Mood

The mood of this novel is definitely dreadful. Even though the boys enjoy their freedom and have some optimistic thoughts toward their future in the beginning, the horror and despair creep into their lives as time goes by. I believe that William Golding did a wonderful job of portraying boy's horror of the “beast," which is so imaginary and unreal, proving that our mental stability cannot be tranquilized when there is no one guiding us to the right path. Throughout the novel, the fearful mood approaches, eventually leading to a total disaster among the boys: the murder.

I truly felt depressed after finishing this book because not only the boys in this novel became savage and evil but also people in the real world. This world is becoming unimaginable with all different kinds of crimes, disasters, and thoughts. This novel saddened me for showing me the true nature of human kind, demonstrating the darkness buried deep inside our minds.

I then wondered what would happen to us, miserable sinners, without God giving us countless opportunities to repent our sins. I was so relieved that Jesus died on the cross to cleanse our sins because if He did not, we would all be going to Hell after we die. I felt very grateful to God who forgives our sins and barbarious nature.

Setting

I found the setting described in the following passage very peaceful and memorable:

"Simon tured away from them and went where the just perceptible path led him. Soon high jungle closed in... He came at last to a place where more sunshine fell. Since they had not so far to go for light the creepers had woven a great mat that hung that the side of an open space in the jungle for here a patch of rock came close to the surface and would not allow more than little plants and ferns to grow. The whole space was walled with dark aromatic bushes, and was a bowl of heat and light. A great tree, fallen across one corner, leaned against the trees that still stood and a rapid climer flaunted red and yellow sprays right to the top." (p.57)

In my opinion, this setting is memorable because Simon is having his own private time out of the group, peacefully wandering in the jungle. He is enjoying the aspects of pure nature. He sees dancing butterflies; warm, yellow sunlight; and the candle-like, green buds. He hears delightful songs of the bird, the sound of the busy bees, and the crying of the gulls returning home. Moreover, as the sun submerges, the green buds open up, transforming into white flowers reflecting the starlight.

This fascinating scene is totally contradictory to the other boys' nature, which is cruel, savage, and diabolical. I could imagine myself walking around the jungle full of tall trees and curious-looking plants in the sunshine. I wondered what Simon was thinking while he left his group to have his own quiet time.

Significant Passages

One of the most significant passages in this book is the following:

"What are you doing out here all alone? Aren't you afraid of me?
Simon shook.
"There isn't anyone to help you. Only me. And I'm the Beast."
Simon's mouth labored, brought forth audible words.
"Pig's head on a stick."
"Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill!" said the head.
For a moment or two the forest and all the other dimly appreciated places echoed with the parody of laughter.
"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?"
The laughter shivered again.

(p.143)

In this gruesome passage, the Lord of the Flies speaks to Simon. These words confirm Simon’s thoughts that perhaps the beast is only the boys themselves. This idea of the evil on the island being within the boys is central to the novel’s exploration of innate human savagery. The pig-head identifies itself as the beast and acknowledges to Simon that it exists within all human beings: “You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you?” Simon, startled by his discovery, tries to inform this to the rest of the boys. However, the boys mistake him for the beast itself and kill him!

This made me feel extremely angry, for the innocent was killed by the evil forces among the boys. I wondered if they really thought Simon was the beast. Perhaps the boys wished to kill the "beast" so much that they all misapprehended that the thin boy was the actual beast? I was very shocked and taken aback.


Another passage I want to introduce is from the end of the book:

"For a moment he had a fleeting picutre of the strange glamour that had once invested the beaches. But the island was scorched up like dead wood - Simon was dead - and Jack had... The tears began to flow and sobs shook him. He gave himself up to them now for the first time on the island; great, shuddereing spasms of grief that seemed to wrench his whole body. His voice rose under the black smoke before the burning wreckaged of the island; and infected by that emotion, the other little boys began to shake and sob too.
And in the middle of them, with filthy body, matted hair, and unwiped nose, Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man's heart, and the fall throught the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy."

(p.202)

These lines occur after the boys encounter a naval officer who comes to rescue all of them. When Ralph sees the officer, his sudden realization that he is safe and will be returned to civilization plunges him into a reflective despair. This rescue is not a moment of joy, for Ralph realizes that he will never be the same after going through all of his horrible experiences on the island. Although he is saved from death on the island, he has lost his innocence and learned about the evil that lurks within all human beings. We would never fully understand how sad this situation is.

Theme

In my opinion, the theme of Lord of the Flies is to reveal the evil nature of human being in a civilization. There were no governmental structure that kept the boys in peace, which led to bloody sacrifices of the innocent. Golding demonstrates the conflict between civilization and savagery in the conflict between the novel’s two main characters: Ralph the protagonist, who represents order and leadership, and Jack the antagonist, who represents savagery and the desire for power.

