Free essay examples based around William Golding’s 1954 novel, Lord of the Flies. This story is about a group of British boys who find themselves stranded on an uninhabited island, and their (disastrous) attempt to govern themselves.
Essay questions on this novel typically revolve around the themes of leadership, identity, power, violence, symbolism and whether humans are inherently evil. Use these essay examples to inspire your own research and writing – free for personal use.
Human civilizations have been developing for over 6,500 years yet society continues to repeat horrors from the past. Ignoring actions taken by our ancestors, society insists on digging an inescapable grave for our descendants. Climate change, discrimination, poverty, religious conflicts; all of these are current complications within our society. Society can learn a great … Read more
How is “transformation and or survival” depicted in two of the works you have studied and what is its significance? The transformation in both novels of the characters shifting from good to a darker twisted evil version of themselves, the strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (text 1) and Lord of the flies … Read more
Historical Context The story of Charles Marlow in Heart of Darkness is heavily based around Joseph Conrad’s own experiences in the Congo during the time of the transatlantic slave trade; in which natives were kidnapped by imperial powers and exploited to work under the ‘superior’ race. During the 1890s, ivory was a valuable commodity. As … Read more
“It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scrounge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.” Golding’s life experiences exposed him to the worst of mankind. Having lived through both world wars; Goldings observations of mankind’s negative cycle of power … Read more
In 1692, the Salem Witch Trials resulted in the deaths of twenty innocent people. The trials were brutal events caused by a group of people who succumbed to mob mentality. The accusers and bystanders blindly agreed to take part in violent acts because their brains caused them to act like those around them. People easily … Read more
In William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, a group of British schoolboys land on an island after crashing amidst a war. With no adults or supervision required to maintain their school like behavior, one by one the boys let go of their once civil lives and fully embrace the wild and savage nature. Though, … Read more
Human nature. Is it good or evil? Evil is not an outside force but rather resides within each person. In The Lord of the Flies, William Golding questions human behavior. In the novel, an airplane full of young British school boys crashes. The pilot dies and the boys must learn to survive on their own … Read more
It is 1945, bombs are dropping, people are dying, a Nazi leader named Hitler has already begun to exterminate an ethnic group of people and has used hundreds of people to help in that endeavor. Did Hitler make these people evil or did he just bring out what was already in them? The idea of … Read more
Being stranded on an island and living without a society, would those stranded keep morals and order? Or would they rebel and fall into the craving for power and loss the order that would be attempted to be established? Lord of the Flies is a book about schoolboys, from England, on a field trip that … Read more
Golding, William. Lord of The Flies. New York, New York. Penguin Group, 1954. Passing of time Lord of The Flies is set right before the next World War on an uncharted island after a plane crashes, stranding British schoolboys with no adult supervision to fend for themselves against the unknown dangers of the wilderness and … Read more
Adult Tendencies In Lord of the Flies, Ralph shows many different tendencies of adulthood. Throughout the book, he shows that he wants to protect and care for the boys by building shelters and keeping the fire going for rescue. He also takes other’s words into consideration by using the conch as a way to get … Read more
An individual who loses relation with civilization often declines from its firm principles. Mankind’s inclination to regress to savagery is based on the deep-rooted evilness that resides within a person’s nature. The stories Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, and “The Toys of Peace,” by Saki capture this internal conflict between civilization and savagery … Read more
Boys will never be just boys, according to the renowned author William Golding. In Golding’s renowned allegorical novel Lord of the Flies, Simon enters the story as a plane-wrecked schoolboy like every other character in the book. However, Golding later uses Simon as a key figure representing Jesus, set apart from the boys who are … Read more
The Lord of the Flies is all about fear. Golding seems to be suggesting that fear, and its complications are the source of all evil. Throughout the novel, the boys show fear in many things. They see and hear assorted things on the island and assume them to be beasts to be dreaded. After much … Read more
William Golding is both one of the most celebrated and criticized authors of the twentieth century. Golding’s works contain characters and themes that can be analyzed on both the narrative level as well as the symbolic and psychological levels. Bernard S. Oldsey and Stanley Weintraub state that “[t]here is no easy way to fit … Read more
Most human beings tend to always hunt for power, and once they gain power, one wants more. The idea of power struggle is very relevant in this novel. Golding uses Ralph and Jack to show power struggle many times throughout the novel. Ralph and Jack have different opinions between what is good, what is evil, … Read more
William Golding creates many characters in his novel, Lord of the Flies, but the most influential is Jack Merridew. He experiences a change that directly influences the outcome of the novel. He goes from a very innocent English schoolboy to this beast or savage that totally twists the novel. Jack doesn’t like to follow Ralph, … Read more
