This section explores the key characters in Lord of the Flies by William Golding. In Lord of the Flies, William Golding uses characters to explore human nature, civilisation, and the descent into savagery. The boys on the island serve as allegorical figures, each representing different aspects of society, psychology, or moral philosophy. Understanding their roles, development, and interactions is key to interpreting the novel’s broader themes.
Ralph
Ralph is the novel’s protagonist and represents order, leadership, and civilisation. From the beginning, Ralph is elected leader by the boys and initially demonstrates a sense of responsibility, focusing on building shelters and maintaining a signal fire for rescue. He symbolises democracy and collective effort, but struggles to maintain authority as the boys increasingly reject civilisation.
Leadership Qualities: Ralph is natural, charismatic, and fair-minded. He represents the ideal of a just leader, who is concerned with the welfare of the group. He frequently expresses his belief in rescue and the importance of keeping the fire going.
Moral Struggle: Throughout the novel, Ralph wrestles with the challenges of leadership and the pull towards savagery. His gradual realisation of mankind’s capacity for evil is significant, particularly after Simon’s death. Ralph’s understanding that "the darkness of man’s heart" is universal marks his loss of innocence.
Symbolism: Ralph symbolises civilisation, order, and reason. As the story progresses, his inability to maintain control mirrors the collapse of society on the island.
Jack
Jack Merridew serves as the novel’s main antagonist, representing savagery, dictatorship, and the desire for power. Initially the leader of the choirboys, Jack quickly becomes a symbol of the human inclination towards dominance and violence.
Descent into Savagery: Jack’s obsession with hunting and bloodlust grows steadily throughout the novel. His painted face liberates him from shame and self-consciousness, allowing him to embrace violence without remorse. Golding describes this transformation: “the mask was a thing on its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-consciousness.”
Conflict with Ralph: Jack’s relationship with Ralph is central to the novel’s exploration of power. Jack’s challenge to Ralph’s leadership escalates into a full-blown struggle between civilisation (Ralph) and savagery (Jack). He rejects the democratic system established by Ralph, instead favouring a system based on fear and violence.
Symbolism: Jack symbolises the darker side of human nature – the drive for power, the embrace of chaos, and the rejection of social order. He is a representation of tyranny and anarchy.
Piggy
Piggy represents intellect, logic, and scientific reasoning. He is physically weaker than the other boys and socially an outsider due to his weight, asthma, and reliance on his glasses. Despite these physical limitations, Piggy provides valuable insights throughout the novel, and his intellectualism stands in stark contrast to the emotional and impulsive behaviour of the other boys.
Voice of Reason: Piggy often advocates for rational behaviour and adherence to rules. He is the one who understands the importance of maintaining the signal fire and using the conch as a symbol of authority. However, his ideas are frequently ignored, as the boys begin to value physical strength and aggression over intellect.
Vulnerability: Piggy’s physical weakness and social status make him vulnerable. His death, caused by Roger’s boulder, is a pivotal moment in the novel that marks the end of reason and the full descent into savagery. The destruction of his glasses earlier in the story also symbolises the loss of insight and rationality among the boys.
Symbolism: Piggy symbolises intellect, reason, and the scientific approach to problem-solving. His glasses, a key symbol in the novel, represent the power of insight and the ability to understand and control the world through knowledge.
Simon
Simon is a complex character, often seen as the moral and spiritual compass of the novel. He represents goodness, natural human kindness, and has been interpreted by some as a Christ-like figure due to his role as a truth-teller and his eventual martyrdom.
Connection to Nature: Simon is unique among the boys in his deep connection to nature. He often retreats to a peaceful, hidden spot in the forest, which serves as his sanctuary. His appreciation of nature sets him apart from the other boys, who become increasingly destructive towards the environment around them.
Understanding of Evil: Simon is the only boy who truly understands the nature of the ‘beast.’ He realises that the beast is not a physical entity but the manifestation of the boys’ own inner savagery. This is symbolised in his confrontation with the Lord of the Flies, where he hallucinates the pig’s head speaking to him, revealing the evil within all humans: "You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you."
Death and Sacrifice: Simon’s death is one of the most tragic moments in the novel. Mistaken for the beast, he is brutally killed by the boys during a frenzied dance. His murder symbolises the complete overthrow of innocence and goodness, and his attempt to reveal the truth about the beast goes unheard.
Symbolism: Simon symbolises innate human goodness and moral integrity. His death signifies the overwhelming power of savagery and the loss of spiritual truth.
Roger
Roger is a minor character who grows in significance as the story progresses. He represents pure, unrestrained cruelty and sadism. Early in the novel, Roger is depicted as a quiet, brooding boy, but as civilisation breaks down, he becomes increasingly violent.
Cruelty and Violence: Roger's sadistic tendencies are hinted at early when he throws stones at the younger boys, deliberately aiming to miss. This shows that he still feels the lingering influence of societal rules. However, as these rules dissolve, Roger’s cruelty becomes more overt and extreme. He is responsible for Piggy’s death, releasing the boulder that kills him, demonstrating his complete disregard for human life.
Symbolism: Roger symbolises the darker, sadistic side of human nature that enjoys violence for its own sake. His actions show what happens when societal constraints are removed, and he represents the potential for cruelty inherent in all humans.
Sam and Eric (Samneric)
Sam and Eric, often referred to collectively as Samneric, represent the last vestiges of loyalty to Ralph and civilisation. They are twin brothers who do everything together and remain closely aligned with Ralph until the very end.
Loyalty and Fear: Throughout most of the novel, Samneric support Ralph and try to maintain the order he represents. However, their loyalty falters under the pressure of Jack’s increasing violence. Eventually, they are coerced into joining Jack’s tribe, highlighting the pervasive power of fear and the difficulty of maintaining individual morality in the face of collective savagery.
Symbolism: Samneric symbolise the struggle between individual conscience and societal pressure. Their eventual submission to Jack’s rule reflects the difficulty of resisting mob mentality.
The Littluns
The littluns are the younger boys on the island, representing the ordinary members of society who are influenced by the actions of the more powerful. They do not play a major role in the novel’s events but are significant in highlighting the vulnerability and fear that pervades the group.
Fear and Innocence: The littluns are most affected by the growing fear of the beast. Their susceptibility to fear and superstition reflects the vulnerability of humanity to irrational beliefs and mass hysteria. They are often overlooked by the older boys and are ultimately powerless in the conflict between Ralph and Jack.
Symbolism: The littluns symbolise the common people in society—those who are subject to the decisions of leaders but have little control over their own fate. Their descent into fear and their passive following of the older boys illustrate how easily the masses can be swayed by those in power.
To Summarise
In Lord of the Flies, Golding’s characters serve as allegorical representations of different aspects of human nature and society. Ralph represents order and democracy; Jack embodies savagery and tyranny; Piggy stands for intellect and reason; Simon symbolises spiritual goodness; Roger represents cruelty; and Samneric, along with the littluns, depict the fragility of societal order. Understanding the characters' symbolic roles is essential for grasping the novel’s exploration of civilisation, human nature, and the descent into barbarism.
