bank of essay questions on Lord of the Flies with a couple of extracts from Examiners Reports

William Golding: Lord of the Flies



The Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a novel in which the theme of savagery versus
civilisation is explored. Some British boys are stranded on an isolated island at the time of an
imaginary nuclear war. On the island we see conflict between two main characters, Jack and
Ralph, who respectively represent civilisation and savagery. This has an effect on the rest of the
boys throughout the novel as they delve further and further into savagery.



Key Themes

 The need for civilisation/The Basic needs of society

 Innocence and the loss of it

 Fear of the unknown

 Blindness and Sight

 Use and Abuse of Power

 The Loss of Identity

 The Problem of Evil in Man

 Betrayal

 Survival

 Bullying

 Justice and Injustice

 Violence and Death

 Leadership



1. How does Golding present Simon as different from the other boys on the island? Write about:

• what Simon says and does that suggest he is different from the other boys

• how Golding presents him as different.



2. ‘The head is for the Beast. It’s a gift.’ How does Golding present the importance of the Beast to
different characters in Lord of the Flies? Write about:

, • the ways that some characters react to the Beast

• how Golding presents the importance of the Beast

Indicative content: Examiners are encouraged to reward any valid interpretations. Answers might,
however, include some of the following:

AO1

 what happens in the novel which leads to the idea of the beast

 the ways the boys behave towards the beast

 how various characters see the beast as important in different ways

 details about the head – its appearance, location etc

AO2

 how Golding presents the beast as a symbol with various meanings

 Golding’s presentation of the killing of the sow and its implications

 how Golding links the beast towards aspects of the boys’ behaviour

 how Golding presents the sow’s head when it seems to speak

AO3  links between the beast and ideas about evil

 philosophical ideas about loss of Eden/fascism/Freudian psychology/various

 ideas about Golding’s own war experience and its influence

 contemporary relevance to debates about teenage behaviour




3. How far does Golding present Piggy as a character with useful and important ideas in Lord of
the Flies? Write about:

• what Piggy says and does that can be seen as useful and important

• how far Golding presents Piggy as a character with useful and important ideas.




4. In Chapter 8 of Lord of the Flies Ralph asks, ‘What makes things break up like they do?’ How
does Golding present the reasons why society on the island breaks up? Write about:

• what happens on the island

• how Golding presents the reasons why society on the island breaks up.