Civilization Vs Savagery In Lord Of The Flies Analysis

The Lord of The Flies is a novel written by William Golding. The novel is based in the 1950s and tells the story of a group of young boys who find themselves on a deserted island. They establish rules and a system of organization, but without any adults on the island to serve as a civilizing authority, the young boys ultimately become savage and violent. Golding incorporates a number of themes throughout the novel like savagery vs civilization, this theme changes throughout the whole novel from beginning to end. At the beginning of the novel, the boys set up a democratic society to maintain order, in the middle the boys start to abandon their democratic society and their behavior becomes increasingly savage, fearful, and violent. 

At the beginning of Lord of The Flies, the boys set up rules and a system of organization. They elected Ralph as their leader and used the conch that was found at the beach to call the boys to come together for meetings on page 20 Piggy states “We can use this to call others. Have a meeting. They’ll come when they hear us” (Golding). The group of young boys also had built shelters and displayed concern for the youngest among them which shows that they are using their knowledge from back home to start a civilized community. Piggy’s glasses also play a big part in creating a civilized community because they are a symbol of survival and knowledge. The glasses created the signal fire which was used for the group’s survival, however, Jack gets frustrated when he gets blamed for letting the signal fire go out so he takes it out on Piggy, breaking piggy’s glasses. This act of assault symbolizes savagery, and the broken glasses symbolize the loss of intellectual thought on the island as things begin to fall apart.

In the middle of Lord of the Flies, The theme of civilization vs savagery becomes evident as Jack’s thirst for blood becomes apparent in chapter 4 when he is excited that they have killed a pig (Golding 97). Since this is Jack’s first time killing a pig his mind becomes obsessed with savage thoughts which lead the rest of the boys’ to lose civilization and become savage. The rest of the boys’show savagery behavior in chapter 9 when they kill Simon because he believed that the best was not real and that the“best” was a dead man wrapping in a parachute Jack and the others do not believe him and think that Simon is the best so they kill him ( Golding 219). Jack is one of the main reasons for the downfall of the boys’ civilization throughout the novel he tries to hide his true identity of being a civilized young boy with the identity of a savage and violent young boy. On page 89, Golding states, “Jack planned his new face he made one cheek and one eye socket white, then rubbed red over the other half of his face” (Golding). This mask, that Jack is creating replaces his true civilized face with a savagery one. 

At the end of the Lord Of The Flies, civilization is not restored due to the death of piggy preventing the revival of civilization. On page 290, Golding states, “Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called piggy” (Golding). The civilized boys would not be the same and the thought of going back to who they once were seems very unlikely to happen. However, there is still hope as the boys go back to being civilized English boys after they meet the officer. Jack started to cry as he remembers that they are children and not savages, “The tears began to flow and sobs shook him” (Golding 290). 

All in all, Williams Golding’s novel Lord Of The Flies features many themes that change throughout the story from beginning to end, however, the most prominent theme that changes throughout the story from beginning to end is civilization Vs savagery. The characters Ralph and piggy represent civilization while jack represents savagery. Ralph tries to do whatever he can to create a civilized society and keep the group calm, while Jack continues to change the boys’ minds into cruelty and savagery. The Conch and piggy’s glasses symbolize the peace between civilization and savagery, however, when both are broken things take a turn for the worst, and savagery ultimately savagery wins over civilization. The importance of the theme civilization vs savagery that Golding was trying to prove or get at is that there is no such thing as a perfect society which means that civilization will always become savagery at a certain point.

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Lord of the Flies

By william golding, lord of the flies themes, civilization vs. savagery.

The overarching theme of Lord of the Flies is the conflict between the human impulse towards savagery and the rules of civilization which are designed to contain and minimize it. Throughout the novel, the conflict is dramatized by the clash between Ralph and Jack, who respectively represent civilization and savagery. The differing ideologies are expressed by each boy's distinct attitudes towards authority. While Ralph uses his authority to establish rules, protect the good of the group, and enforce the moral and ethical codes of the English society the boys were raised in, Jack is interested in gaining power over the other boys to gratify his most primal impulses. When Jack assumes leadership of his own tribe, he demands the complete subservience of the other boys, who not only serve him but worship him as an idol. Jack's hunger for power suggests that savagery does not resemble anarchy so much as a totalitarian system of exploitation and illicit power.

Golding's emphasis on the negative consequences of savagery can be read as a clear endorsement of civilization. In the early chapters of the novel, he suggests that one of the important functions of civilized society is to provide an outlet for the savage impulses that reside inside each individual. Jack's initial desire to kill pigs to demonstrate his bravery, for example, is channeled into the hunt, which provides needed food for the entire group. As long as he lives within the rules of civilization, Jack is not a threat to the other boys; his impulses are being re-directed into a productive task. Rather, it is when Jack refuses to recognize the validity of society and rejects Ralph's authority that the dangerous aspects of his character truly emerge. Golding suggests that while savagery is perhaps an inescapable fact of human existence, civilization can mitigate its full expression.

