Golding's Lord Of The Flies: Character Analysis

In a book many readers hate cliff hangers and want to know how a book ends. That is the author's point though; to leave a reader pondering and wanting more. In other cases authors tell the readers exactly what happens without any questions unanswered. That also works for many readers. However, in Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the book ends in such a manner that completes the story and gives the reader an acceptable ending through the use of the naval officer and the ship out in the bay.
To begin, Mr. Golding tells the story in an incredible amount of detail. The reader learns a large quantity of details that helps form resourceful mental pictures. Through these incredible amounts of detail, the reader can interpret differences in personality that would ultimately lead to a conflict between characters. An example would be in the very beginning Ralph and Jack are both described as leaders and intelligent boys. There is already a conflict because of the fact that the characters have a leadership type of personality because one is going to have to give up power to the other. Golding set up an inescapable conclusion from the very beginning. Through the descriptions, a reader already is aware of the way the story will end up. …show more content…
For example, Golding uses the single file signal fire as an example of civilization. That is Ralph's main guideline to keep the boys in check. It is also the source of the conflict with Jack and his need for meat. Jack wants to stay and Ralph wants to leave to go back to Great Britain. At the end of the story it is ironic that Jack lights the fire because it is the symbol of civilization and rescue. Then a ship ends up coming to rescue them. Ralph and Jack's whole conflict it was based on meat and rescue and Jack is the one who accidentally gets them all rescued. Therefore, through Golding’s use of symbolism the story demonstrates an ironic