Remote Island In Lord Of The Flies Essay

In Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the characters find themselves on a remote island which influences their behavior throughout the novel. While the violent and tribal nature that is revealed at the conclusion may come from eons of “survival of the fittest”, it is the island itself which has brought forth this animal-like behavior. If the characters of Lord of the Flies had not been stranded in a place without modern civilization and comforts, they would not have resorted to their primal nature. The environment in which the entire novel takes place could be considered its own dynamic character, one that affects all the other characters of the narrative. The island symbolizes different ideas to various characters throughout, both positive and negative. When the boys first discover that they

This independence which they have been granted is at first appealing to the boys. When Ralph realizes that there is no one to control him, “the delight of a realized ambition overcame him… he stood on his head and grinned” (Golding 8). Many young boys dream of being away from their parents where they are not told what to do, and the situation the boys find themselves in brings just that. The presence of the beach and ocean, as well as the lack of authority, allows the boys to be playful. The island brings a more peaceful sort of joy to another one of the boys: Simon. Simon discovers the beauty of the island by listening closely while he is unaccompanied in the jungle. Simon hears “sounds of the bright fantastic birds, the bee-sounds, even the crying of the gulls… the deep sea breaking miles away on the reed made an undertone less perceptible than the susurration of the blood” (Golding 57). To Simon, the island has a sense magnificence that can only by brought by nature. This setting comforts him more than anyone else can. The island also brings a more primal sense of accomplishment to the boys when they kill their