Lord of the Flies: Roger Character Analysis (AQA GCSE English Literature) : Revision Note

Initially presented as a quiet member of Jack’s choir, Roger’s violence and cruelty grow throughout the novel until he chillingly exemplifies humanity’s capacity for evil and the boys’ descent into savagery.

Roger character summary

Why is Roger important?

Roger demonstrates the consequences of society’s breakdown and the release of humanity’s most primal instincts. His character arc suggests that evil is not an anomaly but a fundamental aspect of human nature, unleashed when societal norms no longer exist.

• He represents inherent cruelty: Even before the boys fully descend into savagery, Roger’s actions show his capacity for evil. In Chapter 4, he throws rocks at Henry but refrains from hitting him due to the “taboo of the old life.” This shows that he is already testing the boundaries of acceptable behaviour.

• He is a symbol of unleashed savagery: Once Jack’s tribe splits from Ralph’s leadership, Roger’s behaviour becomes increasingly violent and sadistic. He acts without inhibition, seen most shockingly when he kills Piggy by rolling a boulder onto him in Chapter 11.

• He embodies Golding’s message about human nature: Roger’s sadistic tendencies suggest that cruelty and evil are inherent in humanity and are only suppressed by societal rules. Sam and Eric describe Roger as “a terror,” highlighting his transformation into a figure of pure violence.

Roger language analysis

Although Roger rarely speaks, the descriptions of him — even from the early chapters — foreshadow his descent into violence and highlight the darker aspects of his personality:

• Testing boundaries: In Chapter 4, Golding writes that Roger smashes a littlun’s sandcastle, and throws stones at another young boy, but is “conditioned by civilisation” not to hit him. This moment subtly hints at Roger’s latent capacity for violence, as he is already straining against the constraints of society.

• Sadistic behaviour: As the novel progresses, Roger’s violent tendencies escalate. His actions become unrestrained, and Golding uses phrases like “a terror” and “one wielding a nameless authority” to show how his cruelty now defines him.

• Ultimate violence: In Chapter 11, kills Piggy with a boulder and explodes the conch “into a thousand white fragments”. This act represents the final breakdown of civilisation on the island, as Roger no longer feels any moral or societal constraints.

Roger key quotes

Roger character development

Roger character interpretation

The breakdown of social order and triumph of savagery

Golding uses Roger to demonstrate the breakdown of social order and the triumph of savagery. Initially, Roger is restrained by the “taboo of the old life”, but as the boys descend into savagery, these moral boundaries are stripped away.

By Chapter 11, Roger’s violent tendencies are unleashed without constraint, symbolising the collapse of civilisation on the island. His role as Jack’s torturer-in-chief illustrates the dangers of autocratic leadership, as Jack’s regime rewards Roger’s cruelty and fosters his sadistic impulses. The killing of Piggy, alongside the destruction of the conch, marks the ultimate triumph of savagery over civilisation. Through Roger, Golding suggests that humanity’s capacity for evil is ever-present, only held in check by the fragile constructs of society.