Civilization Vs Savagery In Lord Of The Flies Quote Analysis

In the story, “Lord of the Flies,” written by William Golding, Jack’s mask and the conch are symbols of the important key idea of civilization versus savagery. Both objects represent the decrease in civilization and the rise in savagery as the boys live on the island. In chapter four, Jack, frustrated with his defeat in hunting, decides to craft a mask to help aid him in killing a pig. He crafts the disguise with charcoal, and when it is finished, he is thrilled with the product. The mask acts as protection for Jack, declaring, “He began to dance and his laughter became bloodthirsty snarling. … the mask was a thing on its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-consciousness” (Golding 68-69). Jack is filled with childish joy

The mask is a symbol of the civilized little boy dying, and a new hunter, who is not afraid of violence and death, arising. The civilization Jack was once influenced by, is now lost to the savage life on the island. Another symbol of the key idea of civilization versus savagery is the conch. In the beginning, the boys are overjoyed to be there, thinking of their isolation as a new adventure. A chief, Ralph, is elected and rules are set in place to maintain order on the island. While they are isolated, free from parents and authority, the boys still have items like the conch, that acts as a signal for the boys, which represents their life back home. They respect the civilized authority Ralph and the conch hold, so they behave. This is shown when the narrator says, “But there was a stillness about Ralph as he sat, that marked him out: there was his size, and attractive appearance; and most obscurely, yet most powerfully, there was the conch” (Golding 19-20). All of the boys are drawn to the authority and power of the conch in the beginning. But slowly, as they spend more days stranded, a division starts to form between the