The rift between civilization and savagery is also communicated through the novel's major symbols: the conch shell, which is associated with Ralph, and The Lord of the Flies , which is associated with Jack. The conch shell is a powerful marker of democratic order on the island, confirming both Ralph's leadership-determined by election-and the power of assembly among the boys. Yet, as the conflict between Ralph and Jack deepens, the conch shell loses symbolic importance. Jack declares that the conch is meaningless as a symbol of authority and order, and its decline in importance signals the decline of civilization on the island. At the same time, The Lord of the Flies, which is an offering to the mythical "beast" on the island, is increasingly invested with significance as a symbol of the dominance of savagery on the island, and of Jack's authority over the other boys. The Lord of the Flies represents the unification of the boys under Jack's rule as motivated by fear of "outsiders": the beast and those who refuse to accept Jack's authority. The destruction of the conch shell at the scene of Piggy 's murder signifies the complete eradication of civilization on the island, while Ralph's demolition of The Lord of the Flies-he intends to use the stick as a spear-signals his own descent into savagery and violence. By the final scene, savagery has completely displaced civilization as the prevailing system on the island.

Individualism vs. Community

One of the key concerns of Lord of the Flies is the role of the individual in society. Many of the problems on the island-the extinguishing of the signal fire, the lack of shelters, the mass abandonment of Ralph's camp, and the murder of Piggy-stem from the boys' implicit commitment to a principle of self-interest over the principle of community. That is, the boys would rather fulfill their individual desires than cooperate as a coherent society, which would require that each one act for the good of the group. Accordingly, the principles of individualism and community are symbolized by Jack and Ralph, respectively. Jack wants to "have fun" on the island and satisfy his bloodlust, while Ralph wants to secure the group's rescue, a goal they can achieve only by cooperating. Yet, while Ralph's vision is the most reasonable, it requires work and sacrifice on the part of the other boys, so they quickly shirk their societal duties in favor of fulfilling their individual desires. The shelters do not get built because the boys would rather play; the signal fire is extinguished when Jack's hunters fail to tend to it on schedule.

The boys' self-interestedness culminates, of course, when they decide to join Jack's tribe, a society without communal values whose appeal is that Jack will offer them total freedom. The popularity of his tribe reflects the enormous appeal of a society based on individual freedom and self-interest, but as the reader soon learns, the freedom Jack offers his tribe is illusory. Jack implements punitive and irrational rules and restricts his boys' behavior far more than Ralph did. Golding thus suggests not only that some level of communal system is superior to one based on pure self-interest, but also that pure individual freedom is an impossible value to sustain within a group dynamic, which will always tend towards societal organization. The difficult question, of course, is what individuals are willing to give up to gain the benefits of being in the group.

The Nature of Evil

Is evil innate within the human spirit, or is it an influence from an external source? What role do societal rules and institutions play in the existence of human evil? Does the capacity for evil vary from person to person, or does it depend on the circumstances each individual faces? These questions are at the heart of Lord of the Flies which, through detailed depictions of the boys' different responses to their situation, presents a complex articulation of humanity's potential for evil.

It is important to note that Golding's novel rejects supernatural or religious accounts of the origin of human evil. While the boys fear the "beast" as an embodiment of evil similar to the Christian concept of Satan, the novel emphasizes that this interpretation is not only mistaken but also, ironically, the motivation for the boys' increasingly cruel and violent behavior. It is their irrational fear of the beast that informs the boys' paranoia and leads to the fatal schism between Jack and Ralph and their respective followers, and this is what prevents them from recognizing and addressing their responsibility for their own impulses. Rather, as The Lord of the Flies communicates to Simon in the forest glade, the "beast" is an internal force, present in every individual, and is thus incapable of being truly defeated. That the most ethical characters on the island-Simon and Ralph-each come to recognize his own capacity for evil indicates the novel's emphasis on evil's universality among humans.

Even so, the novel is not entirely pessimistic about the human capacity for good. While evil impulses may lurk in every human psyche, the intensity of these impulses-and the ability to control them-appear to vary from individual to individual. Through the different characters, the novel presents a continuum of evil, ranging from Jack and Roger , who are eager to engage in violence and cruelty, to Ralph and Simon, who struggle to contain their brutal instincts. We may note that the characters who struggle most successfully against their evil instincts do so by appealing to ethical or social codes of behavior. For example, Ralph and Piggy demand the return of Piggy's glasses because it is the "right thing to do." Golding suggests that while evil may be present in us all, it can be successfully suppressed by the social norms that are imposed on our behavior from without or by the moral norms we decide are inherently "good," which we can internalize within our wills.

The ambiguous and deeply ironic conclusion of Lord of the Flies , however, calls into question society's role in shaping human evil. The naval officer, who repeats Jack's rhetoric of nationalism and militarism, is engaged in a bloody war that is responsible for the boys' aircraft crash on the island and that is mirrored by the civil war among the survivors. In this sense, much of the evil on the island is a result not of the boys' distance from society, but of their internalization of the norms and ideals of that society-norms and ideals that justify and even thrive on war. Are the boys corrupted by the internal pressures of an essentially violent human nature, or have they been corrupted by the environment of war they were raised in? Lord of the Flies offers no clear solution to this question, provoking readers to contemplate the complex relationships among society, morality, and human nature.

