Lord Of The FliesLord Of The FliesWritten by William GoldingWritten by William Golding

The SummaryThe Summary

In the beginningIn the beginning

In the middle of a raging war, a plane In the middle of a raging war, a plane evacuating a group of schoolboys from evacuating a group of schoolboys from Britain is shot down over a deserted Britain is shot down over a deserted tropical island.tropical island.

The boys set about electing a leader and a The boys set about electing a leader and a way to be rescued. They choose Ralph as way to be rescued. They choose Ralph as their leader, and Ralph appoints another their leader, and Ralph appoints another boy, Jack, to be in charge of the boys who boy, Jack, to be in charge of the boys who will hunt food for the entire group. will hunt food for the entire group.

Ralph, Jack, and another boy, Simon, Ralph, Jack, and another boy, Simon, set off on an expedition to explore the set off on an expedition to explore the island. When they return, Ralph island. When they return, Ralph declares that they should light a signal declares that they should light a signal fire to attract the attention of passing fire to attract the attention of passing ships and planes. ships and planes.

The boys succeed in lighting some dead The boys succeed in lighting some dead wood by focusing sunlight through the wood by focusing sunlight through the lenses of Piggy's eyeglasses. However, lenses of Piggy's eyeglasses. However, the boys pay more attention to playing the boys pay more attention to playing than to monitoring the fire, and the than to monitoring the fire, and the flames quickly kill some of the forest. flames quickly kill some of the forest.

At first, the boys enjoy their life without At first, the boys enjoy their life without grown-ups and spend much of their time grown-ups and spend much of their time splashing in the water and playing games. splashing in the water and playing games.

Ralph, however, complains that they Ralph, however, complains that they should be maintaining the fire and building should be maintaining the fire and building huts for shelter.huts for shelter.

Jack and Ralph argue about what the boys Jack and Ralph argue about what the boys duties are so as a result Jack and a group duties are so as a result Jack and a group of boys start their own tribe called the of boys start their own tribe called the hunters. hunters.

The hunters fail to catch a wild pig, but The hunters fail to catch a wild pig, but their leader, Jack, becomes increasingly their leader, Jack, becomes increasingly preoccupied with the act of hunting. preoccupied with the act of hunting.

When a ship passes by on the horizon one When a ship passes by on the horizon one day, Ralph and Piggy notice, to their day, Ralph and Piggy notice, to their horror, that the signal fire—which had horror, that the signal fire—which had been the hunters' responsibility to been the hunters' responsibility to maintain—has burned out.maintain—has burned out.

The MiddleThe Middle

Piggy criticizes Jack, who hits Piggy across Piggy criticizes Jack, who hits Piggy across the face. Ralph blows the conch shell and the face. Ralph blows the conch shell and reprimands the boys in a speech intended reprimands the boys in a speech intended to restore order.to restore order.

At the meeting, it quickly becomes clear At the meeting, it quickly becomes clear that some of the boys have started to that some of the boys have started to become afraid. The littlest boys, known as become afraid. The littlest boys, known as “littluns,” have been troubled by nightmares “littluns,” have been troubled by nightmares from the beginning, and more and more from the beginning, and more and more boys now believe that there is some sort of boys now believe that there is some sort of beast or monster lurking on the island. beast or monster lurking on the island.

The older boys try to convince the others at The older boys try to convince the others at the meeting to think rationally, asking the meeting to think rationally, asking where such a monster could possibly hide where such a monster could possibly hide during the daytime. One of the littluns during the daytime. One of the littluns suggests that it hides in the sea—a suggests that it hides in the sea—a proposition that terrifies the entire group. proposition that terrifies the entire group.

Not long after the meeting, some military Not long after the meeting, some military planes engage in a battle high above the planes engage in a battle high above the island. The boys, asleep below, do not notice island. The boys, asleep below, do not notice the flashing lights and explosions in the clouds. the flashing lights and explosions in the clouds.

A parachutist drifts to earth on the signal fire A parachutist drifts to earth on the signal fire mountain, dead. Sam and Eric, the twins mountain, dead. Sam and Eric, the twins responsible for watching the fire at night, are responsible for watching the fire at night, are asleep and do not see the parachutist land. asleep and do not see the parachutist land.

When the twins wake up, they see the When the twins wake up, they see the enormous silhouette of his parachute and hear enormous silhouette of his parachute and hear the strange flapping noises it makes. Thinking the strange flapping noises it makes. Thinking the island beast is at hand, they rush back to the island beast is at hand, they rush back to the camp in terror and report that the beast the camp in terror and report that the beast has attacked them.has attacked them.