The role of a leader is challenging task to take on, especially when you're a young boy. As proven in the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding, in order to be an effective leader, you have to have no moral character. Being a leader without moral character leads to more effective ruling, because … Read more
When people are free from the constraints of society, their nature tends to resort them to savagery. In Lord of the Flies, William Golding shows this defect of human nature and the animalistic behavior in humans through the character Jack. Jack exemplifies this corruption in humanity by demonstrating his strong desire for power and bloodshed … Read more
Firstly, to be considered effective, a leader must deliver outcomes that meet the needs of the overall group. The leader must care about the entire group and not just about himself. Some argue that it is impossible to please everybody. However, effective leaders will make decisions based on the group’s most urgent needs. In the … Read more
Lord of the Flies – Summer Reading Assignment 2018 Chapter 1: The Sound of the Shell Piggy, Ralph, and Jack are all starkly different characters that, although unique, represent common archetypes. Piggy is a short and fat boy with glasses who is sheltered, innocent, and naive. He consistently mentions his aunt and his asthma in … Read more
Can you imagine you and your class mates on a deserted island with no adults present. Who would be in charge with no adults there? Who would make the rules? What type of person would emerge as a leader? In the novel Lord Of The Flies such a situation occurs. William Golding has presented this … Read more
The two internal and competing impulses that exist in all people: the impulse to live by rules in an ordered civilized society vs the instinct to act in savage ways to obtain power over others.
The book Lord of the Flies is written by William Golding after World War ॥. The novel follows a group of boys who are stranded on an island after a plane crash during a period of war. They attempt to survive and create their own society on the island. But as time passes on the … Read more
Protagonists Ralph – protagonist of Lord of the Flies Ralph is the protagonist of Lord of the Flies. He is very athletic and charismatic. He was elected the leader of the boys and is the key representative of order, civilization, and leadership. Most of the other boys are more concerned with messing around, having fun, … Read more
English 11 13 December 2018 How are identities lost or altered in Lord of the Flies? One of the key concerns of Lord of the flies is the role of identity that plays in society. Golding shows the great importance in the success of the characters involved and the survival of humankind throughout his novel. … Read more
October 25, 2017 Period 6 The Cruelty Within Us Civilization has shaped the way people act, but when those ties to civilization are broken people have the potential to spiral downwards into violence and cruelty. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, a group of young boys who have been stranded on an island succumb … Read more
CULTURAL ANALYSIS: THE LORD OF THE FLIES The use of norms, culture and attitudes is strongly influential in sustainability and natural resource control. “The Lord of the Flies” by William Golding is a great example of resource allocation and sustainability. “The Lord of the Flies” and its thesis of controversial intergroup relations and human survival … Read more
In William Golding's best-selling novel, "Lord of the Flies" man's inherent evil and savage nature is revealed through Golding's strident world view, extraordinary use of literary devices, and superb structure. 'Lord of the Flies' was published in 1954 when it quickly became wildly popular. The novel has had a difficult history following its immediate fame. … Read more
“I have a different vision of leadership. A leader is someone who brings people together.” -George W. Bush. This novel is called Lord of the Flies by William Golding. The struggle for power is a constant theme throughout Lord of the Flies because two boys are fighting for the position of leader on the island. … Read more
Countless works of literature, most notably the Bible, have described humans as inherently evil, tending to resort to acts of selfishness, greed, and violence when left to their own devices. Author William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, is one of the most powerful narrative depictions of the human capacity for wickedness, documenting a group … Read more
Despite our society’s efforts to stifle man’s darker side, moral corruption proves to be both inescapable and ineluctable; contrary to commonly adopted views of humanistic tendencies towards goodness, each individual in our society is susceptible to his or her base, innate instincts. In the novel, Lord of the Flies, William Golding transforms seemingly harmless British … Read more
8 November 2018 Not just anybody can be a leader, it involves having all the right skills. In the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding, Ralph had many strengths and few weaknesses as a leader. Throughout the novel, there was a struggle for power between Ralph and Jack. The two boys both had … Read more
The question of whether or not humans are naturally evil cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. People's nature is defined by their actions. Choosing to go right instead of left. Choosing to leave someone when they are in need instead of staying. In Lord of The Flies, the author, William Golding, asserted … Read more
Lord of the Flies Lord of the Flies is a novel written by William Golding. It is a fictional work. The story was written in third person. It shows the perspective of many of the characters, but the book mostly focuses on Ralph, the protagonist. The book was published in 1954 and has been popular … Read more
