Lord of the FliesBy William Golding

An Allegory

Allegory (AL-eh-GOR-ee): a narrative that serves as an extended metaphor. Allegories are written in the form of fables, parables, poems, stories, and almost any other style or genre. The main purpose of an allegory is to tell a story that has characters, a setting, as well as other types of symbols, that have both literal and figurative meanings. The difference between an allegory and a symbol is that an allegory is a complete narrative that conveys abstract ideas to get a point across, while a symbol is a representation of an idea or concept that can have a different meaning throughout a literary work.

Allegorical meaning 1:

Lord of the Flies is essentially a political critique intended to illustrate the weaknesses that the western democracies (especially Golding's native England) demonstrated prior to World War II (the novel was written shortly after the war). Jack's rise to power symbolizes the rise of Fascist dictatorships in Europe, especially the Nazi regime in Germany; and Ralph's inability to deal adequately with the threat illustrates England's unwillingness to stand up to Hitler until he had grown too powerful. The theme is, then, a clear moral: we must be alert to the rise of dictatorships and be prepared to do whatever is necessary to crush them early.

Allegorical meaning 2:

Lord of the Flies is a psychological study. Golding wants to show how, within a single human being, different forces are at war. If any one force is allowed to dominate the others, disaster results. It's only if a balance is achieved that things go well and the mind can be considered healthy. The group of boys symbolizes the human mind, and each of the characters represents some specific aspect of the human mental makeup. The lesson of the novel is that a healthy human mind is one in which there is a balance between such elements as intelligence, spirituality, integrity, and will.

Allegorical meaning 3:

Lord of the Flies is a study of human beings' very nature. The theme is that evil is inherent in everyone and that only through such things as our laws, customs, and religious practices can we keep it in check. If we allow these civilizing influences to disappear, our own innate evil can easily gain the upper hand.

Allegorical meaning 4:

Lord of the Flies is a moralistic tale with a traditional message about good and evil. The theme is that there are good and evil people in the world whose natures are in constant opposition. Consequently, good people must constantly be on their guard and remain willing to take action to suppress evil wherever it raises its head.

• JACK: a very individual leader; a despot or dictator; uses fear; makes decisions on his own.• RALPH: a thoughtful leader; a people’s leader – chosen and supported; considers and consults and is motivated by desire to improve things for everybody; prey to doubt; honest and hard-working.• PIGGY: a thinker; cares about others; serious; an outsider who does not fit; frequently says the right thing; understands how things are; an object of mockery.•SIMON: independent; does not fit in; marked out to be different; possesses understanding and knowledge beyond the ordinary; a prophet – rejected and killed.

Allegorical Meaning of the Characters

•THE CONCH: a symbol of order; part of important ritual; gives comfort; like a democracy, it can be smashed.• THE ISLAND: like the world – full of good things. There is fresh water, abundant fruit which is good to eat. There are fish, crabs. Materials to make shelter; natural beauty. So... the first fire kills a Littlun and lays waste part of the island, destroying fruit, firewood etc. The second fire will destroy all that is good on the island.

Allegorical Meaning Behind Important Elements: