Lord of the Flies Summary
Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a novel in which a group of schoolboys are stranded on a desert island and attempt to establish their own society.
- Ralph, the elected leader, argues that the main goals should be to have fun, survive, and maintain a smoke signal to catch the attention of potential rescuers.
- The boys lose interest in the daily tasks Ralph assigns, like building shelters, and instead play and hunt pigs.
- When another boy, Jack, defies Ralph’s authority, the boys degenerate into savagery and set fire to the island. A ship nearby sees the smoke and rescues them.
Summary
Stranded on a Deserted Island
Amid a war, a group of British schoolboys are stranded on a deserted island without adult supervision. Two boys, Ralph and Piggy, meet near a lagoon and find a conch shell. Ralph blows into it, gathering all the boys, who then decide to hold an election.
Leadership and Survival
Ralph is chosen as chief for his charisma and the symbolic power of the conch. Jack Merridew, wanting leadership himself, forms his choir group into hunters. The older boys, including Ralph, Piggy, Jack, and Simon, take on the work while the younger "littluns" mostly play. The littluns are also frightened by rumors of a "beast" on the island, which the older boys dismiss.
The Signal Fire and Rising Tensions
Ralph decides they should make a signal fire to attract rescue. Using Piggy’s glasses, they start a fire, but it quickly grows out of control, destroying part of the island and leading to the presumed death of a littlun. After this disaster, Jack’s hunters agree to keep the fire going, though Jack becomes increasingly obsessed with hunting. Eventually, he lets the fire go out to kill a pig, missing a rescue opportunity.
Fear of the Beast and Division
When a parachutist's corpse lands on the mountain, Samneric, the twins, mistake it for the beast. Ralph, Jack, and Roger climb the mountain to investigate but flee in terror, convinced they have seen the beast. Jack uses the boys’ fear to challenge Ralph’s leadership and, after an unsuccessful attempt to oust him, breaks away to form his own tribe at "Castle Rock." Slowly, most boys, especially the older ones, join Jack.
Simon’s Revelation
Simon, who often wanders alone, witnesses Jack’s group kill a sow and place its head on a stick as an offering to the beast. He hallucinates a conversation with the head, which he calls the "Lord of the Flies," realizing that the real beast is the darkness within themselves. Discovering the true "beast" is just a dead parachutist, he rushes to tell the others.
The Tragic Death of Simon
Simon returns to find the boys engaged in a frenzied dance at Jack’s feast. Mistaking Simon for the beast, the boys, led by their fear and hysteria, kill him. Ralph, Piggy, and Samneric feel deep guilt but refuse to acknowledge their role in Simon's death.
Loss of Order and Piggy's Death
Jack’s group raids Ralph’s camp, stealing Piggy’s glasses to start their own fires. Ralph, Piggy, and Samneric attempt to confront Jack at Castle Rock. However, Ralph’s authority crumbles, and the conch no longer holds power. In the ensuing chaos, Roger rolls a boulder down the hill, killing Piggy and shattering the conch. Samneric are captured, and Ralph is forced to flee.
The Final Hunt
Now an outcast, Ralph speaks to Samneric, who warn him that Jack’s group plans to hunt him down. Jack’s hunters set the forest ablaze the next morning to smoke Ralph out. As they close in on him, Ralph collapses on the beach, where a naval officer, drawn by the fire, has arrived.
Rescue and Reflection
Stunned by the boys’ savagery, the officer expresses disappointment, and the boys break down, mourning the innocence and order they have lost. The island, once a hopeful escape, has shown them the darkness within.
Expert Q&A
Why did William Golding write Lord of the Flies?
One could argue that William Golding wrote Lord of the Flies because he wanted to show that there's a thin veneer between barbarism and civilization. The privileged young boys who crash land on a desert island may think they're civilized, but it isn't very long before they descend into outright barbarism.
What global events influenced the writing of Lord of the Flies?
Lord of the Flies was influenced by World War II, which deeply affected William Golding, who served as a British army officer. The novel explores themes of innate human savagery and questions the notion of moral superiority among Western Europeans, particularly the British. Golding uses the isolation of British schoolboys to examine whether civility is inherent or a product of societal structures, reflecting post-war concerns about human nature and civilization.
Why was the original title of Lord of the Flies changed?
The original title of William Golding's novel was changed from Strangers from Within to Lord of the Flies after suggestions from the publisher, Faber and Faber. The new title was considered more intriguing and memorable, referencing a key scene and symbolizing evil, as it translates to "Beelzebub" in Hebrew. This change was intended to enhance the book's appeal and reflect its themes of inherent human evil.
How did the public initially react to the release of Lord of the Flies?
Golding's choice of British schoolboys in "Lord of the Flies."
Golding chose British schoolboys in "Lord of the Flies" to highlight the contrast between their cultured upbringing and the descent into savagery. This choice underscores the novel’s theme that even those from a seemingly civilized background can succumb to primal instincts when removed from societal constraints.
William Golding's intentions in creating Ralph and using young boys in Lord of the Flies
William Golding created Ralph and used young boys in Lord of the Flies to explore themes of innocence, civilization, and the inherent darkness within humanity. By focusing on children, Golding demonstrates how societal structures and moral codes can quickly disintegrate when external constraints are removed, emphasizing the fragility of human nature and the ease with which savagery can emerge.
Influences and Motivations Behind Lord of the Flies
William Golding's Lord of the Flies was heavily influenced by his experiences as a teacher and a soldier in World War II. His interactions with unruly children informed the novel's depiction of boys' behavior, while his wartime experiences highlighted humanity's capacity for evil, shaping his portrayal of inherent wickedness. Golding wrote the novel as a response to the idealized portrayal of children in R.M. Ballantyne's The Coral Island, aiming to depict a more realistic and darker view of human nature, influenced by his disillusionment with rationalism and the horrors of war.
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