island/ setting Flashcards
“You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you?”
The Lord of the Flies identifies itself as the beast and acknowledges to Simon that it exists within all human beings: ‘you knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you?’ Here, the second-person direct address implicates both Simon and the reader, forcing an uncomfortable recognition of shared culpability. The interrogative form also adds an unsettling intimacy, as if evil is whispering a truth we refuse to admit. Furthermore, the creature’s grotesque language and bizarre appropriation of the boys’ slang (‘I’m the reason why it’s a no go’) makes it appear even more hideous and devilish, for he taunts Simon with the same familiar, colloquial language the boys use themselves. This therefore emphasises the novel’s central idea: the ‘beast’ is not an external creature, but an internal human instinct.
“Maybe it’s only us.”
The statement ‘maybe it’s only us’ could be considered Simon’s moment of profound insight, in which the simplicity of it belies its weight: he suggests that the real beast is not a external creature but a metaphor for the evil within humanity itself. The hedging word ‘maybe’ reveals his inner uncertainty, but also the difficulty of articulating and grasping an idea of there even being a truth that is so disturbing. Therefore, this line is a clear embodiment of the novel’s allegorical nature: Simon functions as a Christ-like figure, offering revelation and moral clarity, but is tragically ignored. Golding implies that society’s greatest threat lies not in mythical monsters, but in the collective failure to confront our own capacity for cruelty.
“Softly, surrounded by a fringe of inquisitive bright creatures…Simon’s dead body moved out toward the open sea”
Golding uses almost divine imagery to describe Simon’s death, with ‘a fringe of inquisitive bright creatures’ gently carrying his body to sea. The adverb ‘softly’ coupled with ‘fringe’ contrasts the brutality of his murder, creating an eerily peaceful moment. Rather than signifying isolation or separation, the ‘fringe’ creates a protective or gentle border, almost as though nature is honouring Simon in his final moments. This could reinforce him as a Christ-like figure; nature appears to sanctify him. Alternatively, it might even evoke a metaphorical audience observing (‘inquisitive’) the consequences of the boys’ actions, reflecting humanity’s struggle with accountability. Also, the passive construction ‘Simon’s dead body moved’ removes human agency, perhaps suggesting that in death, Simon transcends the boys’ savagery and becomes part of something purer.
“Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy”
When Ralph sees the officer, a moment of deus ex machina, he ‘wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy’. The tricolon structure underscores the emotional weight of this epiphany- moving from a loss of childhood ‘innocence’ to an abstract recognition of intrinsic evil, and finally to a deeply personal grief. It is clear that the rescue is not a moment of unequivocal joy as one might expect. The poetic phrasing of ‘fall through the air’ softens Piggy’s brutal death, mirroring society’s tendency to mask violence behind euphemism. Moreover, the abstract noun ‘darkness’ connotes to something hidden, mysterious and corrupt, while ‘heart’ (often associated with emotion and humanity) becomes a site of corruption- not just on the surface, but innately within them.
“Darkness of the forest was full of claws”
Golding personifies the forest to evoke fear, transforming the natural world into a threatening, predatory force: the ‘darkness of the forest was full of claws’. The metaphor of ‘claws’ suggests the natural world is hostile and dangerous, while ‘darkness’ symbolises the unknown and subconscious- the place where the boys’ fears grow. The sibilance and plosive ‘claws’ creates a sinister tone, as though the ‘forest’ is not only hiding evil, but is evil itself. The ‘forest’, once a place of exploration, becomes a projection of their inner fears, perhaps even highlighting how the loss of civilisation distorts perception and fosters monstrous imaginings. It’s not the ‘forest’ that changes- it’s them.
“This is our island, it’s a good island.”
At the start, the boys’ optimism is clear: ‘this is our island. It’s a good island.’ The repetition of ‘island’ and the simple declaratives suggest a naïve belief in paradise. Ironically, this sets up a tragic arc- what was ‘good’ becomes corrupted. It emphasises the idea that the environment alone does not civilise people; without moral structure, even a ‘good island’ descends into chaos.
“What could be safer than the bus centre with its lamps and wheels?”
One of the littlun’s lines ‘what could be safer than the bus centre with its lamps and wheels?’ implies nostalgia for structured, urban life. The list of ‘lamps and wheels’ suggests routine and stability, completely contrasting with the island’s chaos. This rhetorical question highlights their desperation to return to the familiar world of rules and protection, especially with the mention of light (‘lamps’) symbolising order, now out of reach.
“Conditioned by a civilisation that knew nothing of him and was in ruins.”
Golding presents civilisation as both distant and destroyed. The word ‘conditioned’ implies the boys’ morality is not natural but learnt, something externally imposed. The reference to civilisation knowing ‘nothing of him’ suggests that the structures designed to protect and guide have failed to truly understand or contain the darkness within. The phrase ‘was in ruins’ implies that ‘civilisation’ is not a permanent force, but something that is easily dismantled. It also reinforces the idea that societal order is an illusion rather than an inherent part of human nature.
“The officer looked at him in astonishment… I should have thought that a pack of British boys… would have been able to put up a better show than that.”
The officer’s disappointment, wrapped in irony, underscores the failure of the boys to live up to the imperial ideals of British civility. The phrase ‘better show’ trivialises the boys descent into savagery, as though it was merely a failed school performance. The officer, representing the adult world, appears oblivious to the true horror of what has happened- highlighting Golding’s view that even civilisation is blind to its own undercurrent. It is also ironic to note that he described them as a ‘pack of British boys’, where the adjective ‘pack’ connotes to hunting dogs, yet when coupled with the noun ‘boys’ suggests that they are innocent and youthful to the brutality they have achieved.
“Taboo of the old life”
The phrase ‘taboo of the old life’ refers to the invisible yet powerful rules that once governed the boys’ behaviour. The noun ‘taboo’ evokes a cultural or religious prohibition, suggesting how deeply these norms are embedded. Yet the fact that it is linked to the ‘old life’ implies its erosion- it was once feared, but now it is irrelevant. This could suggest that the rules only work when they are upheld by society, and without structure, even the most sacred of laws can decay.
“The world, that understandable and lawful world, was slipping away”
Golding personifies civilisation as a world that is ‘slipping away’, implying not a sudden collapse, but a gradual erosion of order. The verb ‘slipping’ also connotes to something uncontrollable, perhaps reflecting how quickly society collapses with no external order. The use of the definitive article ‘the world’ suggests a collective, universal sense of order, now disintegrating, meanwhile the phrase ‘understandable and lawful’ reflects the comfort and structure of civilisation- rules, reason, predictability. This moment therefore marks Ralph’s growing awareness that civilisation is not innate, but fragile and easily lost.
