Use of Clothing in Lord of the Flies

There are many examples of literature in everyday life that help people understand the world around them. Literature preserves the ideals of people- leaving the reader with numerous messages. Authors may use motifs in literature to give the reader a deeper understanding of the lives of people. In a piece of literature, Lord of the Flies, an overlooked but significant motif is clothing. William Golding uses clothing to show how human nature can revert to disorder in the absence of law and order.

The introduced to clothing early on in the novel. Ralph feels overwhelmed by the heat of the island so he removes his clothing, “He became conscious of the weight of clothes, kicked his shoes off fiercely, and ripped off each stocking with its elastic garter in a single movement” (10). Arriving on the island, the boys realized there are no adults to correct their behavior. For the boys, no adults means no rule enforcers. Ralph removing his clothing so quickly in the novel represents that the lack of clothing is directly related to the lack of order. Removing clothing, regardless of the high temperature, in not a common occurrence. More than likely, if adults were on the island, Ralph would not have removed his garments. By removing his clothing, this shows his disregard to order. Later, Ralph blows the conch to call an assembly, and the boys arrive uniformed, “-or more or less dressed, in school uniforms, grey, blue, fawn, jacketed, or jerseyed. There were badges, mottoes even, stripes of color in stockings and pullovers”(18). Golding does not just state that the boys are wearing uniforms. Instead he describes the uniform in depth which signifies its importance. In society, uniforms signify order and structure. By the boys arriving o...

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... the island. Clearly, being properly dressed is associated with law and order.

After turmoil erupts on the island, and Ralph is on the verge of being killed, a naval officer arrives on the island. Ralph is first unaware of the of the naval officer, “He staggered to his feet, tensed for more terrors and looked up at a huge peaked cap. It was a white-topped cap, and above the green shade of the peak was a crown, an anchor, gold foliage. He saw white drill, epaulettes, a revolver, a row of gilt buttons down the front of a uniform” (200). Once this uniformed (properly dressed) man arrives at the island, order is once again restored. The conflict and combat is immediately ceased. Once the naval officer asks who is in charge, Ralph claims authority over the boys without any questions.

Works Cited

Golding William, Lord of the Flies. Antique Books, 2003