What went wrong on the island was the marked change of place setting. The first response to the island by Ralph, Jack and Piggy shows how they expect English choir boys to keep their innocence and their English values. However, the setting of the island soon destroys these old values. Golding is showing, therefore, that societies operate as functions of place. Nothing is constant, we behave because of where we are.
The novel’s exposition describes how the boys expect to keep their English values. This is evident in three key opening scenes; the reasons why Jack thinks he deserves to be leader, the calling together of a meeting and the building of shelters. When Jack says, “I’m chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C sharp.” It shows that in the beginning the boys were civilised and relied on civilisation and English values for order. This civilised order is also clearly shown through the motif of the conch which acts a symbol of order. In the scene where Ralph calls a meeting using the conch, they elect that whoever holds the conch has the right to speak. This is a microcosm for English society, in particular the democracy of the …show more content…
This is evident in the creation of “the lord of the flies” which is not only a symbol of the savagery of the boys and their loss of civilisation but it is also a symbol for the destruction of faith. Golding is making a statement that faith is nothing, just like flies buzzing around their lord (a pig’s head). Two other key scenes which demonstrate this theme of destruction are the deaths of Simon and Piggy. In the scene with Simon’s death, Jack keeps saying, “Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood! Do him in!” The repetition of the short commands emphasises Jack desire to kill and the savagery which lies within him. This is also ironic as they kill Simon as they think he is the beast, however it turns out that in fact they are, “the tearing of teeth and
The novel’s exposition describes how the boys expect to keep their English values. This is evident in three key opening scenes; the reasons why Jack thinks he deserves to be leader, the calling together of a meeting and the building of shelters. When Jack says, “I’m chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C sharp.” It shows that in the beginning the boys were civilised and relied on civilisation and English values for order. This civilised order is also clearly shown through the motif of the conch which acts a symbol of order. In the scene where Ralph calls a meeting using the conch, they elect that whoever holds the conch has the right to speak. This is a microcosm for English society, in particular the democracy of the …show more content…
This is evident in the creation of “the lord of the flies” which is not only a symbol of the savagery of the boys and their loss of civilisation but it is also a symbol for the destruction of faith. Golding is making a statement that faith is nothing, just like flies buzzing around their lord (a pig’s head). Two other key scenes which demonstrate this theme of destruction are the deaths of Simon and Piggy. In the scene with Simon’s death, Jack keeps saying, “Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood! Do him in!” The repetition of the short commands emphasises Jack desire to kill and the savagery which lies within him. This is also ironic as they kill Simon as they think he is the beast, however it turns out that in fact they are, “the tearing of teeth and