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Theme Analysis - Lord of the Flies

 

            In most people's opinion, "Lord of the Flies," by William Golding is one of the best novels of all time. As a matter of fact, many popular television shows and films are based off of the themes and setting of this extravagant book such as Lost and Cast Away. Lord of the Flies is about a group of British schoolboys who crash-land on an uninhabited island and discover that there are adults present. At first it's all fun and games with the boys who have finally attained freedom and no longer live by rules. After a short period of time, havoc occurs and the reader questions themselves. Are rules necessary? Is freedom really a positive? Is innocence always good? In the book, the main characters consist of big uns, little uns, Ralph, Piggy, Roger, Jack, Sam, Eric, and Simon. In the book Lord of the Flies Jack and the painted savages represent loss of innocence as a theme.
             The painted savages are Jack's followers. Unlike Ralph and his followers, the painted savages consider their painted faces to be more than camouflage. They consider the paint to represent a different side of themselves. On the other hand, Ralph and his followers consider the camouflage to be nothing more than assistance in hunting animals. When their faces are painted, the savages have an alter persona. "You got your small fire all right. The boys were falling still and silent, feeling the beginnings of awe at the power set free below them" (Golding 95). Piggy points out that the boys have set majority of the island on fire. It seems like they also realize that they have power for the first time in their lives. No one is going to take away their television privileges for burning firewood unnecessarily. Acting without fear of punishment is a prime example of loss of innocence. The best case to prove the theme loss of innocence is by examining the main antagonist.
             Jack Merridew is the main antagonist in the novel, Lord of the Flies.


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