Lord of the Flies: An Exploration of Human Nature
William Golding (1911-1993): Questioning Englishness and the Empire
Lord of the Flies: An Exploration of Human Nature
An ethos is the set of ideas and attitudes associated with a particular group of people or activity. Not conventionally religious, Golding was fully convinced of the doctrine of original sin. His fiction, distinct from his contemporaries, delves into universal issues like social relations, class, Englishness, and England’s condition.
Golding’s impressive blend of realism and fable allows his fiction to represent both the particular and the universal. His themes include the omnipresent nature of evil and its innate presence in humanity. In his fiction, particularly in Lord of the Flies, he uses a typical English setting and characters, employing the well-established English literary model of public school boys, juxtaposed against the fictional youth adventure genre.
Englishness became a symbol for a universal dilemma within the context of an atomic war resulting from imperial contest. Englishness was personified by public school culture and the fight for power that caused confusion among the young boys.
The Lord of the Flies (1954): A Fable of Human Savagery
Golding referred to Lord of the Flies as a fable, evident from its title. He acknowledged his didactic technique and his intention to impart a moral lesson. According to Gindin, “The Lord of the Flies” translates to Beelzebub, the Greek transliteration of the ancient Hebrew word for the Prince of Devils.
The novel’s richness of detail, evocative language, progressive tension, and nonstop narrative rhythm create a sense of immediacy, making it a captivating read. The Lord of the Flies rewrites Coral Island, subverting its idyllic discourse of adventurous innocence, friendship, ingenuity, and inherent human goodness that help overcome obstacles and defeat evil forces.
Golding’s philosophy aligns more with Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, where innocent protagonists descend into savagery as the action progresses deeper into the jungle. Golding stated that his novels have “a shape precisely like Greek drama…this rise of tension and then the sudden fall…”
Plot and Setting
An aircraft is hit by a missile during an atomic war, and a special safe capsule carrying children aged 6 to 12 crash-lands on an idyllic island, similar to Coral Island. The island, devoid of adults, boasts abundant vegetation, fruit, and water.
Symbolism and Allegory
A conch shell found in a lagoon symbolizes authority, granting the right to speak to whoever holds it. The boys elect a chief and make decisions in assemblies.
One of the “littleuns” experiences fear through the vision of a snake, and the action recreates the story of the Fall. The Eden-like island gradually transforms from “heaven” to “hell.”
Characters and Archetypes
Jack Merridew: Red-haired, tall, and strong, Jack aspires to leadership but is frustrated, leading to division. He demands loyalty, forces obedience, and cruelly punishes or eliminates those who resist his authority. His choir boys, dressed in black cloaks with silver crosses, resemble Nazi youth.
Ralph: Blond, sober, good-natured, and caring, Ralph is elected chief. He prioritizes keeping a fire burning for rescue, building shelters, and supplying fresh water.
Piggy: Fat, bespectacled, and an easy target for ridicule, Piggy is observant, insightful, and advocates for order and good sense. He perceives envy and hostility, foreshadowing events.
These characters, while archetypal, are well-developed through a combination of psychological details and symbolic meaning.
Allegorical Interpretation
According to L.L. Dickinson, the novel is a “political allegory” where Ralph represents democracy and Jack represents totalitarianism. In The Modern Allegories of William Golding, Dickinson quotes Golding, highlighting that the crimes depicted were committed not by primitive individuals but by educated men with a tradition of civilization.
While allegorical, the novel’s vivid language and sensory detail prevent a purely symbolic reading. Golding presents the island and its inhabitants as a microcosm of the wider world.
The Descent into Savagery
The novel begins against the backdrop of an atomic explosion. The discovery of a dead parachutist, mistaken for a supernatural beast, creates initial unease. A British naval officer arrives to restore order, saving Ralph from being killed. He comments that he expected better from British boys.
Golding depicts the children’s gradual descent into savagery. Jack incites them to blind action, dissolving their individuality into the anonymity of the mass.
Loss of Humanity and Moral Boundaries
When Jack appears before Ralph wearing only a mask and a belt, moral boundaries blur, and humanity fades. Behind their painted masks and empowered by hunting, the children succumb to wild excitement and violence. Even Ralph and Piggy, voices of reason, feel the allure of the tribe’s enchantment.
After Simon is mistaken for the beast and killed, Ralph and Piggy, frightened, deny witnessing the event: “we never done nothing, we never see nothing.”
Visual Imagery and Symbolism
Golding’s prose is strikingly visual, evoking physical sensations. The depiction of Simon’s death is a powerful example.
Once the killing taboo is broken, tribal savagery escalates. The group recognizes its brute power and the defenselessness of those on the margins. The twins Samneric are knocked down but spared, while Piggy suffers Simon’s fate—murdered. Piggy’s post-mortem description, compared to a pig, is a potent metaphor for the irreversible loss of humanity.
From the outset, imagery of light and darkness, ripeness and decay, suggests the inescapable coexistence of good and evil.
The Triumph of Savagery
In the final chapter, the boys are no longer called by their names, becoming indistinguishable savages under their paint. Ralph, attempting to identify one boy, sees only “a savage whose image refused to blend with that ancient picture of a boy in shorts and shirt.” They are consistently referred to as savages, tribe, hunters, and devils.
The initial Eden reveals its darker side, transforming into a hunting ground with no escape. The novel concludes with the arrival of the naval officer, a stark reminder of the civilized world the boys have left behind. The officer’s presence underscores the tragic consequences of their descent into savagery and the loss of innocence.