Lord of the Flies

Detailed analysis of the symbolism in "Lord of the Flies"

1. Symbolism in Lord of the Flies
:
By Jackie Jacobs

Erik Halvorsen

Michael Breslin

Alexandra Steinhaus

Christian Bramwell

2. Ego
EGO is the rational part of someone’s personality. It uses
reason and judgment to, in most cases, overpower the ID.
Normally, when your ID tries to take a wrong action, your EGO
takes control and thinks it through beforehand.
An example of the EGO in Lord of the Flies is Ralph.
He tries to maintain order and reason throughout the story.
When most of the boys are hunting and playing games, Ralph
builds huts and tries to keep their fire burning.

Until the end, Ralph overpowers his ID by not giving in to
Jack’s temptations of becoming a savage. Instead, he tries to
keep the fire burning so the reality of being rescued stays alive.
Because he is EGO, Ralph is able to gain leadership over the
boys of the island at the beginning of the novel. But as time
progresses, there becomes too many IDs to maintain his
control.

3. Ego Cont.

4. Jack
Primitive, animalistic (ID): Jack’s animalistic, irrational, and impulsive
behavior is well illustrated by the way he worships hunting. All he ever
feels the need to accomplish is a kill. The only thing he desires is meat
and power. Jack and the hunters paint their faces and savagely hunt
each day. The first night as a new tribe, he and the others go straight
for the sow when they come across a group of pigs, which displays his
barbarism in that he doesn’t realize that killing the sow will lead to fewer
piglets to kill later. All he thinks about is the present with no regards for
future hunting or rescue. Jack is also a leading cause in Simon and
Piggys’ deaths.
Savagery: Jack’s cruelty and barbarity is demonstrated in the way he
and his tribe tear Simon apart and the way he feels powerful as Piggy is
horribly murdered. Jack feels no sympathy or kindness for others, only
cruelty. The only thing he understands is the need to hunt.

5. Jack Cont.
“Rescue? Yes, of course! All the same, I’d like to catch a pig first---”
(Golding 53); “But we want meat!” (Golding 54); “If I could only get a
pig!” (Golding 55); “ I got you meat!” (Golding 74)
These quotes express a few examples of Jack’s savagery and need to
hunt. He hardly even remembers what rescue is. When a ship passes
because he let the fire out, Jack only becomes angry because no one
acknowledges his first kill.
Anarchy: Jack throws everything into anarchy throughout the novel.
The chaos and mayhem that he creates when his tribe performs the
dance after eating a feast draws everyone in chanting phrases such as
“Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Bash her in.” (Golding 75) The dance
causes the children to lose their minds and to desire more meat. It
brings them away from all rationality and into anarchy and disorder,
which unfortunately triggers the brutal killing of Simon. Jack’s tribes
camp is an anarchism under the lawlessness of Jack Merridew.

6. Jack Cont.
Snake in the Garden of Eden: Meat can symbolize fruit in
the Garden of Eden. Knowing that there is more fruit
(meat), the snake (Jack) is able to tempt the others through
this knowledge of meat so they desire more.
Desire for Power: Throughout the novel Jack is constantly
jealous of Ralph being chief, and he feels the necessity for
his own power. He uses meat to manipulate younger
children to bring them into his new tribe. The temptation
of meat is too much even for Ralph and Piggy to deny.
Jack is willing to have Piggy killed just to make Ralph the
lone member of the old tribe.
After Piggy is killed, Jack said, “See? See? That’s what
you’ll get! I meant that! There isn’t a tribe for you anymore!
The conch is gone
---…I’m chief!” (Golding 181)
This quote displays Jack’s savage side very well as he
shows no sympathy for Piggy when he is killed. Jack
destroys everything he can for power. When the conch
and Piggy are destroyed by Jack and Roger, Jack’s desire
for power is conveyed.

