Major Themes of the Book

Civilization vs. Savagery

• Internal Battle: The struggle between the need for civilization and the drive toward savagery exists within all individuals.
  • Civilization: Represents order, life guided by rules, and respect for others.
  • Savagery: Driven by self-fulfillment and basic needs, leading to actions that forsake morality.
• Setting: Boys land on an island, representing a departure from their civilized British upbringing (school rules, uniforms, authority).
• Character Representation:
  • Ralph: Embodies civilization, creates rules, aims to return to adult society.
  • Jack: Represents savagery, focused on satisfying basic desires, ruled by fear of violence.

Loss of Innocence

• Coming-of-Age Story: The narrative explores moral and psychological growth through the characters' experiences on the island.
• Initial Innocence: The boys arrive unprepared for the challenges of building a society, showcasing their innocence.
• Transformation: As time passes, they adopt savage behaviors (e.g., painting faces, bloodlust), leading to horrifying actions.
• Conclusion: The boys ultimately recognize the evil within themselves, marking the end of their innocence.

Nature of Evil

• Inherent Capacity for Evil: Author William Golding posits that everyone possesses the capacity for inhumanity and cruelty.
• Youth and Evil: The boys lose their innocence as they engage in horrific actions, challenging the notion that children are incapable of evil.
• Cruelty Among Youth: Even the youngest characters exhibit cruelty, underscoring the idea that evil is a fundamental aspect of human nature.
• Socialization and Evil: Evil resides within all individuals, and societal norms can suppress, but not eliminate, this inherent darkness.