June 16th
Lord of the Flies
William Golding
195
Summar
During an unnamed time of war, a plane carrying a group of British schoolboys is shot down over
the Paci c. The pilot of the plane is killed, but many of the boys survive the crash and nd
themselves deserted on an uninhabited island, where they are alone without adult supervision.
They develop rules and a system of organization, but without any adults to watch over them, the
children eventually become violent and brutal
Main character
Ralph is a 12-year-old British boy, who was elected as the leader of the boy group on the island.
Ralph tried to coordinate the boys' efforts to build a miniature civilization on the island until they
were rescued. Ralph represents human civilization instinct, not the brutal instinct embodied by
Jack
Piggy is a pudgy asthmatic boy with glasses who possesses a keen intelligence. Piggy represents
the scienti c, rational side of civilization
Jack Merridew is one of the older boys stranded on the island. Jack becomes the leader of the
hunters but longs for total power and becomes increasingly wild, barbaric, and cruel as the novel
progresses. Jack is good at manipulating other boys, representing the barbaric instincts of
mankind, not represented by the instinct of civilization Ralph
Simon is a shy, sensitive boy in the group. Simon is in some ways the only naturally “good”
character on the island, behaves kindly toward the younger boys and is willing to work for the good
of their community. Simon is the only character whose sense of morality does not seem to have
been imposed by society
Sam and Eric are a pair of twins who're closely connected with Ralph. Sam and Eric are always
together, and other boys often treat them as a whole and call them "Samneric".
Major theme - civilization and savager
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