Man vs. Nature

Lord of the Flies introduces the question of man's ideal relationship with the natural world. Thrust into the completely natural environment of the island, in which no humans exist or have existed, the boys express different attitudes towards nature that reflect their distinct personalities and ideological leanings. The boys' relationships to the natural world generally fall into one of three categories: subjugation of nature, harmony with nature, and subservience to nature. The first category, subjugation of nature, is embodied by Jack, whose first impulse on the island is to track, hunt, and kill pigs. He seeks to impose his human will on the natural world, subjugating it to his desires. Jack's later actions, in particular setting the forest fire, reflect his deepening contempt for nature and demonstrate his militaristic, violent character. The second category, harmony with nature, is embodied by Simon, who finds beauty and peace in the natural environment as exemplified by his initial retreat to the isolated forest glade. For Simon, nature is not man's enemy but is part of the human experience. The third category, subservience to nature, is embodied by Ralph and is the opposite position from Jack's. Unlike Simon, Ralph does not find peaceful harmony with the natural world; like Jack, he understands it as an obstacle to human life on the island. But while Jack responds to this perceived conflict by acting destructively towards animals and plant life, Ralph responds by retreating from the natural world. He does not participate in hunting or in Simon's excursions to the deep wilderness of the forest; rather, he stays on the beach, the most humanized part of the island. As Jack's hunting expresses his violent nature to the other boys and to the reader, Ralph's desire to stay separate from the natural world emphasizes both his reluctance to tempt danger and his affinity for civilization.

Dehumanization of Relationships

In Lord of the Flies , one of the effects of the boys' descent into savagery is their increasing inability to recognize each other's humanity. Throughout the novel, Golding uses imagery to imply that the boys are no longer able to distinguish between themselves and the pigs they are hunting and killing for food and sport. In Chapter Four, after the first successful pig hunt, the hunters re-enact the hunt in a ritual dance, using Maurice as a stand-in for the doomed pig. This episode is only a dramatization, but as the boys' collective impulse towards complete savagery grows stronger, the parallels between human and animal intensify. In Chapter Seven, as several of the boys are hunting the beast, they repeat the ritual with Robert as a stand-in for the pig; this time, however, they get consumed by a kind of "frenzy" and come close to actually killing him. In the same scene, Jack jokes that if they do not kill a pig next time, they can kill a littlun in its place. The repeated substitution of boy for pig in the childrens' ritual games, and in their conversation, calls attention to the consequences of their self-gratifying behavior: concerned only with their own base desires, the boys have become unable to see each other as anything more than objects subject to their individual wills. The more pigs the boys kill, the easier it becomes for them to harm and kill each other. Mistreating the pigs facilitates this process of dehumanization.

The early episodes in which boys are substituted for pigs, either verbally or in the hunting dance, also foreshadow the tragic events of the novel's later chapters, notably the murders of Simon and Piggy and the attempt on Ralph's life. Simon, a character who from the outset of the novel is associated with the natural landscape he has an affinity for, is murdered when the other children mistake him for "the beast"-a mythical inhuman creature that serves as an outlet for the children's fear and sadness. Piggy's name links him symbolically to the wild pigs on the island, the immediate target for Jack's violent impulses; from the outset, when the other boys refuse to call him anything but "Piggy," Golding establishes the character as one whose humanity is, in the eyes of the other boys, ambiguous. The murders of Simon and Piggy demonstrate the boys' complete descent into savagery. Both literally (Simon) and symbolically (Piggy), the boys have become indistinguishable from the animals that they stalk and kill.

The Loss of Innocence

At the end of Lord of the Flies , Ralph weeps "for the end of innocence," a lament that retroactively makes explicit one of the novel's major concerns, namely, the loss of innocence. When the boys are first deserted on the island, they behave like children, alternating between enjoying their freedom and expressing profound homesickness and fear. By the end of the novel, however, they mirror the warlike behavior of the adults of the Home Counties: they attack, torture, and even murder one another without hesitation or regret. The loss of the boys' innocence on the island runs parallel to, and informs their descent into savagery, and it recalls the Bible's narrative of the Fall of Man from paradise.

Accordingly, the island is coded in the early chapters as a kind of paradise, with idyllic scenery, fresh fruit, and glorious weather. Yet, as in the Biblical Eden, the temptation toward corruption is present: the younger boys fear a "snake-thing." The "snake-thing" is the earliest incarnation of the "beast" that, eventually, will provoke paranoia and division among the group. It also explicitly recalls the snake from the Garden of Eden, the embodiment of Satan who causes Adam and Eve's fall from grace. The boys' increasing belief in the beast indicates their gradual loss of innocence, a descent that culminates in tragedy. We may also note that the landscape of the island itself shifts from an Edenic space to a hellish one, as marked by Ralph's observation of the ocean tide as an impenetrable wall, and by the storm that follows Simon's murder.

The forest glade that Simon retreats to in Chapter Three is another example of how the boys' loss of innocence is registered on the natural landscape of the island. Simon first appreciates the clearing as peaceful and beautiful, but when he returns, he finds The Lord of the Flies impaled at its center, a powerful symbol of how the innocence of childhood has been corrupted by fear and savagery.

Even the most sympathetic boys develop along a character arc that traces a fall from innocence (or, as we might euphemize, a journey into maturity). When Ralph is first introduced, he is acting like a child, splashing in the water, mocking Piggy, and laughing. He tells Piggy that he is certain that his father, a naval commander, will rescue him, a conviction that the reader understands as the wishful thinking of a little boy. Ralph repeats his belief in their rescue throughout the novel, shifting his hope that his own father will discover them to the far more realistic premise that a passing ship will be attracted by the signal fire on the island. By the end of the novel, he has lost hope in the boys' rescue altogether. The progression of Ralph's character from idealism to pessimistic realism expresses the extent to which life on the island has eradicated his childhood.

