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Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, is a fascinating tale about a group of prim and proper British boys who are abandoned on a deserted island. Left on their own, with no adult supervision, the boys come face-to-face with the darker side of the human psyche. Golding generously employs the use of symbolism throughout the novel. An astute reader can identify some sort of symbolism in almost every character, every situation, and every item and creature on the island. The most pertininent symbols are the snake, the pig's head, the use of disquise, and the character Simon.

Soon after arriving on the island, the boys, especially the younger ones, are terrified of the unknown in the jungle. They are convinced that they are being systematically stalked by a "beastie" or a giant snake-like creature. They felt that they were about to succumb to something malevolent, and of course, they were correct. The reader can interpret this dangerous beast as the evil that lives in all mankind. Without the rules of society to govern them, many of the boys do indeed fall prey to sinister inclinations and the baser, darker actions that they themselves would not have believed lurked in their own souls - before their abandonment. So, in actuality, the "beastie" was stalking all the boys, and in the end consumed most of them.

Another important symbol in the story is the pig's head that was placed on a stick - the "lord of the flies" himself. The pig was a victim not only of the boys' hunger, but also for their blood lust and violence. After the severed head is placed on a sharpened upright limb, it begins to rot, to deteriorate. If the head is the society that the boys have created for themselves, surely the carcass's quick deterioration in the jungle heat is symbolic of the society that befell the animal. In other words, as the pig's head rots and falls apart and becomes foul and rancid, so does the structure of the pseudo-society of the island.

One of the most interesting and startling images in the book occurs when the boys paint their faces in a tribal ritual. The innocent young faces are transformed by these "masks," totally changing their personalities. The disquises allow them to freely commit horrific acts that they would have, at the least, felt uncomfortable about without the painted faces. The war paint helped remove by disquise any feelings of remorse or responsibility. In their subconscious minds, some evil painted demons were loosed around the fire. In essence, they were playing a part. They were acting. Certainly it was not they who took joy in violence - it was the savages with the dark painted faces.

The most tragic of Golding's major symbols is Simon. He is a true child of nature, caring for all creatures on the island. He does not care at all for power, privilege, or any type of violence, and is in direct contrast to the evil Roger. Simon is a Christ figure, thereby playing an important role. The reality that he can sustain his humanity amid the turmoil of the chaos and violence surrounding him makes the other boys seem even more evil in comparison. Most of the boys subconsciously realize this and hate him for it. And like Christ, he is ultimately sacrificed by the bloodthirsty mob.

Lord of the Flies bears close reading. One must analyze carefully all of Golding's symbols to truly understand the intended meaning. The story is itself a study in mankind's capacity for evil, which is even more horrific when coming from a group of young choir boys. When all the trappings of rules, regulations, and proper leadership are stripped away, what often remains is the dark ugliness of the human soul.

Learn more about this author, Holle Abee.
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