Themes in Lord of the Flies

A recurring phenomenon where the boys experience vivid, often disturbing, hallucinations in the middle of the day. It reflects their growing psychological distress, dehydration, and the oppressive environment they inhabit.

The boys use colored clay to create makeshift camouflage, which reflects their growing savagery, their desire to mimic animals, and their obsession with hunting.

Piggy's attempt to build a sundial symbolizes his longing for order, civilization, and an escape from the chaotic jungle environment.

Simon sees smoke from a passing ship, representing hope for rescue and the possibility of returning to civilization. However, the boys' chaotic actions destroy this hope.

Roger's act of destroying the littluns' sandcastles exemplifies the decline of childhood innocence and the rise of sadism within the group. It also reveals how society's rules are breaking down.

Henry's pleasure in controlling small creatures, like snails, reflects the desire for power in an environment where authority is constantly shifting.

Roger's hesitation to hit Henry with stones reveals the lingering influence of societal rules and conditioning, even amidst the descent into savagery.

Jack's use of colored clay for hunting camouflage symbolizes his growing obsession with power and dominance over nature.

Ralph's signal fire is extinguished because Jack and the hunters prioritize killing a pig over their responsibility to maintain a rescue beacon. This careless act highlights the shift in priorities and foreshadows the potential for disaster.

Jack attacks Piggy in retaliation for being blamed for the extinguished fire, showcasing increasing tensions and the deterioration of rational communication. The destroyed glasses represent the breakdown of intelligence and insight.

Jack's angry reaction to Simon for giving Piggy meat illustrates the growing tribalism and hostility among the boys, as they increasingly prioritize their own group over individual acts of kindness.

Roger and Maurice vandalize the sandcastles out of pure meanness, highlighting the loss of childhood joy and the impact of societal norms breaking down.

Maurice's feeling of guilt suggests that despite the breaking down of rules, societal conditioning still influences behavior.

The terms

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Roger's inner struggle between his desire to act freely and his lingering awareness of societal constraints foreshadows the future disintegration of order on the island.

Jack's mask allows him to shed all societal expectations and embrace his primal instincts, contributing drastically to the emergence of savagery.

The division between Jack and Ralph symbolizes the clash between primal instincts and the desire for order.

Jack's bloodthirsty chant reflects the complete transformation of the boys into savages, prioritizing violence over reason and rescue.

The narrative contrasts Jack's thrill in hunting with Ralph's longing for order, demonstrating how conflicting desires within the group lead to chaos and further conflict.