The Negative Consequences of War

In addition to its other resonances, Lord of the Flies is in part an allegory of the Cold War. Thus, it is deeply concerned with the negative effects of war on individuals and for social relationships. Composed during the Cold War, the novel's action unfolds from a hypothetical atomic war between England and "the Reds," which was a clear word for communists. Golding thus presents the non-violent tensions that were unfolding during the 1950s as culminating into a fatal conflict-a narrative strategy that establishes the novel as a cautionary tale against the dangers of ideological, or "cold," warfare, becoming hot. Moreover, we may understand the conflict among the boys on the island as a reflection of the conflict between the democratic powers of the West and the communist presence throughout China, Eastern Europe, and the Soviet Union. (China's cultural revolution had not yet occurred, but its communist revolution was fresh in Western memory.) Ralph, an embodiment of democracy, clashes tragically with Jack, a character who represents a style of military dictatorship similar to the West's perception of communist leaders such as Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong. Dressed in a black cape and cap, with flaming red hair, Jack also visually evokes the "Reds" in the fictional world of the novel and the historical U.S.S.R., whose signature colors were red and black. As the tension between the boys comes to a bloody head, the reader sees the dangerous consequences of ideological conflict.

The arrival of the naval officer at the conclusion of the narrative underscores these allegorical points. The officer embodies war and militaristic thinking, and as such, he is symbolically linked to the brutal Jack. The officer is also English and thus linked to the democratic side of the Cold War, which the novel vehemently defends. The implications of the officer's presence are provocative: Golding suggests that even a war waged in the name of civilization can reduce humanity to a state of barbarism. The ultimate scene of the novel, in which the boys weep with grief for the loss of their innocence, implicates contemporary readers in the boys' tragedy. The boys are representatives, however immature and untutored, of the wartime impulses of the period.

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Lord of the Flies Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Lord of the Flies is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Quote Analysis. "There was a throb..."

At this point Ralph is once again challenging Jack's authority, Unfortunately all the cards are stacked against Ralph. A storm is brewing and to deflect the boys' fears, Jack orders them to dance around the fire. This communal spectacle of...

How do the boys respond to Jack's call for Ralph's removal as chief? How does Jack react? Respond with evidence from the text.

There is a lot of immaturity here. The other boys refuse to vote Ralph out of power. Enraged, Jack has a tantrum and runs away from the group, saying that he is leaving and that anyone who likes is welcome to join him.The boys don't like the open...

What does Ralph recall hearing From Simon and seeing in the sky ?

The boys would see cargo planes in the sky and fishing boats in the sea.

Study Guide for Lord of the Flies

Lord of the Flies study guide contains a biography of William Golding, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

  • About Lord of the Flies
  • Lord of the Flies Summary
  • Lord of the Flies Video
  • Character List

Essays for Lord of the Flies

Lord of the Flies essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Lord of the Flies by William Golding.

  • Two Faces of Man
  • The Relationship Between Symbolism and Theme in Lord of the Flies
  • A Tainted View of Society
  • Death and Social Collapse in Lord of the Flies
  • Lumination: The Conquest of Mankind's Darkness

Lesson Plan for Lord of the Flies

  • About the Author
  • Study Objectives
  • Common Core Standards
  • Introduction to Lord of the Flies
  • Relationship to Other Books
  • Bringing in Technology
  • Notes to the Teacher
  • Related Links
  • Lord of the Flies Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for Lord of the Flies

  • Introduction

lord of the flies thesis statement about civilization vs savagery

lord of the flies thesis statement about civilization vs savagery

Lord of the Flies

William golding, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Human Nature Theme Icon

The " beast " is a symbol Golding uses to represent the savage impulses lying deep within every human being. Civilization exists to suppress the beast. By keeping the natural human desire for power and violence to a minimum, civilization forces people to act responsibly and rationally, as boys like Piggy and Ralph do in Lord in the Flies . Savagery arises when civilization stops suppressing the beast: it's the beast unleashed. Savages not only acknowledge the beast, they thrive on it and worship it like a god. As Jack and his tribe become savages, they begin to believe the beast exists physically—they even leave it offerings to win its favor to ensure their protection. Civilization forces people to hide from their darkest impulses, to suppress them. Savages surrender to their darkest impulses, which they attribute to the demands of gods who require their obedience.

Savagery and the "Beast" ThemeTracker

Lord of the Flies PDF

Savagery and the "Beast" Quotes in Lord of the Flies

Human Nature Theme Icon

Lord of the Flies: Civilization Vs Savagery

This essay will examine the theme of civilization versus savagery in William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies.” It will discuss how the novel portrays the breakdown of social order and the inherent human tendency towards barbarism when removed from societal norms. More free essay examples are accessible at PapersOwl about Civilization.

How it works

Imagine being stranded on an island. your first instinct is to discover some nourishment, shelter, and to discover an exit plan the island. being marooned can be a critical circumstance. it can raise new difficulties and self-revelation. At the point when a group of young boys gets stranded on an island alone without any grown-ups together they should figure out how to live and make due as a gathering. Not exclusively should their principle need is nourishment and a safe house.

They should likewise stress over each other and find the stuff to cooperate. In golding’s novel lord of the flies, the differentiating abstract topics of civilization versus savagery is appeared by the utilization of symbols, the dialogue, and visual imagery. William golding utilizes numerous images all through his novel to outline the differentiating topics of civilization versus savagery. Subsequent to reading this book it led me to believe that human beings are savages by nature and are moved by primal urges toward selfishness, brutality and dominance over others.

