Symbolism in Lord of the Flies

William Golding uses many different techniques to convey his thoughts on a society without rules in his novel, Lord of the Flies. By using word choice, action and even symbolism, Golding is able to present the common topics that surround a society without rules, such as the struggle for power and the need to feel safe within a community. By using these techniques, he is also able to present his opinion that a society without rules will become savage and will not be able to survive.

By using symbolism, Golding is presented with the opportunity to explain the fear of being alone and why there is always a need for a higher figure of authority to provide protection. He is also able to explain the power struggle that comes with this. An example of this is when Ralph and Piggy are excluded from Jack’s tribe. Even though they do not wish to obey Jack, they “found themselves eager to take place in this demented but partly secure society”. This moment symbolizes the need to feel safe within a community, no matter the cost. Another example of symbolism is in the way Golding uses the weather. He describes it to reflect the action that is currently happening. It is often described as “great” and “terrible” to establish a sense of power, which reflects the action of the power struggle between Jack and Ralph. Golding clearly uses symbolism effectively to establish his ideas, while often using similes to depict a deeper meaning with the symbols.
William Golding is also able to convey his ideas using sentence structure, as well as similes. He chooses strong words, such as “exploded” and “cascaded” when describing the landscape and conflicts. Golding presents the weather as something ferocious and strong, which is later calm, which relates to the action of the power struggle between Jack and Ralph. He also uses words associated with pain to establish the fear of being alone, such as when he relates lightening to a “scar”, and the noise to “the blow of a gigantic