Lord of the Flies Summary: Plot, Characters and Key Facts
Lord of the Flies is about a group of British schoolboys stranded on a remote island with no adults. Their attempt to rule themselves slowly turns to savagery.
William Golding's first novel was published in 1954.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Author | William Golding |
| Published | 1954, Golding's debut novel |
| Genre | Classic novel, allegory |
| Setting | A remote jungle island, during a war |
| Main characters | Ralph, Piggy, Jack, Simon |
| Key symbol | The conch shell |
What is Lord of the Flies about?
A plane carrying English schoolboys is shot down during a war, and the boys are stranded on a jungle island with no adults. Ralph and a clever, overweight boy known as Piggy find a conch shell, and Ralph uses it to call the others to an assembly. The boys elect Ralph chief, and Jack Merridew is put in charge of the hunters.
The boys start with rules, shelter and a signal fire. But Jack's hunters care more about hunting than about tending the fire, and a ship passes while the fire is out. Ralph and Jack argue, and the boys' fear of a beast on the island begins to spread.
↑ Back to the topWhere and when is it set?
The island is remote and tropical, and the story begins during an unspecified war. The island works as a small model of society, which the boys must build for themselves. Its mountain, beach and forest each become a place where the boys' fear and order are tested.
↑ Back to the topWho are the main characters?
Ralph is the elected leader, who wants order and rescue. Piggy is the smartest of the boys, and his glasses are used to start the fire. Jack leads the hunters and drifts toward violence. Simon is a quiet boy who often wanders off alone. Roger is a cruel boy in Jack's tribe, and Samneric are twin boys who stay with Ralph at first.
↑ Back to the topWho dies in Lord of the Flies, and how does it end?
A younger boy who first reports seeing a beastie disappears in the fire and is never seen again. Simon discovers that the beast is really a dead parachutist, but when he runs to tell the others, Jack's tribe mistakes him for the beast in the dark and kills him.
Jack's tribe steals Piggy's glasses. When Ralph and Piggy confront them, Roger rolls a boulder from the rock fort that smashes the conch and kills Piggy. The tribe captures Samneric and hunts Ralph across the island, setting the forest on fire. The smoke attracts a British naval ship, and Ralph, cornered on the beach, finds himself in front of a naval officer. The officer expects British boys to have behaved better. The boys, now seeing what they have become, break down in tears.
↑ Back to the topWhat does the title mean?
The title refers to the pig's head that Jack's hunters leave on a stick as an offering to the beast. The conch stands for order, and its authority fades as Jack's tribe grows wilder.
↑ Back to the topMore about Lord of the Flies
This guide covers the book only. Events in film or TV versions differ in places.