Lord of the Flies Key Theme: Civilisation versus Savagery (AQA GCSE English Literature)

Civilisation versus savagery mind map  

The theme of civilisation versus savagery in Lord of the Flies:

What are the elements of civilisation versus savagery in Lord of the Flies?

• The island setting: The desert island represents a blank slate on which the boys are free to make their own society and choose between civilised behaviour or savagery:

  • The island can therefore be seen as a microcosm of society as a whole, with Golding suggesting that the decisions made by the boys reflect universal truths about human nature

  • From the moment that the boys arrive in a crash that scars the island, to the raging wildfire at the novel’s conclusion, Golding shows how the boys corrupt the island around them with their savage influence

• Symbolism: The conch, Piggy’s glasses and the signal fire symbolise rules and civilised order upon the island:

  • As the boys descend into savagery, these symbols lose their original power (when Roger destroys the conch and murders Piggy)

• The Beast: Golding uses the Beast to represent our capacity for evil and savage behaviour:

  • Although the boys initially fear the beast as an external threat to their society, Simon realises the terrible truth: the Beast is just “us”, and symbolises the potential for violence and savagery in every human being

The impact of civilisation versus savagery on characters

The shift from civilised behaviour to savagery over the course of the novel affects the characters in a variety of ways:

Why does Golding use the theme of civilisation versus savagery in his novel?

Allegory: 

• Golding uses the boys’ fate on the island as an allegory for the battle between civilised society and humanity’s deepest and most savage impulses

• The novel is a thought experiment that explores whether humans can be seen as innately evil:

  • Golding suggests that it is an almost impossible task to prevent even the most innocent of individuals from succumbing to their inner “beast”

2. Criticism of the class system 

• When the boys follow Ralph’s democratic order through the use of the conch and school-based rules, Piggy has a space to make his voice heard:

  • Other boys mock Piggy for his accent, which marks him as working-class

  • When the boys stop working together, Piggy’s protests are ignored by the others and he is ultimately killed 

Exam-style questions on the theme of civilisation versus savagery

Try planning a response to the following essay questions as part of your revision of the theme of love: 

• How does Golding portray the conflict between civilisation and savagery in the novel? (You could start with Ralph’s struggle to keep the signal fire burning.) 

• “Simon’s death marks the end of civilisation in the novel”. How far do you agree with this statement? (You could start with Golding’s descriptions of the boys killing Simon.)