Setting and Symbolism in Lord of the Flies In Lord of the Flies by William Golding, a group of British boys, ranging from ages six to twelve, become stranded on a deserted island in the Pacific Ocean when a plane carrying them crashes. Having no adults around to discipline them, the boys are left to provide for and govern themselves. Soon enough, trouble begins to occur on the island when the idea of a so called “beast” is brought up. Further along in the plot of the novel, the boys’ troubles and disagreements reach a point to where they become savages and start to kill Pigs, and eventually, two of their own. By depicting the boys’ painted masks, the beast, and their pig hunts as symbolic objects and combining it with the different settings on the island, Golding is able to convey to the reader the thematic idea that …show more content…
The boys became so engulfed in the excitement of the pig hunts that they forget their past desire of their hope to return to civilization. While celebrating a successful pig hunt, the boys become excited while reenacting their day’s killing. They became so frenzied and are unable to control themselves, and they wind up killing one of their own and mistake Simon for the beast. The author says, “The sticks fell and the mouth of the new circle crunched and screamed. The beast was on its knees in the center, and its arms folded over its face… There were no words, and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws” (Golding 153). This quote shows how the pig hunts symbolize the boys’ primal urges to kill and man’s capacity of violence. The killing of Simon takes place at Castle Rock, a small, rocky outcrop, where most of the violence takes place. Golding uses Castle Rock and the pig hunts to reach his overall