“A stick sharpened at both ends”. What does Golding have to say about the nature of evil in
Lord of the Flies? (30 marks)
Thesis:
1. Evil is so widespread in humanity - there’s no hope in civilisation - we have begun the
descent into savagery
2. Golding advocates for both the destruction of democracy + dictatorships
3. Golding highlights dangers of Eurocentrism + the British Empire
4. Alternative Interpretation - Golding also leaves tiny semblances of hope - fall arc
Paragraph 1:
Form:
● religious allegory - serpent is an allusion to the Beast - God sacrificed his son for
mankind - now God has sought to abandon us - our evil is so grave
● kills off Simon - social construct of Jesus - shows the abundance of evil - use of irony
- both had hope in society + were loyal to God - not even God (so powerful) can save
those who are loyal to him -
● “We’re reminded of a Redeemer who offered men knowledge of salvation… only to
be scourged by the people he’d come to save” - David Anderson
Language:
"We did everything adults would do. What went wrong?"
● use of rhetorical question - emphasis how the ‘example’ to children is completely
flawed + pass on similar values = recurrent cycle = society will get more + more savage
- perhaps future generations will advance in savagery - why he uses little children
“Kill the pig! Cut her throat! Bash her in!”
● monosyllabic language + harsh consonants
● primitive - repetitive + shows cohesion in their savagery - return to their innate
primal instincts - have neglected the idea of rescue in their rush for blood
● delight over killing becomes ritualistic
“Roger was conditioned by a civilization that knew nothing of him and was in ruins”
● adjective “ruins” - implies that society has abandoned its principles - no sense of
nurturing - children are forced to learn how they survive by themselves
, ● conveys how destruction is so severe that children are completely unaware of norms
and values
Structure:
● “the enormity of the knife descending and cutting into living flesh” - character
development - was first unable to kill the pig - but later finds pleasure in it -
becomes a sadist
● shows Jack as the anti-villain - views the situation as a way to gain status - doesn’t
know any better - is a foil for the Beast - the real embodiment of evil (creates terror
in the reader - Golding does this to encourage change in society)
● Jack coneys danger in current civilisation - children won’t view adults as evil - will
copy
● Jack is a victim of manipulation in society + does have some value by physically
providing for the boys - also manipulates them -
● Roger only adapts at the start for survival - doesn’t lose all morals - Golding may
suggest that there’s some hope - if we change now?
Paragraph 2:
Language:
“You voted me for chief. Now you do what I say."
● portrays problems with democracy - Golding himself was forced to go to war by a
democracy - where is freedom of choice?
● Ralph begins as the central consciousness of the boys - doesn’t allow them to have a
voice - uses conch as a trick - but ignores the voice
“We’re not savages”
● allusion to Nazi Germany - even good/civilised people can commit savage deeds -
Ralph’s innocence is assumed -
● “fair boy, golden boy” - idyllic + holy presentation - ironic as he loses it - God
created Adam + Eve as perfect - rejected it - God has abandoned society - we keep
on being disobedient - has already lost his son for humanity
Lord of the Flies? (30 marks)
Thesis:
1. Evil is so widespread in humanity - there’s no hope in civilisation - we have begun the
descent into savagery
2. Golding advocates for both the destruction of democracy + dictatorships
3. Golding highlights dangers of Eurocentrism + the British Empire
4. Alternative Interpretation - Golding also leaves tiny semblances of hope - fall arc
Paragraph 1:
Form:
● religious allegory - serpent is an allusion to the Beast - God sacrificed his son for
mankind - now God has sought to abandon us - our evil is so grave
● kills off Simon - social construct of Jesus - shows the abundance of evil - use of irony
- both had hope in society + were loyal to God - not even God (so powerful) can save
those who are loyal to him -
● “We’re reminded of a Redeemer who offered men knowledge of salvation… only to
be scourged by the people he’d come to save” - David Anderson
Language:
"We did everything adults would do. What went wrong?"
● use of rhetorical question - emphasis how the ‘example’ to children is completely
flawed + pass on similar values = recurrent cycle = society will get more + more savage
- perhaps future generations will advance in savagery - why he uses little children
“Kill the pig! Cut her throat! Bash her in!”
● monosyllabic language + harsh consonants
● primitive - repetitive + shows cohesion in their savagery - return to their innate
primal instincts - have neglected the idea of rescue in their rush for blood
● delight over killing becomes ritualistic
“Roger was conditioned by a civilization that knew nothing of him and was in ruins”
● adjective “ruins” - implies that society has abandoned its principles - no sense of
nurturing - children are forced to learn how they survive by themselves
, ● conveys how destruction is so severe that children are completely unaware of norms
and values
Structure:
● “the enormity of the knife descending and cutting into living flesh” - character
development - was first unable to kill the pig - but later finds pleasure in it -
becomes a sadist
● shows Jack as the anti-villain - views the situation as a way to gain status - doesn’t
know any better - is a foil for the Beast - the real embodiment of evil (creates terror
in the reader - Golding does this to encourage change in society)
● Jack coneys danger in current civilisation - children won’t view adults as evil - will
copy
● Jack is a victim of manipulation in society + does have some value by physically
providing for the boys - also manipulates them -
● Roger only adapts at the start for survival - doesn’t lose all morals - Golding may
suggest that there’s some hope - if we change now?
Paragraph 2:
Language:
“You voted me for chief. Now you do what I say."
● portrays problems with democracy - Golding himself was forced to go to war by a
democracy - where is freedom of choice?
● Ralph begins as the central consciousness of the boys - doesn’t allow them to have a
voice - uses conch as a trick - but ignores the voice
“We’re not savages”
● allusion to Nazi Germany - even good/civilised people can commit savage deeds -
Ralph’s innocence is assumed -
● “fair boy, golden boy” - idyllic + holy presentation - ironic as he loses it - God
created Adam + Eve as perfect - rejected it - God has abandoned society - we keep
on being disobedient - has already lost his son for humanity
