LORD OF THE FLIES William Golding

Symbolism in LOTF OBJECT SYMBOLIC MEANING CONCH Authority, order, civilization and a material object of political legitimacy and democracy GLASSES Ability to see clearly, also represent power of science (fire) FIRE Civilization, the hearth, hope (rescue), community Some of the symbols also follow the events throughout the story. A good example of this is the conch. In the beginning of the book it is pink and is quite powerful. But as the story goes the conch becomes lighter and almost transparent ==> the power is diminishing. At the end the conch gets crushed which means savagery has won over civilization. 05/12/2018

facade; means of hiding from self LORD OF THE FLIES Pig’s head on a stick, symbol of the evil in the boys (therefore, in humanity; remember allegory) MASK facade; means of hiding from self BEAST The Devil, decay, destruction, savagery existing in all humans 05/12/2018

Fear, violence, unknown hiding FOREST Fear, violence, unknown hiding BEACH Safety, openness, games, communication ISLAND Microcosms of the world DARKNESS Ignorance, fear 05/12/2018

RALPH Character "Type" Model boy Ruthless leader Thinker Mystic JACK PIGGY SIMON Character "Type" Model boy Ruthless leader Thinker Mystic 05/12/2018

Central Motivation To be rescued To hunt To know the truth 05/12/2018

Forms democracy; lights the signal fire Principal Actions Forms democracy; lights the signal fire Splits boys into two groups; hunts down Ralph "Feeds" ideas to Ralph Talks to Lord of the Flies; solves mystery of the beast 05/12/2018

Principal Emotions and Attributes Dreamer; easygoing, but very responsible Hatred; a natural leader Serious; thoughtful Visionary; brave 05/12/2018

At the beginning of the novel Happy; excited by adventure In charge of a boys' choir Apprehensive; frightened Fainting; choirboy 05/12/2018

The chief of a band of savages Murdered At the end of the novel Hunted like an animal The chief of a band of savages Murdered 05/12/2018

Notes for In-class Essay 05/12/2018

A. Themes in LOTF Civilization vs. savagery (external and/or internal) Loss of innocence Man vs. nature Nature of evil Individual vs. community 05/12/2018

What Golding said. "The theme is an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature. The moral is that the shape of a society must depend on the ethical nature of the individual and not on any political system however apparently logical or respectable. The whole book is symbolic in nature except the rescue in the end where adult life appears, dignified and capable, but in reality enmeshed in the same evil as the symbolic life of the children on the island. The officer, having interrupted a man-hunt, prepares to take the children off the island in a cruiser which will presently be hunting its enemy in the same implacable way. And who will rescue the adult and his cruiser?" 05/12/2018

Simplified description of the theme: The defects or flaws within man cause the defects or flaws within society. OR Man in a civilized society is no better than children running wild outside adult supervision. 05/12/2018

B. Symbolism and the duality of human nature Ex. The conch at the beginning of the novel vs. at the end. How was it different and what do those differences represents?

C. Ralph’s complex personality It could be argued that Ralph was a combination of personality traits from all the main players Jack Simon Piggy Roger(?) How does this combination allow him to partially avoid the pitfalls of the savages and survive? 05/12/2018

D. Jack’s ability to use fear Jack uses both his own skills, confidence, threats and intimidation to control the group through fear He also uses the groups fear of the Beast to control. 05/12/2018

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYyGVQ-UUVg 05/12/2018