William Golding is recognized for his outstanding work in the Lord of the Flies. Golding was inspired by the World War. During the time period as Golding observed how the first World War happened Golding like many other thought that the war would change the people and end all of the problems with the nations. … Read more
In “The Lord of the Flies” there are many cases of violence. Understanding why this brutality occurs can be difficult. The behaviors of the boys reflects what happens to humans when they’re put into a survival situation, often showing tendencies of violence and animalism. The central focus of “The Lord of the Flies”, is the … Read more
Lord of the flies is a novel written by William Golding. This novel describes the horrifying airplane crash of a group of children who had to make a sudden transition between an organized society to a truculent area with terrible condition. The novel provides the readers with a clear message that shows that humans are … Read more
In Lord of the Flies, by William Golding a group of English boys get stuck on an island in the Pacific after their plane crashes down. Two boys, Ralph and Jack emerge from the crowd to become the leaders of the island in an attempt to reinforce civilization amongst the boys. Ralph and Jack at … Read more
Honors 10th LOTF Essay 12/10/18 Human Aggression in Today’s Society Humans often have aggressive feelings towards one another, but where do these feelings come from? There are many factors that can lead to human aggression such as your background and certain life experiences. Feeling a rush of anger is called impulsive aggression. This type of … Read more
Lord of the flies Essay There is an state of mind deep within humans known as our moral identity. This state of mind has many different “personalities”, these are normally unleashed when we are put in certain situations. For instance when a human is given undeniable power of one or more people eventually their moral … Read more
Order, leadership, power, and moral consequences. These are some concepts needed in society to maintain civilization. Lord of the Flies by William Golding explores these ideological struggles between two main characters: Ralph and Jack. With different perspectives about how one should rule, they both challenge each other from the start. The novel begins with a … Read more
Inside all of us there is an indescribable itch that exhibits itself in the form of evil. When we are young it is generally petty little actions that it is expressed in, but as we grow and morally decline these actions can be much more serious and easier to perform. As we see in the … Read more
When first ‘seeing’ Jack in the novel, he and his group of followers are dressed in sleek black cloaks and hats, and are huddled together like a tight knit click. This could potentially represent nuns, another form of high clergy, or simply dedicated members of the Catholic church. Meaning that when Jack and his group … Read more
Where They Belong Throughout Lord of the Flies, Ralph, Jack, and Piggy showed certain characteristics that are similar to characteristics that high school cliques show during school and everyday life. These boys are all different from each other in how they act, talk, how they think, and who they hang out with. In high school … Read more
Chapter 1. A boy named Ralph is playing on the beach when he discovers there is another boy who introduces himself as Piggy. He is chubby wears thick glasses and is very intellectual. In their conversation you figure out there is an transport plane carrying a group of English boys was shot down over the … Read more
There are a few leading characters in the book, like: Ralph, Jack, Piggy, Roger, Simon, Sam and Eric. Ralph: He is the main character. He is a twelve years old fair boy, has blond hair and a muscular body. He is the brave hero of the story and a real chief. His father is a … Read more
Introduction Lord of the Flies is a 1954 novel by the British author William Golding. The novel traces the adventures of a group of boys after their plane crashes on an uninhabited island. The events of the novel take place against a backdrop of warfare and violence, which recreates the bloodshed that occurred during the … Read more
“There is evil nside all of us (Lord of the Flies)”; Inside all of us there is an indescribable itch that exhibits itself in the form of evil. When we are young it is generally petty little actions that it is expressed in, but as we grow and morally decline these actions can be … Read more
“Personages in Lord of the Flies / Allegory”; F Personages There are a few leading characters in the book, like: Ralph, Jack, Piggy, Roger, Simon, Sam and Eric. Ralph: He is the main character. He is a twelve years old fair boy, has blond hair and a muscular body. He is the brave hero … Read more
“Lord of the Flies”; Lord of the Flies Lord of the Flies is a novel written by William Golding. It is a fictional work. The story was written in third person. It shows the perspective of many of the characters, but the book mostly focuses on Ralph, the protagonist. The book was published in … Read more
“Parallels between Lord of the Flies and a form of high clergy or the Catholic church”; When first ‘seeing’ Jack in the novel, he and his group of followers are dressed in sleek black cloaks and hats, and are huddled together like a tight knit click. This could potentially represent nuns, another form of … Read more
Rebecca Horowitz Ms. Jacovina English 10H 8 November 2018 Not just anybody can be a leader, it involves having all the right skills. In the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding, Ralph had many strengths and few weaknesses as a leader. Throughout the novel, there was a struggle for power between Ralph … Read more
The question of whether or not humans are naturally evil cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. People's nature is defined by their actions. Choosing to go right instead of left. Choosing to leave someone when they are in need instead of staying. In Lord of The Flies, the author, William Golding, … Read more