On the island we see the contention between two primary characters Jack and Ralph who separately represent civilization and savagery. This affects whatever is left of the young boys all through the novel as they dig further and further into savagery.in this novel, the utilization of the conch speaks on civilization and order. At the point when the young men first arrive on the island Ralph utilizes the conch to combine everybody. On page 18 it is said, “signs of life were visible now on the beach. the sand trembling to a lower place the warmth haze concealed many figures in its miles of length; boys were making their way to the platform.” This demonstrates towards the beginning the conch mechanically brought everyone along and went along with them as a network.

later in the story, the lord of the flies speaks to the brutality by symbolizing confusion and mayhem. After the young men execute a pig they leave the head as an offering to the envisioned monster. At the point when Simon begins conversing with the head it reveals to him that it is the monster.

Later on, in page 185. Ralph comes across the skull of the pig. “A sick fear and anger cleared him. Furiously he hit out at the filthy thing in front of him that bobbed like a toy and returned, still grinning in his face, so that he lashed and cried out in hating. ” This demonstrates that the Lord of the flies brings the beast out of the kids this additionally demonstrates from the beginning they, actually, were their very own mammoth. Williams golding utilizes certain bits of exchange to represent the differentiating topics of human civilization versus viciousness.

In chapter 1 page 45, Piggy turns out to be the most educated of the gathering by endeavoring to keep the gathering humanized and all together. At the point when the bunch is talking with respect to building a flag fire to be spared piggy says “how can you expect to be rescued if you don’t put first things first and act proper?”. This demonstrates from the earliest starting point piggy thinks there ought to be requested and a reasonable arrangement for anything fruitful to occur on the island. Likewise around this point, the subject of viciousness through exchange starts with jack.

On page 51,in the wake of endeavoring to locate the first run through jack discloses to Ralph that he sent his gathering back while he kept on chasing without anyone else. I went on said jack. I let them go. I needed to go on. He attempted to pass on the impulse to follow down and execute that was gulping him up.I went on. I thought of myself—the franticness came at him once more. I thought I may kill. This is the start of jack’s change from cultivated to savage. As of now slaughtering turns into his principle need over everything.

Another way viciousness was demonstrated was the point at which piggy’s glasses were broken. we were informed that “Piggy cried out in terror ‘my specs!” This demonstrates to us that the young men savage natures are starting to overrule their progressively cultivated sides. Toward the start of the book jack could never have challenged contact piggy yet here he really snaps and goes for piggy who he looks down on. We can tell that piggy is startled as golding picks the words cried and dread to portray the scene. piggy seems like he is torment and is truly scared about what Jack would conceivably do to him and the loss of his sight. Piggy’s glasses have likewise come to speak to knowledge on the island with them breaking we see that the pathway to viciousness is currently totally open for the young boys. This is the essential genuine bit of brutality between the two groups on the island and it will result in about all the young boys getting to be savages.

Finally, William Golding utilizes visual symbolism all through his novel to represent the differentiating topics of human civilization progress versus savagery. Before all else, Golding utilizes visual symbolism to speak to progress when Ralph utilizes the conch to join everybody together. On page 19 it is said,“At last Ralph ceased to blow and sat there, the conch trailing from one hand, his head bowed on his knees. As the echoes died away so did the laughter, and there was silence. ” As the echoes died so did the chuckling and there was quietness. This demonstrates toward the starting everybody met up in a hastily manner and were quiet with the goal that they could tune in to the discussions that they would have.

Later in the book golding once more uses visual symbolism to speak to savagery following the killing of simon. “The beast battled forward, broke the ring and fell over the steep edge of the stone to the sand by the water. On the double the posse flooded after it poured down the stone jumped onto the monster shouted struck piece tore. there were no words and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws”. (page 153). This demonstrates that at this point the sole issue the young men thought about was chasing and that they would chase anything they could.this act was just the start of homicide in this story and later prompted the homicide of different young men.

In golding’s novel, Lord of the flies the contrasting literary themes of civilization vs savagery are illustrated through the use of symbols, the dialogue, and the visual imagery. Despite the fact that first and foremost, numerous things combined the young men on the island, at last, things shredded them more than they would have anticipated. Ralph here speaks to progress as he needed to implement guidelines and let everybody have an equivalent say. However, Jack who speaks to savagery as he governs over the young men and he isn’t keen on what they need to state. overall this book conveys that human beings are savage by nature and are moved by primal urges toward selfishness brutality and dominance over others.

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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.

Lee-James Bovey

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 and Analysis

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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Civilazation versus Savagery in The Lord of the Flies

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Related Papers

William max

The novel “Lord of the Flies” was written by William Golding prior to World War II. Ideally, the novel outlines a story of 12 boys who got stranded in uninhabited Island when their airplane crashed. This assignment focuses on symbolism that the author applies to reveal or bring out his message in the novel. The story involves several characters. The characters described on this assignment include Ralph (democratic and civilized leader), Jackson (dictatorial leader), Piggy (a vulnerable character), Simon (a saint and a Christ-like character), and Samneric (identical twins most referred to as ‘bigguns’). Typically, the thesis is divided into four main parts which include the introduction, literature review, analysis, and conclusion. Noticeably, the objective of this assignment is to describe the extent to which William Golding applies symbolism in the novel “Lord of the Flies”. Towards this end, the paper focuses on five inanimate objects or symbols that Golding uses to bring his message to the readers. The five main symbols discussed include the conch shell which a symbol of power and authority, the lord of the flies which is the most valuable symbol in the novel, and the beast which is a symbol for instinct of aggressiveness and violence among humankind. The two other symbols include the signal fire which signifies the call for ships to come to the rescue of the stranded boys, and Piggy glasses which symbolize human intellect and innovations due to the development of science. However, some themes come up while analyzing symbolism in this novel. These themes include loss of innocence, civilization versus violence, and pessimism. Nevertheless, symbolism is used in several instances but this assignment concentrates only on the five inanimate objects aforementioned.

