Violence In Lord Of The Flies, By William Golding

Although it may seem that some kids are more independent than others, all children require some parental supervision. Lord of the Flies by William Golding tells the story of a group of young boys stranded on an island after an airplane crash. They attempt to build their stable sense of society, however without adult supervision, chaos and violence occur. In the novel, Golding illustrates the negative nature of society through the physical state of the island. The island is at its most natural and stable state before the boys arrival, but as soon as they make camp there, chaos begins. When the plane crashes onto the island, it leaves a permanent mark on the landscape. The boys’ begin to refer to this marking on the island as the “scar”. To

He was clambering heavily among the creepers and broken trunks when a bird, a vision of red and yellow, flashed upwards with a witch-like cry; and this cry was echoed by another” (Golding 7). The fact that there is a mark made on the island because of the boys’ arrival emphasizes the immediate impact they have made. The scar highlights the idea that the boys’ presence is damaging the island and is permanent. In addition to the scar, life on the island is beginning to change as well. Golding describes that the cry of a bird was “echoed by another”. Animals on the island are starting to notice the changes and are impacted. Without even meaning to, the boys have changed this location forever. Some impacts are more obviously harmful. In an attempt to create a stable environment, the boys work to start a fire to signal for rescuers. However, there is no cautious supervision, and a fire breaks out. This leaves the majority of the forest completely burnt. Golding explains that previously, “every point of the mountain held up trees--flowers and trees. Now the forest stirred, roared, flailed” (Golding 30). The state of the island is completely changed, which reiterates the idea

The condition of the island at the end of the boys’ stay is drastically different from the island they first came to. Following the death of Simon, the island answers with an almost human reaction. Golding describes that, “over the island the build-up of clouds continued. A steady current of heated air rose all day from the mountain and was thrust to ten thousand feet; revolving masses of gas piled up the static until the air was ready to explode . . . Nothing prospered but the flies who blackened their lord and made the spilt guts look like a heap of glistening coal” (Golding 145). The words “build-up of clouds” represents the progression of damage the boys have done to the island. Similarly, the words “revolving masses of gas piled up the static until the air was ready to explode” also shows the damage that is being done. The gas is being used to represent the violence the boys are partaking in and the words “air was ready to explode” represents the upcoming chaos that is bound to happen with the boys. The fact that there are only flies left surviving in comparison to the beginning of the story where there were many birds and other animals, further points out the damage to the island. The boys start to acknowledge the harm they have done to the island and reflect on this. Golding illustrates that the boys, “passed the place where the tribe had danced. The charred sticks still lay on the