Claire Ng English 11 13 December 2018 How are identities lost or altered in Lord of the Flies? One of the key concerns of Lord of the flies is the role of identity that plays in society. Golding shows the great importance in the success of the characters involved and the survival of humankind … Read more
In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies the conch represents law and order. The boys impose a “rule of the conch” on themselves, deciding that no one can speak unless he’s holding the conch. But what happens to the group when order is under pressure from the boys’ instincts’?We don’t need the conch any more. … Read more
Ralph is the representation or symbol of leadership, civilization, order, good, etc. This quote ‘He was old enough, twelve years and a few months, to have lost the prominent tummy of childhood and not yet old enough for adolescence to have made him awkward. You could see now that he might make a boxer, as … Read more
Lord of the Flies begins in England during the 2nd World War with pupils from a male primary school being evacuated to a safer location due to enemy bombing. The plane on which they were being evacuated supposedly got hit by a missile and crashed on an uninhabited island. The pilot didn’t survive the crash … Read more
In the two books, Lord of the Flies, and Animal farm, many differences may be seen between the books, but as well, many comparisons. An example of this is both of the book’s character’s main goal: A Utopian society made from scratch free from a previous dominant reign that had affected them before. In Animal … Read more
The Lord of the Flies by William Golding might be completely unique within which the theme of savagery versus civilization is explored. Some British boys are stranded on an isolated island at the time of an imaginary nuclear war. On the island, we see a conflict between two main characters, Jack and Ralph, who represent civilization and savagery. This contains a concerning remainder of the boys throughout the novel as they fall further and further into savagery. Self-preservation was a giant part of the novel,Jack utilized this characteristic to accumulate his desires to become the leader.
At the beginning of the novel, Ralph and Piggy find a conch in which Ralph uses. Jack’s demands that he may be chief but the boys choose Ralph because he is the one who blows the conch to gather the scattered boys. The conch symbolizes authority amongst the boys, Ralph stated that “I’ll give the conch to the next person to speak…he won’t be interrupted”. Jack is vastly disappointed because his demand to be chief is denied but he was cheered after being assigned as leader of the choir which is designated to be hunters. This suggests civilization as Ralph is allowing the boys to have equal opinions and say. Whoever had the conch will have the opportunity to speak and they will not be interrupted by anyone, everyone has to listen to whoever has their hand on the conch. The boys have created the island to be a democratic place which shows a civilized side to them as they try to copy the homes they have just left.
As the novel moves on, a “beast” appears on the island which made the boys think the island is not safe. The symbol of the beast which comes to be associated with Jack by the end of the novel as he is almost devil worshipping and he was chasing Ralph to kill him so he could have full control of the island. At first, the “beast’’ begins as a “snake thing’’ which proves that the beast is evil because we believe that snakes are bad omens as it was a snake that led Eve to eat from the tree of knowledge. At this stage of the novel, the beast lacks strength as it is only a “thing” but as the novel moves forward the “beast” gets stronger by feeding it with savagery, Jack and some of the other boys are killing the first pig where jack chants “kill the pig, cut her throat, spill the blood”. This illustrates their savagery by violently and aggressively killing the pig and they don’t care about it. The boy’s belief in the “beast” leads them to become more savages, they act out from their fears, and little by little they begin to lose their hold on the rules that were made at the beginning of the novel which demonstrate the theme of savagery.
We are told, “Piggy cried out in terror ‘my specs!” This shows that the civilized sides of the boys are being overruled by their savage nature. At the beginning of the novel, jack wouldn’t have dared on touching Piggy in any way but as the novel moves forward Jack snaps and goes for Piggy who despises and take his glasses. Golding uses the words “terror” and “cried” to illustrate the scene, Piggy sounds like he is very terrified of what Jack might do to him as he is starting to become like the “beast” that they feared the most at the beginning of the novel. Piggy’s glasses represent intelligence on the island and with them breaking we see a completely open path for the boys’ savagery. Ralph sticks up for Piggy after he is attacked by jack and stated: “that was a dirty trick”. This illustrates that Ralph is really angry at Jack for what he did to Piggy, this shows the role of self-preservation as Ralph is fighting for his people. Ralph is standing up for Piggy and not letting Jack just do what he wants on the island. This proves that there is still someone with a sense of moral goodness ready to fight for justice.
In conclusion, The Lord of the flies by William Golding is a novel in which savagery and civilization go against each other. Civilization is represented by Ralph who is willing to let everyone have an equal say and opinions. Jack, on the other hand, represents savagery where he doesn’t care what the other boys think and he’s the only one who’s able to make decisions for themselves. William Golding proves to us that proper rules and regulations is necessary to have a society running properly.
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