Lord of the Flies - Study Notes

Ralph is chosen as leader after the boys are stranded on a deserted island.

Jack is assigned to lead the hunting party.

A fire built to attract passing ships. Critical for rescue.

Piggy's eyeglasses are used to focus sunlight and start a fire.

A conch shell is used as a horn to assemble the boys.

The signal fire, important for rescue, burns down due to negligence.

Jack's focus on hunting leads to a dangerous preoccupation.

Fears of a monster on the island grow, impacting the boys' behaviour.

The youngest boys on the island who experience nightmares and fears.

The island's environment makes it difficult initially to maintain proper order amongst the boys.

Ralph represents the civilizing instinct of humanity, striving for order and reason.

Jack embodies the primal, savage instincts of humanity, prioritizing survival and power.

Simon represents natural goodness and a deep connection to nature, seeing the truth beyond the chaos.

Piggy embodies the scientific, logical side of civilization, relying on reason and intellect.

Roger is a sadistic and brutal boy, embodying the dark side of human nature.

Sam and Eric, twin boys, symbolize the vulnerability and susceptibility to manipulation.

The conch shell acts as a symbol of order, representing democracy and the power of words.

The Lord of the Flies, embodied by the pig's head, represents the evil that dwells within each person.

The signal fire embodies hope and the possibility of rescue, representing the yearning for civilization.

Piggy's glasses represent the power of intellect and creativity, symbolizing the tools necessary for survival.

The central conflict in Lord of the Flies is between the desire for order and rules (civilization) and the urge for immediate desires and violence (savagery).

The sow's head on a stake represents the primal instincts of power and cruelty that take over Jack's tribe.

Represents the sudden return of civilization, contrasting the boys' savagery, though his own civility is questioned.

The process of the boys becoming increasingly brutal and savage, losing their initial innocence and childlike behavior.

The conflict between those who focus on structure and order (Ralph) and those who prioritize immediate desires (Jack).

The idea that even young children possess potential for violence and cruelty, as shown by Jack's progressive savagery.

A littlun who represents vulnerability and fear, experiencing nightmares and being one of the first to see the 'beast'.

A situation where a group of individuals act irrationally and violently, losing their sense of individuality and responsibility.

Paint used by the boys on the island to disguise their identities and hide their individual feelings.

The dangerous consequences of a group of people acting together, often resulting in violence and cruelty.

A boy who embodies goodness and reason, staying true to his morals despite the island's chaos.

Simon realizes the 'beast' is not a physical creature, but the evil within the boys themselves.

The paratrooper represents the external conflict of war and the fear it brings to the boys.

The process of the boys losing their civilized behavior and becoming more like wild animals.

The conflict between the basic need to survive and the desire to maintain civilized behavior.

The boys' descent into violence reflects the real-world conflict and brutality of war.

The inner darkness and potential for violence that exists within everyone.