THE LORD OF THE FLIES introduces a group of boys around six to twelve who survived a plane crash. They are on an abandoned island surrounded by the ocean during World War II. Ralph becomes the leader, while Jack is the co-leader. They make a fire using Piggy's glasses and hope to get rescued. However, when the little boys see a beast, they boys are soon separated into two main groups, the civilized (Ralph, Piggy, Simon, Sam & Eric) and the savage ones (Jack and everyone else). Soon, however, Simon finds out the beast is just a dead parachutist and the real beast is just themselves. When going to tell everyone, they think he is the beast and kill him. Then, Piggy is also killed and Sam & Eric becomes a slave of Jack's team, who are about to kill Ralph too. However, a British captain who sees the signal fire saves Ralph and rescues the boys too. While the boys mourn over the two deaths, the captain looks over to his ship.
Post-apocalyptic worlds and eras occurred while the boys on the island had their own symbolic battle. Post-apocalyptic refers to the times following or during a nuclear war or a catastrophic event. While the story mainly focuses on the boys and their minor and inner battles, it also clearly shows the wars outside of the island, happening in the rest of the world: World War II. In the story, Golding uses the example of one of the most savage wars to compare with the minor battles happening between civilization and savagery throughout the boys and then uses that to compare to the inner wars with the beast. The boys suppose that they have excuses to kill other people, and their reason is largely impacted by the fact that a great war is happening at the same time; they use war as an excuse to kill their own species, just like many countries in World War II. They also use war paint or dirt to make signs that cover their face, with a symbolic meaning of acting as a mask. The mask hides their face, or in other words, their self-esteem and sense of shame that limits the number of people still struggling to stay on the civilized side. While Golding shows a smaller and more detailed version of civilization giving in to savagery, one of the cruelest and most life-taking wars is also happening simultaneously because of barbarism. The post-apocalyptic world around the abandoned island creates more motivation for the boys to start being more violent and savage, just like the armies in World War II.
The battles between civilization and savagery reveal the true nature of humans and the inner beasts within oneself. When one is given too much freedom, and too less of law, rules, and control, one gives in to the inner beast, which in this case, is the “Lord of the Flies” in the novel. In the novel, all the boys who join Jack’s group are only doing what everyone else is doing: hunting for food, fighting for safety and leadership, and just trying to stay alive. Throughout the story, the boys, especially the littluns, join Jack because he gives them food, safety, and the ability to survive in the while. On the other hand, only several boys who were still barely able to keep up with civilization join Ralph because he is still thinking about being proper and obeying rules, and such while they are stuck on an abandoned island with seemingly no hope for rescue. The main reason why many boys join Jack is that Jack’s actions sound more realistic while making fires, building shelters, obeying the rules, controlling themselves, and getting rescued sounds idealistic; that reveals even more about human nature. Without the rules, laws, and regulations oppressing natural savagery and barbarism, humans are just wild animals with slightly different anatomy. The reason humans are part of the kingdom Animalia is not only because of genetic similarities, but mostly because of the similarities between the personality, savagery, and opinions on surviving that are nearly exact. Civilization can gradually give in to savagery because of the loss of freedom and nature of humans.
Worship and respect during the eras without as much civilization is created from violence, fear, and most importantly, the lack of self-defense among the people of lower status. Inner evilness is shown by the natural yet frightening and violent ways of being a leader among a group of people. Throughout the story, Golding shows examples of people like Jack who take advantage of the current chaotic condition of the group to try and change his status within it. Jack uses violence, threats, and the fear of the “beast” to gain leadership over Ralph, and succeeds, mostly because of the worries echoing through the followers or lower status. He claims that he would kill and catch the beast, creating a belief throughout the group of boys, therefore enhancing his social status and leadership among everyone. The lower and middle status is also what carves out the highest class, the leaders. The littleons and cowardly biguns make Jack superior to everyone, therefore giving him the leadership title. The beast is also worshipped and respected - even more than Jack - because everyone is frightened by it or refuses to believe in it. The beast has many symbolic meanings throughout the story, and one of them is the darkness of human nature, the inner evilness within humans, and the beast within everyone. Worship, respect, and status made during a situation as in the novel are carved out because of fear, violence, and helplessness in the followers.
THE LORD OF THE FLIES narrates the actions and performance of boys who are stuck on a deserted island without any rules, while World War II is occurring simultaneously in the outside world. Most of the boys are shown to go further away from civilization and give in to savagery, barbarism, and the inner beast inside them. While Golding describes the minor battles on the island, he also provides information about how World War II, a violent and life-taking war, is also occurring at the same time, therefore comparing how similar human conflicts really are. The battles between civilization and barbarism also clearly emphasizes the darkness of the human nature. Worship and respectin this type of situation is also created by fear, violence, and mostly, the difference between the status of the boys.
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