Language

Language

Language: Symbolism

  • Golding uses symbolism heavily throughout ‘Lord of the Flies’. For instance, the conch shell initially symbolises civilisation and order, highlighting the boys’ desire to maintain social norms.
  • As the conch shell loses its power and is eventually broken, this symbolises the breakdown of order and the overpowering of savagery.
  • The ‘Lord of the Flies’, portrayed as a pig’s head on a stake, symbolises the inner beast or evil within all humans. It signifies the loss of innocence among the boys, as well as their succumbing to savagery.
  • The island itself acts as a microcosm for society, symbolising different aspects of life, such as the ‘paradise’ that descends into chaos, mirroring the boys’ situation.
  • Fire holds dual meaning in Golding’s novel. At first, it symbolises hope of rescue and a link to civilisation. Later in the novel, it becomes destructive, symbolising devastation and the boys’ uncontrollable destructive instincts.

Language: Imagery

  • Golding’s use of nature imagery is significant in the book. The paradise-like island that turns hostile correlates with the changes in the boys and reflects the transformation from order into chaos.
  • Golding utilises violent imagery to illustrate the cruel and savage actions, such as the blood-filled hunts that expose the brutal instincts the boys descend to.
  • The dark, dense jungle represents the unknown and the fear of the boys, painting a picture of an unwieldy and uncertain world, again using environment imagery for symbolism.
  • Fire imagery is used to show both the boys’ progression and regression. It starts as a symbol of civilisation, becomes a tool of destruction and finally an accidental signal for rescue.

Language: Foreshadowing

  • Golding uses foreshadowing to suggest the future events that unfold as the boys succumb to their darker instincts.
  • Early mentions of the “beast” foreshadow its symbolic representation through the ‘Lord of the Flies’ and the fear it plants in them.
  • The first successful hunt predicts the gradual descent into savagery and the boys’ obsession with hunting.
  • Jack’s initial aggression towards Piggy hints at future violence and Piggy’s ultimate fate.
  • Talk of a ‘beastie’ amongst the littluns foreshadows the paranoia and fear that plague the boys and lead to their disintegration.