‘‘Lord of the Flies’ Lord of the Flies’ by William Goldingby William Golding

CharacterisationCharacterisation

ThemeTheme

Overview - CharacterisationOverview - Characterisation

• 1.Characterisation as a technique. 1.Characterisation as a technique. • 2.The link between characterisation 2.The link between characterisation

and theme.and theme.• 3.The four central characters and 3.The four central characters and

their development (chapter one / their development (chapter one / later key incidents).later key incidents).

• 4.The four central characters as 4.The four central characters as representative types.representative types.

1. Characterisation as a 1. Characterisation as a techniquetechnique• Golding’s skill in creating characters we can Golding’s skill in creating characters we can

respond to as complex individuals AND as respond to as complex individuals AND as representative types.representative types.

• Methods of characterisation:Methods of characterisation:Description of actions and thoughts.Description of actions and thoughts.Description of physical appearance.Description of physical appearance.How characters react to each other/ Portrayal of How characters react to each other/ Portrayal of

relationships.relationships.Word choice.Word choice.Use of differing points of view.Use of differing points of view.Speech and dialogueSpeech and dialogue

2. Characterisation and 2. Characterisation and ThemeTheme• All successful All successful

critical essay critical essay answersanswers need to need to demonstrate demonstrate understanding of the understanding of the ‘main concern’ of the ‘main concern’ of the text – its theme.text – its theme.

• All successful All successful critical essay critical essay answersanswers will explore will explore how how characterisationcharacterisation is is used to communicate used to communicate Golding’s theme , that Golding’s theme , that we all harbour within we all harbour within us a potential for us a potential for cruel, violent, evil or cruel, violent, evil or animalistic behaviour animalistic behaviour which will emerge in which will emerge in certain circumstances certain circumstances if we allow it .if we allow it .

2. Characterisation and theme 2. Characterisation and theme contd.contd.• Golding’s four central characters are created and Golding’s four central characters are created and

developed in order to communicate his theme. In brief:developed in order to communicate his theme. In brief:Jack Jack embodies evil and allows his potential for cruelty to embodies evil and allows his potential for cruelty to

be exercised as he responds to island life by allowing his be exercised as he responds to island life by allowing his behaviour to degenerate. He dominates those around behaviour to degenerate. He dominates those around him by violent means.him by violent means.

RalphRalph attempts to oppose this evil using democracy and attempts to oppose this evil using democracy and bring order to the chaos of island life.bring order to the chaos of island life.

PiggyPiggy tries to counteract Jack’s savagery with his tries to counteract Jack’s savagery with his intellectual and reasoned approach but becomes the intellectual and reasoned approach but becomes the victim of evil.victim of evil.

SimonSimon offers a spiritual or religious opposition to savagery offers a spiritual or religious opposition to savagery and understands the source of evil on the island : not the and understands the source of evil on the island : not the Beast but the boys themselves. However he is rejected Beast but the boys themselves. However he is rejected and like Piggy becomes a victim of evil.and like Piggy becomes a victim of evil.

3. The four central characters 3. The four central characters and their development .and their development .

• The discussion of the development of a The discussion of the development of a character or characters could form character or characters could form partpart or or allall of a critical essay answer.of a critical essay answer.

• It is hard to imagine how any critical essay on It is hard to imagine how any critical essay on ‘Lord of the Flies’ could avoid dealing with ‘Lord of the Flies’ could avoid dealing with characterisation.characterisation.

Chapter OneChapter One

The attributes Golding gives his characters in Ch1 The attributes Golding gives his characters in Ch1 are crucial for their later development and the are crucial for their later development and the development of plot and theme.development of plot and theme.

Piggy in Chapter 1–Piggy in Chapter 1–‘the fat boy’‘the fat boy’

• Social inferioritySocial inferiority

• Lack of physical strengthLack of physical strength

• UnattractivenessUnattractiveness

• Reliance on othersReliance on others

• Intellect and sensible approachIntellect and sensible approach

• Caring natureCaring nature

• Association with pigsAssociation with pigs

Later in the novel...Later in the novel...• Piggy is rejected and ridiculed by the other boys even in Piggy is rejected and ridiculed by the other boys even in

chapter one – the beginning of the bullying which becomes chapter one – the beginning of the bullying which becomes physical, then fully disabling and culminates in his death.physical, then fully disabling and culminates in his death.

