Lord of the Flies Key Theme: Good versus Evil (AQA GCSE English Literature)
Revision Note
Written by: James Alsop
Reviewed by: Kate Lee
Good versus evil mind map
The theme of good versus evil in Lord of the Flies:
Chapter | Quote | Summary |
|---|---|---|
4 | “Here, invisible yet strong, was the taboo of the old life” – The narrator | Roger throws stones in the direction of the littluns, but the rules of his old, civilised life cause him to refrain from actually hitting any of them |
8 | "Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill!" – The Beast | Simon hallucinates a conversation with the Lord of the Flies, but realises that there is no real beast — only evil that lurks within all humans |
9 | "Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood! Do him in!" – The boys | The boys, frenzied and believing Simon to be the Beast, join in a bloodthirsty chant as they murder him |
11 | “Which is better—to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill?” – Piggy | Piggy presents Jack’s tribe with a final, clear choice between good and evil before Roger kills him with a boulder |
12 | “Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of a true, wise friend called Piggy” – The narrator | As Ralph realises that the boys will finally be rescued, he is overcome with grief at their capacity for evil |
What are the elements of good versus evil in Lord of the Flies?
Increasing violence: As the boys forget the rules that help society to function and succumb instead to the temptations and lawlessness of savagery, instances of death and violence become increasingly brutal and malicious:
In Chapter 2, a littlun dies in an accidental forest fire; in Chapter 8, Jack’s hunters brutally kill a sow; in Chapter 9 the boys murder Simon in a frenzied group attack; and in Chapter 11, Roger intentionally murders Piggy
Simon’s death: Simon represents goodness, and Golding shows him helping the littluns, supporting Ralph, and appreciating the island’s beauty; he is also the only boy brave enough to search for the Beast by himself:
The boys murder him as he attempts to warn them about the true nature of the Beast
His death represents a triumph of evil on the island, and a key turning point in the boys’ descent into savagery
The Beast: When the boys begin to fear an unseen “beast”, Jack and his hunters brutally kill a sow and leave its head as an offering to the Beast:
Simon hallucinates a conversation with the fly-infested pig’s head in which he realises that the true Beast is the evil that lives inside the boys
The impact of good versus evil on characters
Character | Impact |
|---|---|
Ralph and Jack |
|
Piggy |
|
Simon |
|
Why does Golding use the theme of good versus evil in Lord of the Flies?
A moral story about human nature:
Golding presents a pessimistic view of human nature, showing how easily our selfish, evil natures can win out against our responsibility to work together and do good
Golding introduces this idea early in the novel, foreshadowing the boys’ descent into savagery through Roger’s violent behaviour and the boys’ bullying of Piggy
2. Social commentary:
Golding suggests that civilisation is the only thing that masks our innate tendency towards evil and savagery
When the hunters allow the signal fire to go out, their only connection to the outside world, they symbolically disconnect from the rules and expectations of society and give in to their worst impulses (like the rest of humanity)
Exam-style questions on the theme of Good versus evil in Lord of the Flies
Try planning a response to the following essay questions as part of your revision of the theme of good versus evil:
Explore how Golding presents good and evil in Lord of the Flies.
How does Golding use the character of Simon to represent the conflict between good and evil in Lord of the Flies?
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