| The Lord of the Flies contains many examples of symbolism which Golding has incorporated to show a deeper level to the main, mostly straightforward, storyline that reveals his thoughts on the nature of humanity and evil. |
"Lord of the flies" contains many examples of symbolism, which Golding included to show a deeper level of the main, mostly simple, storyline that reveals his thoughts about the nature of humanity and evil. |
| Below are some of the main symbols used in the book, but there are plenty more for you to discover yourself. |
Below are some of the basic symbols used in the book, but there is still a lot for you to discover yourself. |
| Among such symbols may be included such small or natural seeming events like the coral reef, (Submarine warfare, surrounding of Britain by German U-boats?) or the "great fire", which may represent the first world war, ("We shall never commit to this savagery again"). |
Such symbols may include such small or natural seeming events as a coral reef (the submarine war surrounding Britain with German submarines?) Or the “great fire” that could be the first world war (“We will never do this wildness again” ).
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| Blood is another symbol Golding uses extensively, although what he uses it for is open to interpretation. |
Blood is another symbol that Golding uses, though he uses it to open up the interpretation. |
| The different styles of leadership shown by Jack and Ralph symbolize democracy and dictatorship, much like as depicted in George Orwell's Animal Farm where he used pigs to symbolize the USSR's communist leaders. |
The different leadership styles shown by Jack and Ralph symbolize democracy and dictatorship, just as depicted in George Orwell's animal Farm, where he used pigs to symbolize the Communist leaders of the USSR. |
| The imaginary beast that frightens all the boys stands for the primal instinct of savagery that exists within all human beings. |
The imaginary beast that frightens all boys means the primal instinct of savagery that exists in all humans. |
| The boys are afraid of the beast, but only Simon reaches the realization that they fear the beast because it exists within each of them. |
The boys are afraid of the beast, but only Simon reaches the realization that they are afraid of the beast, because he exists inside each of them. |
| As the boys grow more savage, their belief in the beast grows stronger. |
When the boys become more savage, their belief in the beast increases. |
| By the end of the novel, the boys are leaving it sacrifices and treating it as a totemic god. |
By the end of the novel, the boys leave it as victims and view it as a totemic god. |
| The boys’ behavior is what brings the beast into existence, so the more savagely the boys act, the more real the beast seems to become. |
The behavior of the boys is what led the beast to existence, so the more cruel the boys do, the more real the beast becomes. |
| The boys "become" the beast when they kill Simon. |
Boys become " beasts when they kill Simon." |
| Golding describes the savages' behavior as animal like; the savages dropped their spears (man's tool) and "screamed, struck, bit, tore. There were no words, and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws." |
Golding describes the behavior of savages as an animal; the savages threw off their spears (male instrument) and “shouted, hit, a little, tore up. There were no words and no movements except tearing of the teeth and claws. ” |
