1. Lord of the Flies
By: William Golding

2. About the Author
Born September 19, 1911, in Saint Columb Minor, Cornwall, England
English and philosophy teacher
During World War II, Golding joined the Royal Navy
“I began to see what people were capable of doing.
Anyone who moved through those years without understanding
that man produces evil as a bee produces honey, must have
been blind or wrong in the head”
- Golding, on human nature
After World War II ended, Golding went back to teaching and writing
In 1954, Golding published his first and most acclaimed novel, Lord of the Flies
In 1983, Golding won the Nobel Prize in Literature
In 1933, he passed away
JULIANA

3. Background
During World War II, a plane of British schoolboys is shot down
The boys find themselves on a deserted island, and must create their own micro-society in order to survive
The boys struggle to develop civilization, and have trouble with leadership, division of power, and the fear of the unknown
Setting
1940s; on a deserted island somewhere in the pacific
There are four main physical settings: the lagoon, the mountain, the jungle, and “Castle Rock”
ROULA
Lagoon: Place of civilization on the island
The Mountain: A positive place of hope and truth
The Jungle: Place of death and decay
Castle Rock: Where Jack establishes his tribe

4. Main Characters RALPH PIGGY JACK
Represents organization and civilization
Uses a conch shell to lead and govern
His power is dependent on civilization
Loses control of the boys as savagery takes over
PIGGY
Overweight, asthmatic, and has poor vision
“The intellectual” and adult-like figure
Discovers use for conch
Mentally superior and the most rational, but lacks leadership qualities
JACK
Represents evil, violence, and savagery
Preys on innocence
Dominates and manipulates others
Denounces rules / order
Abuses his power
JULIANA

5. Civilization vs. Savagery
Symbols Themes
Loss of Innocence
Appearance vs. Reality
Civilization vs. Savagery
Good vs. Evil
Power
Leadership
Fear
The conch
Piggy’s glasses
The “Lord of the Flies”
The beast
ROULA
The Conch: Civilization and organization, uses it to rally the boys
Piggy’s Glasses:represents intelligence, and rationalization that most of the boys on the island lack
The “Lord of the Flies”:symbolizes both the savagery that the boys now exhibit outwardly, The pig head is an offering from jack’s tribe to the beast
The Beast: represents evil and darkness
The Island: Symbolizes Paradise,untouched and untarnished by the war and humans in general
The “Scar” on the Island: A rip in the forest caused by the crash landing of the boys' plane on the island. The scar symbolizes that man, and his savage nature, destroys paradise merely by entering it
The island
The “scar”