And we read/watched it in GCSE Literature
A group of young boys are stranded on an Island with no adults, they try to maintain humanity and social stability by organising rules, duties and electing a leader. There is a natural leader (Ralph) and a tyrannical anti-group leader (Jack), who separated from the main group to establish his own group in order to have the power he desires.
Jack is presented in the group of choir boys, he is their leader up until they meet the other group. The difference in groups comes from costume and class (choir boys are characterised as higher class). They wear black robes to begin with, and Jack wears a black hat, covering his ginger hair, in the time the book was written, ginger hair was associated with evil and devil, which can represent how he is hiding his bad side to begin with.
The beach is seen as religious and safe place due to the connotations of paradise, whereas the forest is seen as a wild place darkness and monsters.
Two boys are killed, one being an accident risen from fear of the monster, and one being purposefully executed towards the end, highlighting the loss of civilisation and innocence. Mob mentality is also shown through a forest chase that occurs at the end, as the bad group are hunting down the protagonist leader- evil almost conquers good until they are all rescued.
Aspects that have influenced me:
- Biblical connotations (antagonist)
- No adults means no civilisation
- Rival groups (group identity/mob mentality)
- Good vs. Evil
- Behavioural change
- Death
- Beach/ forest location symbolism
- The psychology of man in the wild
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