lord of the flies thesis statement about civilization vs savagery

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Cristian Bejinaru

Erishell Amato

Eliana Ionoaia

This research study is an attempt to assessthematically the underlying ideas implied by the novel Lordof the Flies. The novel realistically reflects the social and cultural human conditions of the contemporary time. Itrevolves around the idea of the evil inherent specifically in human andin society at large. The author is of the view that man by nature is evil. It is the cult of civilization which thwarts that evil from emerging. In addition to, the author has interwoven a variety of thematic interests including, the emergence of evil, loss of civilization, the motif of power, the fate of the intellectual, the uncertainty of life, symbolic manifestations and the essence of pessimism. KEYWORDS: Golding, Lord, Flies, Evil, Thematic, Evaluation, Civilization, Motif

Daniyal Wali

The characters in Lord of the Flies possess recognizable symbolic significance, which make them as the sort of people around us. Ralph stands for civilization and democracy; Piggy represents intellect and rationalism; Jack signifies savagery and dictatorship; Simon is the incarnation of goodness and saintliness. All of these efficiently portray the microcosm of that society.

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This paper is a literary analysis of Golding's novel Lord of the Flies using Paul De Man's approach to deconstruction which is a means to literary criticism. Using a Christian context, the paper examines how events and some characters in Lord of the Flies fit into the Bible.

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Lord of the Flies (1954) is truly one of the most important works that illustrates the relationship between humankind and politics in the English literature. In the story, we witness a group of boys that have survived from a plain-wreck, finding themselves in a solitary island which has no sign of civilization. The situation puts forth interesting questions about how the boys will react to this isolated environment. “The isolated island provides an appropriate stage for the survival story of the deserted boys, but also suggests a universal, timeless backdrop for symbolic action.” (Dickson, 1990)In the socio-political philosophies, there had been many important and grandly influential works written that enables us to answer these questions surrounding Golding’s island. In this field of philosophy, the attempt is to establish a set of written and unwritten rules that each member of the society sacrifices a portion of their liberty into responsibility, which would in turn benefit all of the society.What these philosophers were trying to craft was a co-operative society, which had divided it’s order of power within it’s instututions. They were trying to establish healthy working organs for their society which represented and consecrated to the ultimate power. In Golding’s story the boys are left to answer these questions and have to co-operate in order to survive. This aspect of the novel makes it a unique allegory of the theories that has been debated on this subject.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Lord of The Flies — Theme Of Savagery Versus Civilization In Lord Of The Flies

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Theme of Savagery Versus Civilization in Lord of The Flies

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lord of the flies thesis statement about civilization vs savagery

89 Lord of the Flies Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🔝 top-10 lord of the flies research paper topics, 🏆 best lord of the flies essay titles, 📌 creative lord of the flies thesis ideas, 👍 good titles for lord of the flies essay, ❓ lord of the flies: important questions.

