Bright sunlight envelops your surroundings, and a gentle breeze tousles your clothing and caresses your face as you realize that you are on a secluded island with your friends, free from parental guidance. Seems like paradise, right? Wrong. I am not a shaman. This idyllic setting soon transforms into a chaotic nightmare, revealing the inherent savagery lurking within human nature. Despite our denial, innocence will inevitably be lost when exposed to a traumatic and life-threatening situation. Lord of the Flies by William Golding contains numerous hidden and profound meanings throughout the novel, including within the picture-perfect scenario described above. The most prominent theme is the "loss of innocence," as it demonstrates that when placed …show more content…
The initial understanding of the island's meaning is simply the setting, the area where the story takes place, and nothing more—a place where boys can be boys and a paradise for pre-teens. This is shown in the quote, "This is an island." At least I think it's an island. That's a reef out in the sea. Perhaps there aren't any grownups anywhere." The text explains the setting, which only accommodates boys and the native wildlife (7). The island is also portrayed as a joyful and exciting experience, as evidenced by the quote: "He patted the palm trunk softly, and, forced at last to believe in the reality of the island, laughed delightedly again and stood on his head." Initially, it was the area where the boys were surviving temporarily. It was a place for them to have fun and enjoy themselves until someone came to their rescue, as indicated in the quote above (11). The island also seems to have everything they could want because Ralph says, "'But this is a good island. We–Jack, Simon and me– climbed the mountain. It's a wizard of the world. There's food and drink.'" This quote, along with other pieces of evidence, establishes the idea that this island is a haven for the characters