As the novel progresses, Golding implies that the instinct of savagery is far more fundamental to the human nature than the instinct of civilization. He sees moral behavior, in many cases, as something that civilization forces upon the individual rather than a natural expression of human individuality. When left to their own devices, Golding implies, people naturally revert to cruelty, savagery, and barbarism. Among all the characters, only Simon seems to possess anything like a natural, innate goodness.

The reason why the theme of Lord of the Flies is important for teenagers living in 2008 is because we all live in the society in which everyone hides his or her evil qualities in their mind, trying hard to show only their good aspects. If there is no school or some form of stuctural government in our society, who knows if we are going to be part of Jack's group? You never know. If I were abandoned in a jungle and had to survive without anyone's help, I believe that the hidden nature inside of me will eventually come out to fit the situation.

Entry of Your Choice - Symbols

The Conch Shell

Ralph and Piggy discover a conch shell on the beach and use it to summon the boys together. The shell becomes a powerful symbol of civilization and order because it effectively governs the boys’ meetings, for the boy who holds the shell holds the right to speak. It is a vessel of political power among the boys. However, as the island civilization erodes and the boys become more savage, the conch shell loses its power and influence among them.

The Lord of the Flies

The Lord of the Flies is the bloody sow’s head which is used as an offering to the beast. In this way, it becomes both a symbol of the power of evil and a kind of Satan figure which evokes the beast within each human being.

The Beast

The Beast in the novel is not real; it is just an imaginary being that frightens all the boys. The boys’ behavior is what brings the beast into existence: the more savagely the boys act, the more real the beast seems to become. It stands for the instinct of savagery that exists within everyone. Only Simon is able to realize that the boys fear the beast because it exists within each of them.

The Fire

The boys build a signal fire to notice any passing ship that they are trapped in an island. As a result, the signal fire becomes a means of connection to civilization. It functions as a measurement of hope and strength of the boys. Ironically, at the end of the novel, the fire finally summons a ship to the island, but not the same signal fire; it is the fire of evil, the forest fire Jack’s tribe starts to kill Ralph.

Piggy’s Glasses

Piggy is the most rational boy in the group, and his glasses symbolizes the power of science in society because the boys use the lenses to focus the sunlight and start a fire. His glasses give everyone some hope to get rescued by a ship or a plane. When the Jack's group steals them from Piggy, it abuses both science and intelligence in its own civilization.

Main Characters

Ralph, the just:

Ralph is the leader of the group of boys abandoned on an island. He uses his leadership to make an ordered civilization among the boys until they all get rescued, while most of the other boys are interested in playing at the beach and avoiding work. He tries his best to build huts and maximize the chances of being rescued, and therefore the boys accept his power at the beginning. However, the group gradually becomes savage and ignorant due to the influence of Jack, making Ralph's position decline. The whole group except for Piggy leaves Ralph and hunts the poor two boys.

Jack, the evil:

Stubborn and savage, Jack is the antagonist of this novel. At first, he retains the sense of moral behavior that society instilled in him. However, as time goes by, he becomes obsessed with hunting and devotes himself to the task by gathering the boys and making his own tribe. The more bloody Jack becomes, the more he is able to control the rest of the group. He later mobilizes his tribe to kill Ralph.

Piggy, the intellectual:

Piggy is a smart, chubby boy who often helps the boys with new inventions or ideas. He is a loyal, supportive friend of Ralph, which is one of the reasons I like him. From the beginning, Piggy has a desire to be close to Ralph, and he is always there for him. Whenever Ralph feels confused, Piggy is the one to remind him of their duties and purposes. Once, Ralph thinks about giving up his leadership position; however, Piggy assures Ralph that he is a good leader and encourages him to continue. He is always on Ralph's side whenever some fights occur. Tragically, he later gets killed by Jack's tribe. :(

Simon, the benevolent:

Simon is an entirely different boy from all the other boys. He is very kind, humane, and deeply connected to nature. He acts morally not out of guilt or shame but because he believes in the inherent value of morality. He also was the first one to realize the boys' animal instincts. Unfortunately, he is murdered at the hands of the other boys.

Sam and Eric, the twins:

Sam and Eric are young twins who support Ralph in many circumstances. I felt sorry when they became part of Jack's tribe just because they wanted to be rescued.

Among these numerous characters, I liked Ralph the best. Although he was not successful in being the leader of the whole group, he tried his best and never gave up his will. Even though everyone joined Jack's group later on, he thought he was right and endured from all the hardships.