  • Ralph’s character development in “Lord of the Flies.”
  • The main theme in “Lord of the Flies.”
  • The success of William Golding’s debut novel.
  • “Lord of the Flies”: a discussion of innocence and power.
  • The role of the conch in “Lord of the Flies.”
  • Civilization vs. savagery in “Lord of the Flies.”
  • William Golding’s commentary on human nature and evil.
  • The symbolism of fear in “Lord of the Flies.”
  • A literary analysis of “Lord of the Flies.”
  • “Lord of the Flies”: a summary of events.
  • “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding The reader will wonder that all the boys respond in the same manner to the sound of the blown shell. The author uses aesthetics to drive emotions out of the reader about the value of […]
  • Evil in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding The idea is that we are born with both the capacity of good and the capacity of evil and that the way we are raised, or the environment in which we live determines how we […]
  • Lord of the Flies, an Allegorical Novel by William Golding As the auction proceeds, the reader follows the heartbreaking events of the book. Boys hunt down a pig and place its head on a stick as an ‘offering’ to the ‘beast’.
  • Symbolism in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding In The Lord of the Flies, the fire in the story is lit as a symbol of hope and rescue. The island in The Lord Of The Flies resembled the perfect type of Utopia at […]
  • Lord of the Flies: Novel Analysis The sinister nature of the novel is inferred in the title which derives from the Hebrew word, Ba’al-zvuv which means god of the fly, host of the fly or literally the Lord of Flies a […]
  • Writing on the Novel I Love: Lord of the Flies In a given Lord of the Flies essay, one needs to illustrate the different themes used by Golding in his novel.
  • Human Nature in “Lord of the Flies” by Golding Considering this, the present paper will analyze the validity of the given statement by drawing on the experiences of characters in Lord of the Flies and evaluating the conditions in which they lived.
  • Literature Studies: “Lord of the Flies” by W. Golding Although Jack Merridew, one of the lead characters of William Golding’s shockingly unforgettable Lord of the Flies novel, is a child and still has a lot to learn in terms of how society works, the […]
  • A Comprehensive Analysis of the Key Elements of “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
  • The Role of Simon in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
  • Literary Comparison of Ballantyne’s “Coral Island” and Golding’s Island in “Lord of the Flies”
  • Attitude Towards Children in the Story “Lord of the Flies”
  • Jack as a Symbol of Savagery and Anarchy in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
  • A Description of the Potential for Evil in Everyone as One of the Theme in the Novel “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
  • Evil in Humanity in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
  • Savagery and the Beast Theme in “Lord of the Flies”
  • The Fall of Civilization Into Savagery in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
  • An Allegory of Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalysis Theory in William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”
  • A Literary Analysis of the Symbolism in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
  • A Comparison Between the Movie and Novel “Lord of the Flies”
  • Abuse of Power and the Effect of Tyrannical Leadership Between “Lord of the Flies” and “The Chrysalids”
  • Fear of the Unknown in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
  • A Comparison of “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding and “A Separate Peace” by John Knowles on Peer Pressure
  • Internal and External Conflicts in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
  • Importance of the Extract in the Development of the Main Themes in “Lord of the Flies”
  • Destructiveness of Jealousy Depicted in “Lord of the Flies” and “Woman Warrior”
  • A Demonstration of the Influence and Power of People Over One Another Through the Character of Piggy in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
  • A Character of Piggy as the Character Who Most Deserved to Be Saved in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
  • The Role of Government in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
  • Moral Consequences in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
  • The Symbolism of Power in “Lord of the Flies”
  • An Analysis of Human Behavior in “All Quiet on the Western Front” and “Lord of the Flies”
  • Changes in the Conception of God in “Lord of the Flies”
  • Inate Evil in “To Kill a Mocking Bird” and “Lord of the Flies”
  • A Look at Disturbing Events Highlighted in William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”
  • Allegory of Social Dissolution “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
  • Ralph as a Good Leader in “Lord of the Flies”
  • An Analysis of Democratic and Authoritarian Power in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
  • Leaders and Leadership in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
  • Golding’s Pessimistic View on People and Society in His Book “Lord of the Flies”
  • Analyzing the Themes of Innocence and Fear in William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”
  • A Description of the Occurrence of Civilization in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
  • Importance of the Beast in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
  • Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”: A Dream of a Deserted Island Into Reality
  • Adventures, Conflicts, and Struggles in “Lord of the Flies”
  • Good and Evil in Human Nature in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
  • Failure of Paradise in Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” and William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”
  • Immorality of Human Nature Depicted in Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”
  • Formation of Rules and Perception of Civilisation in “Lord of the Flies”
  • How Golding Presents the Decline From Civilisation to Savagery in “Lord of the Flies”?
  • What Does Piggy Symbolize in “Lord of the Flies”?
  • How Does the Second World War Reflect on “Lord of the Flies”?
  • What Ideas About Human Nature and Behavior Golding Was Trying to Express in “Lord of the Flies”?
  • What Does the Plane Crash Symbolize in “Lord of the Flies”?
  • How Does William Golding Present the Character of Jack in “Lord of the Flies”?
  • How Does Golding Express His Ideas About Leadership in “Lord of the Flies”?
  • How Does Roger Change in “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding?
  • How the Society Suppresses Evil in the Novel “Lord of the Flies”?
  • How Does Golding Create a Setting in “Lord of the Flies”?
  • How Does the Author Present Human Nature in “Lord of the Flies”?
  • How Does William Golding Show Evil at Work in “Lord of the Flies”?
  • How Anybody Could Regress Into Savagery in Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”?
  • How Is the Author’s Characterisation and Language Attributed to the Novel of the “Lord of the Flies”?
  • Why Did William Golding Name His Novel “Lord of the Flies”?
  • How Does Golding Present Death in “Lord of the Flies”?
  • How Does the Setting Affect the Story “Lord of the Flies”?
  • How Children Are Treated in the Story of “Lord of the Flies”?
  • How Does Golding Make the Physical World Seem Important in “Lord of the Flies”?
  • What Is Ralph’s Attitude Toward Piggy in the First Chapter of “Lord of the Flies”?
  • How Many Boys Are in “Lord of the Flies”?
  • How Golding Creates Tension in “Lord of the Flies”?
  • How Does the Opening Prepare the Reader for the Rest of the Novel “Lord of the Flies”?
  • Why the Boys Were Doomed to Fail in “Lord of the Flies”?
  • What Influenced William Golding to Write “Lord of the Flies”?
  • Ways That Golding Presents the Island in “Lord of the Flies”?
  • How Golding Uses Symbols in “Lord of the Flies”?
  • How Does William Golding Use the Setting to Develop the Main Theme of His Novel “Lord of the Flies”?
  • How Does Piggy’s Character Develop Through Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”?
  • What Ruined Ralph and Jack’s Friendship in “Lord of the Flies”?
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COMMENTS

  1. Lord Of The Flies Thesis Statement

    Quick answer: Arguable thesis statements for an essay about Lord of the Flies may include the idea that the boys are essentially savages underneath a thin veneer of civilization. Other potential ...

  2. Lord of The Flies': Civilization Vs Savagery as The Main Theme

    Civilization vs Savagery in the Lord of the Flies. The theme of civilization, as opposed to savagery, is first delivered to us through the image of the conch shell, which we companion with Ralph, as he's the person who first makes use of it, and will become the elected chief of the lads.

  3. Civilization Theme in Lord of the Flies

    Savagery and the "Beast". Themes and Colors. LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Lord of the Flies, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Although Golding argues that people are fundamentally savage, drawn toward pleasure and violence, human beings have successfully managed to create thriving civilizations ...

  4. Civilization Vs Savagery In Lord Of The Flies Analysis

    In the middle of Lord of the Flies, The theme of civilization vs savagery becomes evident as Jack's thirst for blood becomes apparent in chapter 4 when he is excited that they have killed a pig (Golding 97). Since this is Jack's first time killing a pig his mind becomes obsessed with savage thoughts which lead the rest of the boys' to ...

