LORD OF THE FLIES by William Golding

Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1: The Sound of the Shell

• Setting: A deserted island.
• Characters Introduced: Ralph (the fair-headed boy) and Piggy (the fat boy with glasses).
• Plot: Ralph and Piggy meet after a plane crash. They find a conch shell, which Ralph uses to call the other boys.
• Theme: Initial organization and setting the stage for society.

Chapter 2: Fire on the Mountain

• Plot: Ralph establishes rules, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a signal fire. Jack and his choir become hunters.
• Conflict: The fire gets out of control, hinting at the chaos to come.
• Character Development: Jack is eager to hunt, showing early signs of savagery.

Chapter 3: Huts on the Beach

• Plot: Ralph and Simon work on building shelters while Jack is obsessed with hunting.
• Conflict: Tension grows between Ralph, who wants order, and Jack, who desires power.

Chapter 4: Painted Faces and Long Hair

• Plot: The boys' descent into savagery begins; they paint their faces and neglect the signal fire, missing a chance of rescue.
• Theme: The mask of savagery and loss of innocence.
• Key Moment: Jack and his hunters kill a pig.

Chapter 5: Beast from Water

• Plot: Fear of the "beast" grows, creating more division among the boys.
• Discussion: The boys' fear of the unknown is palpable, representing internal and external conflicts.

Chapter 6: Beast from Air

• Event: A dead parachutist lands on the island, mistaken for the beast.
• Impact: Raises fear and superstition; Ralph attempts to maintain order.

Chapter 7: Shadows and Tall Trees

• Plot: Exploration of the island continues; Ralph participates in a hunting dance, showing his primal instincts.
• Key Insight: Ralph feels the allure of savagery.

Chapter 8: Gift for the Darkness

• Plot: Jack forms his own tribe after a leadership dispute. They offer a pig's head to the "beast".
• Symbolism: The pig's head becomes "The Lord of the Flies," signifying the power of evil.

Chapter 9: A View to a Death

• Plot: Simon discovers the truth about the "beast" but is killed by the frenzied boys during a storm.
• Theme: The loss of innocence and the darkness of man’s heart.

Chapter 10: The Shell and the Glasses

• Plot: Jack's tribe steals Piggy's glasses, symbolizing the loss of intellect and civilization.
• Conflict: Ralph's group is weakened further.

Chapter 11: Castle Rock

• Plot: Ralph's group confronts Jack's tribe. Piggy is killed; the conch is destroyed, symbolizing the end of order.
• Climax: Total breakdown of society and order.

Chapter 12: Cry of the Hunters

• Plot: Ralph is hunted by Jack's tribe. He encounters a naval officer who rescues them.
• Conclusion: The boys are rescued, but not before losing their innocence and descending into chaos.

Key Themes

• Civilization vs. Savagery: The novel explores the tension between the civilizing instinct and the barbaric instinct within human beings.
• Loss of Innocence: The boys' descent into violence and chaos represents the loss of innocence.
• Innate Human Evil: Golding suggests that evil is an intrinsic part of human nature.

Symbols

• The Conch Shell: Represents order, authority, and communication.
• Piggy’s Glasses: Symbolize knowledge and insight.
• The Beast: Represents the primal instinct of savagery that exists within all human beings.
• The Lord of the Flies: A symbol of the power and evil that resides within every human heart.

Characters

• Ralph: Represents order, leadership, and civilization.
• Piggy: Symbolizes intellect and reason.
• Jack: Embodies savagery and the desire for power.
• Simon: Represents natural human goodness.
• Roger: Symbolizes brutality and bloodlust.

Important Quotes

• "The thing is - fear can’t hurt you any more than a dream."
• "Which is better - to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill?"

These notes provide a comprehensive overview of "Lord of the Flies," capturing the main events, themes, and symbols presented in the novel.