Lord of the Flies is a novel about a group of British schoolboys who are stranded on an uninhabited island after a plane crash. With no adults to guide them, the boys attempt to form their own society. The story explores the themes of civilization vs. savagery, the loss of innocence, and the inherent darkness in human nature.
At the start of the novel, the boys elect Ralph as their leader. Ralph represents order, civilization, and the desire for rescue. He establishes rules, including the need for a signal fire to attract potential rescuers, and the boys begin working together to survive. Piggy, an intellectual and physically weaker boy, becomes Ralph’s advisor, though he is often ridiculed by the others. The conch shell, discovered by Ralph and Piggy, is used as a symbol of authority and democracy, as whoever holds the conch gets the right to speak during meetings.
However, as time goes on, the boys’ unity starts to break down. Jack, the leader of the choirboys, becomes increasingly rebellious and is obsessed with hunting. Jack’s desire for power and control grows, and he eventually splits from Ralph’s group, forming his own tribe. The conflict between Ralph’s adherence to civilization and Jack’s descent into primal savagery becomes central to the story.
As the boys’ situation grows more desperate, they begin to abandon the rules of society. Jack’s tribe becomes increasingly violent, engaging in brutal hunts, and eventually killing Simon, a gentle boy who had discovered the truth about the « beast » they feared—a symbolic representation of their own inner darkness. The boys also kill Piggy, and Ralph is left as the last survivor of his original group.
The novel reaches its tragic conclusion when Ralph is hunted by Jack’s tribe, but he is ultimately rescued by a naval officer who arrives on the island. The officer’s arrival marks the return to civilization, but Ralph and the others are left to reflect on the horrifying transformation they have undergone. They realize that the « beast » they feared was not a physical entity, but the darkness within themselves.
Lord of the Flies is a powerful exploration of human nature, examining how quickly societal rules can break down when people are left without authority or structure. Through the boys’ descent into savagery, William Golding suggests that the capacity for cruelty and violence is inherent in humanity, and that civilization only serves to keep this darker side in check. The novel is a grim commentary on the fragility of civilization and the dangerous allure of power.