7. Stick sharpened on both ends:
The stick sharpened at
both ends symbolizes a
complete transformation
into savagery. Roger was
no longer bound to his
super ego. He and the
tribe want to pop off
Ralph’s head and put it
on a stick. Roger no
longer had common
sense, he began to listen
to his –id or animalistic
side. He wants to kill
Ralph with the two sided
sharpened stick.
•Jack says “Tomorrow,” went on
the chief, “we shall hunt again.”
He pointed at this savage and
that with his spear…. “I shall
take a few hunters with me and
bring back meat..”(Golding
160). Shows that Jack is
showing his animalistic side.
•“But tomorrow we’ll hunt and
when we’ve got meat we’ll have
a feast.”(Golding 161). Id is
shown again.
•The twins tell Ralph, “Roger
sharpened a stick at both ends.”
(Golding 190). Shows that
Roger is going to try to kill
Ralph if he finds him.

8. The Scar
Literal
The scar is the indentation that the plane made
when it crashed.When the plane hit the island, it
left in its wake broken trees and
“the long scar smashed into the jungle was a
bath of heat”(Golding 1)
“the jagged end of the trunk” (Golding 2)
“a broken trunk” (Golding 3)
Symbolically
William Golding begins Lord of the Flies by describing the
scar. This is his introduction to the theme of the novel, man’s
destruction, and the scar represents the start of man’s
downfall. The scar is the physical evidence of what
humankind can do to a perfect place. It is the interruption of
man’s selfish and animalistic actions to the peacefulness of
nature. The scar is the destruction of society as well as each
individual’s own nature.
Before the island was inhabited by humans, it had no
imperfections. However, the minute the boys land on the
island, they damage it. The scar can be interpreted as
foreshadowing to what the boys eventually end up doing to
one another. They begin by destroying the island, but will end
destroying themselves and the others around them. It
establishes the fact that the boys are doomed from the very
beginning, as their world slowly goes from order to chaos.
Without man’s impact, the island would have remained the
peaceful and serene place that it was. The scar will always
be on the island as a reminder of the imperfections on
mankind. It is the symbol of the ugly, everlasting imprint that
mankind makes on the world.

9. Roger
Symbolizes:
The Devil
The evil in every person
The spark that causes disaster
Greed
The pain and suffering in the
world

10. Roger
Quotes:
“There was a slight, furtive boy whom no one
knew, who kept to himself with an inner intensity of
avoidance and secrecy.” (Golding 22)
This shows that Roger is a sly boy that isn’t known
by the other boys yet.
“Roger led the way straight though the castles,
kicking them over, burying the flowers, scattering
the chosen stones.” (Golding 60)
This shows that Roger is trying to destroy anything
that is good on the island.

11. Roger
Quotes
“Roger gathered a handful of stones and began to
throw them. Yet there was a space round Henry,
perhaps six yards in diameter, into which he dare
not throw. Here, invisible yet strong, was the taboo
of the old life. Round the squatting child was the
protection of parents and school and policemen
and the law.” (Golding 62)
This shows that Roger doesn’t dare cross
authority but still has the idea of harming Henry.

12. QUESTIONS
EGO- REASON
SCAR- MANKI ND’S DESTRUCTI ON
JACK- EVI L, ANARCHY
STI CK SHARPENED AT BOTH ENDS: MAN’S SAVAGERY
ROGER- THE DEVI L, EVI L

13. Bibliography
Brook, Peter. "Lord of the Flies | Organic/Mechanic." Organic/Mechanic by
Adam Harvey. 04 Jan. 2009 <http://www.organicmechanic.org/2007/08/lord-
of-the-flies/>.
Golding, William, and E. L. Epstein. Lord of the Flies. New York: Perigee
Trade, 2001.
"Lord of the Flies &laquo;." Dangerous Books. 04 Jan. 2009
<http://dangerousbooks.wordpress.com/2008/04/30/lord-of-the-flies/>.
"William Golding Lord of the Flies CD Unabridged Audio Book." Audio
Books at Audio Book Bargains UK audio books. 04 Jan. 2009
<http://www.audiobookbargains.co.uk/william-golding-lord-of-the-flies-cd-
unabridged-audio-book-1005-p.asp>.