The endThe end

The boys organize a hunting expedition to search The boys organize a hunting expedition to search for the monster. Jack and Ralph, travel up the for the monster. Jack and Ralph, travel up the mountain. They see the parachute from a mountain. They see the parachute from a distance and think that it looks like a huge, distance and think that it looks like a huge, deformed ape.deformed ape.

Jack and Ralph tell the others about the Jack and Ralph tell the others about the deformed ape. Jack says that Ralph is a “coward” deformed ape. Jack says that Ralph is a “coward” and that he should be removed from leadership, and that he should be removed from leadership, but the other boys refuse to vote Ralph out of but the other boys refuse to vote Ralph out of power. Jack angrily runs away down the beach, power. Jack angrily runs away down the beach, calling all the hunters to join him. calling all the hunters to join him.

Ralph gathers the rest of the boys to build a new Ralph gathers the rest of the boys to build a new signal fire, this time on the beach instead of on signal fire, this time on the beach instead of on the mountain. They obey, but before they have the mountain. They obey, but before they have finished the task, most of them have slipped finished the task, most of them have slipped away to join Jack’s tribe. Ralph and Piggy were away to join Jack’s tribe. Ralph and Piggy were the remaining ones of the original tribethe remaining ones of the original tribe..

  

The hunters then decapitate the wild pig The hunters then decapitate the wild pig and put its head on a sharpened stake in and put its head on a sharpened stake in the jungle as an offering to the beast.the jungle as an offering to the beast.

Later, while Simon was on a walk, he ran Later, while Simon was on a walk, he ran into the bloody, fly-covered head of the pig into the bloody, fly-covered head of the pig and had a terrible vision that the to him and had a terrible vision that the to him that the head is speaking to him. that the head is speaking to him.

The voice, which he imagines as belonging The voice, which he imagines as belonging to the Lord of the Flies, says that Simon will to the Lord of the Flies, says that Simon will never escape him, for he exists within all never escape him, for he exists within all men. Simon faints. When he wakes up, he men. Simon faints. When he wakes up, he goes to the mountain, where he sees the goes to the mountain, where he sees the dead parachutist. dead parachutist.

Understanding that the beast does not Understanding that the beast does not exist in real life but instead within each exist in real life but instead within each individual boy’s mind, Simon travels to individual boy’s mind, Simon travels to the beach to tell the others what he has the beach to tell the others what he has seen. seen.

But the others are in the middle of a But the others are in the middle of a chaotic celebration—even Ralph and chaotic celebration—even Ralph and Piggy have joined Jack's feast—and Piggy have joined Jack's feast—and when they see Simon's shadowy figure when they see Simon's shadowy figure come out of the jungle, they tackle him come out of the jungle, they tackle him and kill him with their bare hands and and kill him with their bare hands and teeth. teeth.

The next morning, Ralph and Piggy discuss The next morning, Ralph and Piggy discuss what they have done. Jack's hunters attack what they have done. Jack's hunters attack them and their few followers and steal them and their few followers and steal Piggy's glasses in the process to make Piggy's glasses in the process to make their fires.their fires.

Ralph's group travels to Jack's tribe in an Ralph's group travels to Jack's tribe in an attempt to make Jack see from his attempt to make Jack see from his perspective, but Jack orders Sam and Eric perspective, but Jack orders Sam and Eric (the twins) restored peace with Ralph.(the twins) restored peace with Ralph.

In the ongoing battle between tribes, one In the ongoing battle between tribes, one boy, Roger, rolls a boulder down the boy, Roger, rolls a boulder down the mountain, killing Piggy and shattering the mountain, killing Piggy and shattering the conch shell. Ralph barely manages to conch shell. Ralph barely manages to escape the spears and rocks that were escape the spears and rocks that were being thrown at him.being thrown at him.

Ralph hides for the rest of the night and the Ralph hides for the rest of the night and the following day, while the others hunt him like an following day, while the others hunt him like an animal. Jack has the other boys catch the forest animal. Jack has the other boys catch the forest on fire in order to smoke Ralph out of his hiding on fire in order to smoke Ralph out of his hiding place.place.

Ralph stays in the forest, where he discovers Ralph stays in the forest, where he discovers and destroys the wild pig’s head, but and destroys the wild pig’s head, but eventually, he is forced out onto the beach, eventually, he is forced out onto the beach, where he knows the other boys will soon arrive where he knows the other boys will soon arrive to kill him. Ralph collapses in exhaustion, but to kill him. Ralph collapses in exhaustion, but when he looks up, he sees a British naval when he looks up, he sees a British naval officer standing over him. officer standing over him.

