power essay lord of the flies

Themes and Analysis

Lord of the flies, by william golding.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a powerful novel. It's filled with interesting themes, thoughtful symbols, and a particular style of writing that has made it a classic of British literature.

Article written by Lee-James Bovey

P.G.C.E degree.

Several key themes are prevalent throughout the book. It is sometimes referred to as a “book of ideas” and these ideas are explored as the plot unfolds.

Lord of the Flies Themes

The impact of humankind on nature.

This is evident from the first chapter when the plane crashing leaves what Golding describes as a “scar” across the island. This idea is explored further in the early chapters the boys light a fire that escapes their control and yet further diminishes what might be considered an unspoiled island. Some interpret the island almost as a Garden of Eden with the children giving in to temptation by slaughtering the animals there. The final chapter furthers the destruction of nature by mankind as the whole island appears to have been ruined thanks to the effects of the boy’s presence on the island.

Civilization versus savagery

This can be seen throughout as the boys struggle with being removed from organized society. To begin with, they cope well. They construct a form of government represented by the conch that theoretically draws them together and gives them all a voice. As they break away from society this adherence to the rules they have constructed is evident. Golding’s ideas of what savagery is might be outdated and rooted in colonial stereotypes but they are evident for all to see as the boys use masks to dehumanize themselves and their increasing obsession with hunting leads to an increasingly animalistic nature.

Nature of humanity

Perhaps the biggest underlying theme is the idea of the true nature of mankind. Golding explores the idea that mankind is innately evil and that it is only the contrast between society and civilization that prevents that nature from being prevalent. Of course, this overlooks that civilization is a human construct and if all men’s biggest motivation were their inner evil, then that construct would never have existed. Golding’s views largely spring from his role in the navy where he was witness to the atrocities of war but are also informed by his work as a teacher.

Analysis of Key Moments in Lord of the Flies

There are many key moments in ‘ Lord of the Flies ‘ that highlight the boy’s descent into savagery.

• Blowing the conch – this introduces us to the conch which acts as a symbol of society and civilization throughout the novel. It is both the device that brings the children together and in theory the object which allows them all to have a say and therefore run a democratic society.
• The fire gets out of control – This shows the effects that the boys are already having on the island. It also demonstrates how lost the boys are without adults there to guide them as they lose one of the boys and nobody even knows his name.
• Jack fails to kill the pig/Roger throws stones – both of these events show how the boys are currently constrained by the expectations of society. We see as time passes these restraints are lifted and that firstly, Jack can kill a pig and finally, and perhaps more dramatically, Roger is not only okay with hitting somebody with a stone but taking their life with one.
• The hunters put on masks – By covering up their faces, they seem to become free from the constraints of society. It is if it liberates them from humanity and allows them to act on more primal, animalistic urges.
• Sam and Eric find “the beast” – When Sam and Eric feel they have discovered the beast it sets a ripple of panic throughout. This fear sways the boys towards Jack’s leadership as he continues to manipulate the situation to his advantage. If not for this then Simon might never be murdered.
• Creating of the Lord of the Flies – Successfully killing the pig is itself an iconic moment but then leaving a pigs head on a pole is both a gruesome image (one worthy of the book’s title) and also plays a pivotal role in Simon’s story arc.
• Simon’s death – Simon is the one character who never seems to succumb to primal urges and therefore his death if looked at symbolically could be seen as the death of hope for boys.
• Piggy’s death – Piggy’s character represents order and reason. With his death, any chance of resolving the issues between Jack and Ralph vanishes. The conch being smashed at the same time is also symbolic and represents the complete destruction of society.
• The rescue – This is not the happy ending that one might expect with all the boys crying due to their loss of innocence. There is an irony as well as the boys will not be rescued and taken to a Utopia but rather to a civilization plagued by a war that mirrors the war zone they have just left.

Style, Literary Devices, and Tone in Lord of the Flies

Throughout this novel, Golding’s style is straightforward and easy to read. There are no lengthy passages nor does he choose particularly poetic words to describe the events. His writing is powerful without these stylistic devices. The same can be said for his use of literary devices. When used, they are direct. For example, the use of symbolism (see below) and metaphor is very thoughtful but not hard to interpret.

William Golding also employs an aloof or distant tone throughout the book. This reflects the way that the boys treat one another.

Symbols in Lord of the Flies

The conch shell.

The conch shell is one of the major symbols of this novel. It’s used from the beginning of the novel to call the boys together for meetings on the beach. It’s a symbol of civilization and government. But, as the boys lose touch with their civilized sides, the conch shell is discarded.

The Signal Fire

The signal fire is a very important symbol in the novel. It’s first lit on the mountain and then later on the beach with the intent of attracting the attention of passion ships. The fire is maintained diligently at first but as the book progresses and the boys slip farther from civilization, their concentration on the fire wanes. They eventually lose their desire to be rescued. Therefore, as one is making their way through the book, gauging the boys’ concentration on the fire is a great way to understand how “civilized” they are.

