William Goldings Lord of the Flies :: Essays Papers

Lord of the FliesSummary One feature or so this take hold should be established from the start - this is not a childrens book. The littluns and bigguns represent members of the human race. The conflict between law and barbarism would have, I believe to be the same had the island been inhabited with adult survivors instead of children. The sweet is about a transition from an immensely exciting adventure of nigh children, to what eventually becomes full-scale fight, ending with the arrival of the naval officer who deliver them. Tough I still wonder if they were really saved, considering the atomic war which, at that time was still raging around the globe. The book begins by introducing the two of the characters - Ralph and Piggy. Ralph finds a conch (a shell shaped in such a way that when blown it will sound) and blows it, summoning the rest of the boys, who were on the aeroplane and survived the crash. Last to arrive are the sing, who are described as a black catterpillar mov ing along the beach. On closer examination is is appoint that there is a wide variance in the age of the boys, from about 6 to 12 years of age. From here on in the book the jr. boys are simply referred to as the littluns and the older boys as bigguns although the younger children are referred to more collectively in the story. Ralph is elected chief of the grouping and his first action is for Jack, Simon and himself to go on a scout to read if the island is really and island or is attached to anything else, they find that it is an island and return to the rest of the boys. It is immovable at the meeting held by Ralph that people should only be allowed to turn to at meetings if they have possession of the conch, thus giving the conch a special power to the boys. It is also decided that the choir should become hunters for food, with Jack (the choir leader) in charge of them. Above all this though is the importance of a fire being lit and staying alight night and day for a ship t o see and hopefully rescue them. At this point a small boy comes forward and tells the boys that he saw a ogre which he calls a beastie in the woods.