publisher list)
This book is in Random Synapses: 100 Book Reading Challenge (2011). (community list)
This is book 21 of 96 in The Art of Manliness' Essential Man’s Library. (authoritative list)

Preceded by Walden, and followed by The Master and Margarita.

This is book 38 of 195 in Shelfari Most Popular (June 2011). (authoritative list)

Preceded by The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and followed by Jane Eyre.

This is book 41 of 93 in Modern Library's 100 Best Novels: The Board's List. (authoritative list)

Preceded by The Heart of the Matter, and followed by Deliverance.

This is book 25 of 98 in Modern Library's 100 Best Novels: Reader's List. (authoritative list)

Preceded by Gone With the Wind, and followed by Shane.

This is book 508 of 1272 in 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. (authoritative list)

Preceded by A Ghost at Noon, and followed by Under the Net.

This is book 70 of 196 in BBC 'Big Read' Top 200 Novels, 2003. (authoritative list)

Preceded by Good Omens, and followed by Perfume.

This book is in TIME Magazine Top 100 English-Language Novels. (community list)
This is book 13 of 96 in Waterstone's Top 100 Books of the 20th Century. (authoritative list)

Preceded by The Great Gatsby, and followed by On the Road.

This is book 49 of 95 in Telegraph Top 100 Books, 2008. (authoritative list)

Preceded by The Handmaid's Tale, and followed by Atonement.

This is book 41 of 195 in Shelfari Most Popular (June 2010). (authoritative list)

Preceded by The Five People You Meet in Heaven, and followed by The Diary of a Young Girl.

This book is in Faber Firsts. (community list)
This is book 53 of 200 in Newman and Jones 200 Best Horror Novels. (community list)

Preceded by The Sound of His Horn, and followed by I Am Legend.

This is book 8 of 214 in Best English-Language Fiction of the 20th Century. (authoritative list)

Preceded by Animal Farm, and followed by The Catcher in the Rye.

This is book 802 of 986 in 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up. (authoritative list)

Preceded by The Fellowship of the Ring, and followed by Carry On, Mr. Bowditch.

This book is in Best Books of All Time. (community list)
This book is in 100 Fantabulous Book Challenge. (community list)

Preceded by Holes, and followed by My Family and Other Animals.

This is book 36 of 194 in Shelfari Most Popular (December 2010). (authoritative list)

Preceded by The Host, and followed by Jane Eyre.

This book is in Guardian 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read. (authoritative list)
This is book 38 of 195 in Shelfari Most Popular (December 2011). (authoritative list)

Preceded by The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and followed by The Host.

This is book 73 of 146 in Whitcoulls Top 100 (2011). (authoritative list)

Preceded by Gone with the Wind, 75th Anniversary Edition, and followed by The Notebook.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. William Golding (Author)

Other Contributors:

  1. Inger Hagerup (Translator)
  2. Nicolai Cleve Broch (Narrator)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Faber and Faber
Country: Great Britain
Publication Date: 1954
ISBN: 0-571-05686-5
Page Count: 248

Awards edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

  • Library of Congress: PR6013.O35
  • Dewey: 823.914

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Reading Level: Young Adults

On the Banned Book List, presumably for violence and disturbing scenes/elements. Includes some killing, also needs a lot of thought.

Links to Supplemental Material edit see section history

  • GCSE Bitesize: A Great site if you just want to get into more depth about the book, ot just want to have a refresher. The videos are excellent and are great to watch just to remind yourslef if you havent read the book in a while.
  • Wikipedia
  • Secondary Soluions: Common Core and NCTE/IRA Standards-Aligned Literature Guide for teaching Lord of the Flies

More Books Like This edit see section history

   
  • Of Mice and Men
  • The Old Man and the Sea
  • The Call of the Wild
  • Animal Farm
  • The Red Badge of Courage
  • Gone
  • Hunger
  • Battle Royale

Books with Additional Background Information edit see section history

   
  • Understanding Lord of the Flies

Books That Influenced This Book edit see section history

   
  • The Coral Island

Books Influenced by This Book edit see section history

   
  • Shattering Glass

Books That Cite This Book edit see section history

   
  • Free for All
  • Black Swan Green
  • The Language Police

Books Cited by This Book edit see section history

   
  • Treasure Island
  • The Coral Island
  • Swallows and Amazons

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