The beast is an imaginary creature who frightens the boys. It stands in for their savage instincts and is eventually revealed to be a personification of their dark impulses. It’s only through the boy’s behaviour that the beast exists at all.

What are three themes in Lord of the Flies ?

Three themes in ‘ Lord of the Flies ‘ are civilization vs. savagery, the impact of humankind on nature, and the nature of humanity.

What is the main message of the Lord of the Flies ?

The main message is that if left without rules, society devolves and loses its grasp on what is the morally right thing to do. this is even the case with kids.

How does Ralph lose his innocence in Lord of the Flies ?

He loses his innocence when he witnesses the deaths of Simon and Piggy. These losses in addition to the broader darkness of the island change him.

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About Lee-James Bovey

Lee-James, a.k.a. LJ, has been a Book Analysis team member since it was first created. During the day, he's an English Teacher. During the night, he provides in-depth analysis and summary of books.

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The Symbolism of Power in “Lord of the Flies”

How it works

Russian dictatorship is a topic that is fitting when discussing power comes from fear. Stalin was an infamous dictator who used his power to create fear in the eyes of the Russian citizens. This is similar to William Golding’s the Lord of the Flies, he demonstrates that those in power will take advantage of people’s fear. In the book, Jack and Ralph both are in a struggle for power and both struggle to remain in power as they attack each other at any moment.

At various points throughout the story, Jack uses the boys’ fear of the beast to overthrow Ralph and the conch. When talking to the little ones jack would scare them, “(Jack) expect the beast disguised himself. We’d better keep on the right side of him, anyhow. You can’t tell what he might do. (142-143) This quote represented William golding’s idea of fear being the most effective way of control, with Jack using fear to get his tribe to do what he wishes. The book portrayed how terrifying the impact fear can have on people and how far it can manipulate them. Throughout the book, the idea of the beast developed into fear which resulted in the crippling of the conch, the link to society and sanity and the barrier that was stopping them from turning into savages. Right after the plane crash, Ralph and Jack get on exceptionally well. Jack changes throughout this novel. At first, he states, (Jack) agree with Ralph we’ve got to have rules and obey them, (25) This shows us that at the beginning of the novel, just like Ralph, he wants to uphold a civilized society.

Jack is one factor in why fear is going around the little ones and is the reason why he is starting to gain more power. Jack uses the fear of the little ones to gain power and be able to take advantage of them. Another thing that gave power to Jack which gave him his power was the beast, which embodies the power of the boys’ fears. All the boys can be frightened. They are scared of something that does not even exist. When finally converts this fright into a creature, the boys call it the beast. Especially the littluns are afraid, and jack uses this fear to make his dictatorial power system stronger. Jack uses the existence to make the other boys willing followers of his commands. Fear is the source of Jack’s power. After that, most of the boys join Jack’s new-found tribe to find safety, which he promises. Jack thinks that he can win over even more hearts of the boys by hunting the beast down (Golding 91). He can convince the boys that there is no beast, he never tells anyone about his fright. That is why Ralph always has to go first when the littluns think that the beast might be near (Golding 104). Simon is the only one to know the truth about the beast. The beast, only dreamt about by littluns, has always been in their minds, but never before their eyes.

Although the boys mistake Simon for the beast, while he was running towards them, they never saw the beast. Ralph tried to keep a sense of stability and eliminate the sense of fear while jack took all of their fears and gave himself the power to rule over all. Jack was able to misuse his power. It caused the majority of the boys to commit acts of violence and immorality. The boy’s mind and feeling were manipulated as the power was becoming unbalanced. Jack and Ralph were both in a tangle with who gets to be the leader and fought against each other’s ideas. This also affected the boys as they don’t know who to trust because they’re afraid that the beast would get them. Their fears were rooted in beasts throughout the novel. This led the boys offering a gift to this beast, killing Simon as they thought that he was the beast and losing their independence and having Jack take over.

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Lord of the Flies: Power Essay

Analytical essay : Power In the United States of America, the government follows the structure of a Democracy. Which means there is a president, a man who has a large say in whatever decisions are made. Once it’s time for a new man to take in the honor of being president, it is up to that person to decide how they want to use their newly granted power. In the novel, Lord of the Flies written by William Golding , the power shifts back and forth between Jack and Ralph multiple times. Just like every new president has their own unique ways of using their power, Jack and Ralph also have special ways of using the power they earn.

Throughout the novel, Lord of the Flies written by William Golding, Golding develops the theme of power through Jack and Ralph’s different tactics with power, Ralph’s actions with power, and Jack’s commanding presence with power. As Ralph and Jack take charge in the book, they have similarities and differences with their tactics of using power. Early in the novel, Golding demonstrates their differences, “Ralph turned to him. ‘You’re no good on a job like this. ’ ‘All the same-‘ ‘We don’t want you’ said Jack, flatly. ‘Three’s enough. ’”(24, Golding).