The officer's ship noticed the fire raging in the The officer's ship noticed the fire raging in the jungle. The other boys reach the beach and jungle. The other boys reach the beach and stop in their tracks at the sight of the officer. stop in their tracks at the sight of the officer. Amazed at the group of bloodthirsty, savage Amazed at the group of bloodthirsty, savage children, the officer asks Ralph to explain. children, the officer asks Ralph to explain.

Ralph is overwhelmed by the knowledge that Ralph is overwhelmed by the knowledge that he is safe but, thinking about what has he is safe but, thinking about what has happened on the island, he begins to cry. The happened on the island, he begins to cry. The other boys begin to cry as well. The officer other boys begin to cry as well. The officer turns his back so that the boys may regain turns his back so that the boys may regain their composure and watched the cruiser from their composure and watched the cruiser from a distance.a distance.

Character AnalysisCharacter AnalysisRalphRalph

Ralph Ralph

The twelve-year-old English boy who The twelve-year-old English boy who is stranded on an island and is stranded on an island and attempts to coordinate the boys' attempts to coordinate the boys' efforts to build a miniature efforts to build a miniature civilization on the island until they civilization on the island until they can be rescued. Ralph represents can be rescued. Ralph represents human beings' civilizing instinct.human beings' civilizing instinct.

Elected the leader of the boys at the Elected the leader of the boys at the beginning of the novel, Ralph is the beginning of the novel, Ralph is the primary representative of order, primary representative of order, civilization, and productive leadership in civilization, and productive leadership in the novel.the novel.

While most of the other boys are more While most of the other boys are more concerned with playing, having fun, and concerned with playing, having fun, and trying to avoid work, Ralph talks about trying to avoid work, Ralph talks about building huts and thinking of ways to building huts and thinking of ways to maximize their chances of being rescued. maximize their chances of being rescued.

For this reason, Ralph's power and For this reason, Ralph's power and influence over the other boys are secure at influence over the other boys are secure at the beginning of the book. However, as the beginning of the book. However, as the group gradually goes into survival the group gradually goes into survival mode over the course of the book, Ralph's mode over the course of the book, Ralph's position declines rapidly while Jack's rises. position declines rapidly while Jack's rises.

Eventually, most of the boys except Eventually, most of the boys except Piggy leave Ralph's group for Jack's, Piggy leave Ralph's group for Jack's, and Ralph is left alone to be hunted by and Ralph is left alone to be hunted by Jack's tribe. Jack's tribe.

Ralph's commitment to civilization and Ralph's commitment to civilization and morality is strong, and his main wish is morality is strong, and his main wish is to be rescued and returned to the to be rescued and returned to the society of adults. This strength gives society of adults. This strength gives Ralph a moral victory at the end of the Ralph a moral victory at the end of the book, when he throws the Lord of the book, when he throws the Lord of the Flies to the ground and takes the stake Flies to the ground and takes the stake and uses it to defend himself against and uses it to defend himself against Jack's hunters.Jack's hunters.

Ralph, like Simon, comes to Ralph, like Simon, comes to understand that savagery exists understand that savagery exists within all the boys. Ralph stays within all the boys. Ralph stays determined not to let this overwhelm determined not to let this overwhelm him, and only once does he consider him, and only once does he consider joining Jack's tribe in order to save joining Jack's tribe in order to save himself. himself.

When Ralph hunts a boar for the first When Ralph hunts a boar for the first time, he experiences the exhilaration time, he experiences the exhilaration and thrill of bloodlust and violence. and thrill of bloodlust and violence.

When he attends Jack's feast, he is When he attends Jack's feast, he is swept away by the chaos, and he swept away by the chaos, and he dances on the edge of the group, and dances on the edge of the group, and participates in the killing of Simon. participates in the killing of Simon.

Ralph acknowledges the evil that Ralph acknowledges the evil that exists within him, and within all exists within him, and within all human beings. human beings.

But this knowledge also helps him to But this knowledge also helps him to get rid of the Lord of the Flies at the get rid of the Lord of the Flies at the end of the novel. end of the novel.

Ralph's story ends semi-tragically: Ralph's story ends semi-tragically: although he is rescued and returned although he is rescued and returned to civilization, when he sees the to civilization, when he sees the naval officer, he weeps with the naval officer, he weeps with the burden of his new knowledge about burden of his new knowledge about the human capacity for evil.  the human capacity for evil.  

The EntertainmentThe Entertainment

Here are a few clips we chose to show you Here are a few clips we chose to show you from the movie based on the bestselling from the movie based on the bestselling novel by William Golding. novel by William Golding.

WARNING: Some parts of the WARNING: Some parts of the following scenes may be graphic, following scenes may be graphic, viewer discretion is advised.viewer discretion is advised.