Ralph in chapter 1 – Ralph in chapter 1 – ‘the fair ‘the fair boy’boy’• Physically attractive and fit. Physically attractive and fit. • Delighted at the freedom and beauty of the island.Delighted at the freedom and beauty of the island.• Positive and determined.Positive and determined.• A leader.A leader.• Has some imperfections so appears human.Has some imperfections so appears human.• Perceptive – response to Jack/Piggy.Perceptive – response to Jack/Piggy.

Later in the novel...Later in the novel...

• Ralph has the bravery and determination to stand up to Jack and try Ralph has the bravery and determination to stand up to Jack and try to preserve civilised behaviour. He shows responsibility as leader to preserve civilised behaviour. He shows responsibility as leader though does involve himself in violence. Also he has the physical though does involve himself in violence. Also he has the physical capability to defend Piggy and escape the tribe when he is hunted capability to defend Piggy and escape the tribe when he is hunted down at the end of the novel.Finally understands the nature of evil down at the end of the novel.Finally understands the nature of evil through his encounter with the Lord of the Flies and the deaths of through his encounter with the Lord of the Flies and the deaths of Simon and Piggy.Simon and Piggy.

Jack in chapter 1-’Jack in chapter 1-’the boy who the boy who controlled them’controlled them’

• domineeringdomineering

• fiercefierce

• a bullya bully

• arrogantarrogant

• violentviolent

Later in the novel…Later in the novel…

• Jack develops an obsession with hunting and a remorseless Jack develops an obsession with hunting and a remorseless bloodlust. Satisfies his need for dominance by becoming bloodlust. Satisfies his need for dominance by becoming the painted Chief of Castle Rock, violently eliminating any the painted Chief of Castle Rock, violently eliminating any

opponent.opponent.

Simon in chapter 1 -Simon in chapter 1 -’a skinny vivid ’a skinny vivid little boy’little boy’

• VulnerableVulnerable

• physically weakphysically weak

• thoughtful and sensitivethoughtful and sensitive

Later in the novel...Later in the novel...• Simon withdraws from the group to explore the island Simon withdraws from the group to explore the island

alone. As early as chapter 5 he tries to suggest the alone. As early as chapter 5 he tries to suggest the beast is beast is ‘only us’‘only us’. Simon understands the nature of evil . Simon understands the nature of evil having witnessed the killing of the sow and by having witnessed the killing of the sow and by discovering the airman’s body. Murdered by the boys discovering the airman’s body. Murdered by the boys when mistaken for the beast.when mistaken for the beast.

4. Characters as representative 4. Characters as representative types or symbols.types or symbols.

• Ralph - democracy, the ‘everyman’.Ralph - democracy, the ‘everyman’.

• Piggy - the intellectual.Piggy - the intellectual.

• Jack- dictatorship/primitivism.Jack- dictatorship/primitivism.

• Simon - the spiritual or religious Simon - the spiritual or religious nature of man.nature of man.

Top 4 QuotationsTop 4 Quotations

• PiggyPiggy :‘Which is :‘Which is better- to have rules better- to have rules and agree or to hunt and agree or to hunt and kill?’and kill?’ (Ch10) (Ch10)

• RalphRalph : : ‘…Ralph wept for ‘…Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart darkness of man’s heart and the fall through the air and the fall through the air of the true wise friend of the true wise friend called Piggy.’called Piggy.’(Ch 12)(Ch 12)

• JackJack: His mask is : His mask is ‘a ‘a thing on its own, behind thing on its own, behind which Jack hid,liberated which Jack hid,liberated from shame and self-from shame and self-consciousness.’consciousness.’(Ch 4)(Ch 4)

• SimonSimon : : ‘However Simon ‘However Simon thought of the beast, there thought of the beast, there rose before his inward rose before his inward sight the picture of a sight the picture of a human at once heroic and human at once heroic and sick.’(Ch 6 )sick.’(Ch 6 )

Conclusions.Conclusions.

• Golding’s four central characters are created and Golding’s four central characters are created and developed in order to communicate his theme. developed in order to communicate his theme. Our emotional reaction - the horror that young Our emotional reaction - the horror that young boys can behave in such a way - as we respond to boys can behave in such a way - as we respond to these these characters as human beingscharacters as human beings leads us to leads us to an awareness of the inherent evil of mankind.an awareness of the inherent evil of mankind.

• Our understanding of the boys as Our understanding of the boys as representative types or symbolic charactersrepresentative types or symbolic characters widens the scope of the novel : this novel has a widens the scope of the novel : this novel has a universal theme and continuing relevance today.universal theme and continuing relevance today.