While Ralph and Jack both assert authority over Piggy, Ralph at least tries to explain his reasoning, whereas Jack brings personal insult to the matter. This could be Golding trying to shower the reader a mark of a good leader, in Ralph, and a bad leader, in Jack. In chapter one, the author writes “ ‘Jacks in charge of the choir. They can be-what do you want them to be? ’ ‘Hunters’ Jack and Ralph smiled at each other with shy liking. The rest began to talk eagerly” (23, Golding). Ralph and Jack are made similar by their desire for power, but differ in their treatment of that power.

Ralph is happy to use it towards the others liking, but Jack will later want it all for himself. In the beginning of the novel, Ralph declares that who ever is holding the conch shell will have the right to speak. Later, when Jack has started his own tribe, the conch has no power at all. Golding is expressing the different ideas and beliefs the two boys have once they grab a hold of power. Since Ralph and Jack’s thoughts on power contrast so much, different outcomes will occur after one of them shows off their power. As the novel unravels, Golding likes to give Ralph a generous attitude when using his power.

Towards the middle of the story, the author prints “Ralph pushed Piggy to one side. ‘I was chief, and you are going to do what I said’” (70, Golding). Although, Ralph asserts his power here, he does for the sake of the signal fire and the prospect of getting rescued. For Ralph, power is a means to an end, not the end itself. Later in the Novel, Golding inscribes “Something deep in Ralph spoke for him. ‘I’m chief. I’ll go. Don’t argue. ’” (104, Golding). When Jack painted

his face, we saw that “the mask compelled” the boys to obey. Here, too, it is not Ralph, but rather “something deep in” him that speaks.

For better or worse, both boys are affected by their roles as leaders. In the first scenes of the story, Ralph blows the conch and all the boys circle around him. They stare at him waiting for him to speak. This scene, Golding is trying to portray how Ralph is going to be depicted throughout the story, as a leader. While Ralph uses his power to solve the problem that the boys find themselves in, Jack loves to use his power as if they’re never going to escape the island. From start to finish, Jack demands a commanding role among the boys and chooses to use his power aggressively.

Early in the book, Golding writes, “ ‘A fire! Make a fire! ’ At once half the boys were on their feet. Jack clamored among them, the conch forgotten. ‘Come on. Follow me’” (38, Golding). Jack realizes the situation that he has found himself in and takes advantage of impulsive mob mentality to get his way, whereas Ralph appeals to reason. Midway through the book, the author writes, “ ‘And you shut up! Who are you, anyways? Sitting there telling people what to do. You can’t hunt, you can’t sing-‘ ‘I’m chief. I was chosen. ’ ‘Why should choosing make any difference?

Just giving orders that don’t make any sense-‘” (91, Golding). In this scene, Jack expresses his power by becoming very mad at Ralph for some decisions that he made. Democracy has no value for Jack. His ambition blinds him to the point where he sees no “sense” in Ralph’s grounded and reasonable orders. Late in the novel, Golding quotes “ Jack spoke. ‘Give me a drink. ’ Henry brought him a shell and he drank, watching Piggy and Ralph over the jagged rim. Power lay in the brown swell of his forearms: authority sat on his shoulder and chattered in his ear like an ape. ” (150, Golding).

As shown through this scene, Jack wears his emotions on his sleeve and chooses to do what he pleases. Jack decides to express his power loud enough for everyone to hear it, which is something Ralph’s character lacked. Jack sure does have his unique way of demonstrating his power. That doesn’t substitute the fact that he still owns the leadership role on the island, whether he expresses it differently or not. Throughout the novel Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding, the common theme of power develops as Jack and Ralph demonstrate their power, and all the different power tactics the two boys use.

As the story moves along, as a reader, you get the sense that Golding is trying to send you a message. In this novel, with the theme being power, the message is power is all around us but its how people adjust to it. Fredrick Douglas once said, “Power concedes nothing without a demand. And it never did and never will. ” This quote is a painted image of what Golding is

trying to portray. He gives his main characters, Jack and Ralph, this certain swagger and confidence when it comes to making decisions, and that is why the lesson revolves around power.

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Morality in Lord of The Flies

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Published: Mar 13, 2024

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Full Powerpoint Lord of the Flies Grade 9 analysis

Subject: English

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Last updated

18 May 2024

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The full Powerpoint including all themes and characters from Lord of the Flies. Each slide consists of an introduction of the relevant context to achieve top marks in AO3, an in depth sophisticated analysis for key, judicious quote(s) for each theme and character, an examination of the form and structure in a high level of detail to achieve the top grades. I had created a Powerpoint during my GCSEs as a main revision tool and was recommended to share my notes because of its high level quality and originality. In the end, I achieved a Grade 9 in both Literautre and Language.

The end of the Powerpoint includes some of my own essays to questions that I did as revision.

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