Lotf: Themes and Ideas

LotF: Themes and Ideas
Lord of the Files (LotF) written by William Golding is an allegorical (Conveys meaning via figures) novel that explores the idea of the human conflict between the savage instinct and civilization, and the loss of innocence (Romanticist?) through a variety of techniques, most importantly symbolism.
The main conflict can be most appropriately described as the battle between the will to abide by rules that are set to maintain order and control, and the instinctive human behaviour of satisfying short term desires, enforce one’s rule and wills over other beings, and to act violently due to pure interest. The stranded children rapidly abandon their behaviour enforced by society and civilisation to follow the rules and lead of more responsible beings, and descend into a lifestyle of violent and barbaric ways. The primary methods of representation used are symbolism and themed characters, which comprises of a group of English school boys stranded on an island after their plane was shot down during the Second World War. Jack, a choir leader in society, leads the fall of rules and obligations, is the antagonist and represents wild savagery and hunger for power. Ralph the protagonist represents sense of civilization and order.
The idea that sensible and moral behaviour from humans is forced by society and civilization through education and adult intervention is heavily implied. The novel’s prime example of this is presented in chapter nine, “A View to a Death”. Ralph and Piggy, the main remaining force of civilization, is lured by the feast hosted by Jack due to the lack and desire of meat. When a storm brews, Jack commands the group to participate in tribal style dancing to supposedly brave the storm. Due to Ralph’s decline in popularity, “Piggy and Ralph, under the threat of the sky, found themselves eager to take a place in the demented but partly secure society”. Simon, the reasonable and natural being in the novel, appears from the forest to...