  5. Lord of the Flies Themes

    The Politics of Civilization vs. Savagery. One of the main themes present throughout Lord of the Flies is the nature of power and how humans acquire and use it. Stranded on the island, the boys ...

  6. Lord of the Flies Themes

    Civilization vs. Savagery. The overarching theme of Lord of the Flies is the conflict between the human impulse towards savagery and the rules of civilization which are designed to contain and minimize it. Throughout the novel, the conflict is dramatized by the clash between Ralph and Jack, who respectively represent civilization and savagery. The differing ideologies are expressed by each boy ...

  7. Themes Civilisation and savagery Lord of the Flies (Grades 9-1)

    Civilisation and savagery. The shift from civilisation to savagery is a crucial theme, and the novel clearly traces a shift from one state to the other: Initially, the boys try to create a civilised society: the conch symbolises this through its links to democracy and order. The boys rapidly stop following civilised behaviour regarding eating ...

  8. Savagery and the "Beast" Theme in Lord of the Flies

    The "beast" is a symbol Golding uses to represent the savage impulses lying deep within every human being.Civilization exists to suppress the beast. By keeping the natural human desire for power and violence to a minimum, civilization forces people to act responsibly and rationally, as boys like Piggy and Ralph do in Lord in the Flies.Savagery arises when civilization stops suppressing the ...

  9. Lord of the Flies': Civilization vs Savagery in William Golding's Novel

    Through reading the novel, Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the audience is challenged to take notice of this often-fierce dance of civilization vs savagery, which is the focus of this essay. The impulsive conflict which often exists between the two emerges as a significant underpinning in the novel, driving some of the boys to insanity ...

  10. Lord of the Flies: Civilization Vs Savagery

    In golding's novel, Lord of the flies the contrasting literary themes of civilization vs savagery are illustrated through the use of symbols, the dialogue, and the visual imagery. Despite the fact that first and foremost, numerous things combined the young men on the island, at last, things shredded them more than they would have anticipated.

  11. Civilization vs. Savagery in "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding

    In William Golding's timeless novel, "The Lord of the Flies," the compelling theme of civilization versus savagery takes center stage. As the narrative unfolds, a group of British boys finds themselves marooned on an isolated island during a fictional nuclear war, setting the stage for a profound exploration of the conflict between two main characters, Jack and Ralph.

  12. Lord of The Flies, Civilization vs Savagery

    In Lord of the Flies civilization represents good while savagery represents evil. Civilization is the good inside of man to choose to live by rules, under authority, act reasonable, and peaceful with others. Savagery represents the evil of choosing not to live peacefully with others and not live by rules, but instead living to gain power over ...

  13. Lord of the Flies Themes and Analysis

    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 ...

  14. Essay about Lord of the Flies: Civilization vs Savagery

    The Lord of the Flies is a novel written by William Golding, established in 1954; the book is based on British boys deserted on a remote island without any adults. The novel deals with major themes such as civilization versus savagery, loss of innocence and the nature of evil.

  15. Lord of the Flies: Civilization vs. Savagery

    The overarching style of Lord of the Flies is the conflict between the human impulse towards savagery and the guidelines of civilization which are developed to lessen it. Throughout the novel, the dispute is dramatized by the clash between Ralph and Jack, who respectively represent civilization Vs. savagery.The distinctions are revealed by each ...

  16. Civilazation versus Savagery in The Lord of the Flies

    Soon, though, a ship passes, indicating that the world beyond the island still exists. The arrival of the paratrooper also links the island to the outside world. In conclusion, The Lord of the Flies is a novel in which the theme of savagery versus civilization is shown. Ralph represents civilization as his greater concern is returning to society.

  17. Lord of the Flies: Critical Essays

    Get free homework help on William Golding's Lord of the Flies: book summary, chapter summary and analysis, quotes, essays, and character analysis courtesy of CliffsNotes. In Lord of the Flies , British schoolboys are stranded on a tropical island. In an attempt to recreate the culture they left behind, they elect Ralph to lead, with the intellectual Piggy as counselor.

  18. PDF Civilization and Savagery in Lord of the Flies

    human civilization suddenly disappeared, savagery will slowly leads human acts. Human naturally tends to reflect savagery although living in a civilization world. Ralph represents civilization in this novel and determines to live by rules and live peacefully. He is the one who gather the boys and has been elected to be their chief due to his ...

  19. Theme of Savagery Versus Civilization in Lord of The Flies

    William Golding's Lord of the Flies provides a possible answer. In the cold and vulgar novel, Lord of the Flies, written in 1954 novel by William Golding, Golding brings to life savagery versus civilization within man in its purest form. The main characters Jack and Ralph are ideal illustrations of these personas.

  20. 89 Lord of the Flies Essay Examples and Topics

    Moral Consequences in "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding. The Symbolism of Power in "Lord of the Flies". An Analysis of Human Behavior in "All Quiet on the Western Front" and "Lord of the Flies". Changes in the Conception of God in "Lord of the Flies". Inate Evil in "To Kill a Mocking Bird" and "Lord of the Flies".

  21. Lord Of The Flies: Civilization Vs. Savagery

    Savagery. Thesis: In the "Lord of the Flies", a moral allegory supports the theme of savagery vs civilization. Savagery's triumph over civilization is caused by the boy's lack of faith, development of new fears, and lack of democracy. II. 1st Body Paragraph - Throughout the book, the conch loses its effectiveness in the boy's ...