J Ma, S Morreau, S Noh

Structure of tension• Structure is the planned

framework of the book. It is the deliberate way in which the story isorganized by the author to make an impact on the reader.

• In The Lord of the Flies, there is a clear structure of tension

• Exposition – Ch 1~2• Rising Action – End of ch2 until

the boy is lost• Climax – Shattering of conch/Piggy

killed• Resolution – Rescue of the boys

(but is it really a resolution?)

BeginningThe novel both starts and ends abruptly which is similar

to the way in which the boys were taken out of the civilised world and dropped on the island.

We are immediately immersed in the life of the boys which makes us want to know more

In ch 2, the fire and the casualty of the boy with the birthmark foreshadow the end when the whole island is set on fire

Ralph betrays Piggy’s nickname: first step towards savagery

Middle• The tension in the middle of the novel rises slowly and steadily by the use

of parallel chapters and events.• An example of repeated events is the chant, “Kill the pig!”, which later

changes to “Kill the beast!” The change of the word creates tension as the fear of the beast takes over and the boys act like savages.

• At first, the boys were excited to explore the island but in the middle of the novel, they go looking for the beast and are frightened of what they might find. This is a point in the novel where there is an extremely tense atmosphere.

• The increase in tension mirrors the increase of the savagery in the boys e.g. “bollocks to the rules” is the turning point and shortly after that, the hunt for the beast increases tension.

Ralph betrays Piggy’s nickname. First conflict between the boys. Tension between Piggy and Ralph is created

Jack tries but cannot kill the pig. As Jack holds the knife over the pig, there is a very tense atmosphere

The ritual dance/miming the killing of the pig.

The chant “ kill the pig…” is very rhythmic. It is similar to a war chant

The hunt for the beast. Tension is created here as the boys do not know what to expect. They are frightened

Meeting where Jack leaves and forms his own tribe

Childish arguments and frustration between Ralph and Jack are evident. Tension increases

Death of Piggy and the conflict beforehand.

Conflict between Ralph and Piggy against the rest of the tribe. Tension is built up and suddenly released again by Piggy’s boding being washed away

Ralph running way from Jack’s tribe.

The feeling of being hunted creates an extremely tense and uncertain atmosphere – Ralph reverts to animal instincts, “screaming, snarling, bloody”

Middle - Increasing Savagery1. Rolling of the boulder – “Like a bomb” begins the descent into savagery2. The attempt to kill the Pig. This shows that Jack hasn’t lost his civilised behaviour3. Roger throwing stones. This shows the innate savagery and darkness4. Face painting. This is the first major step to savagery as by painting their faces they

lose their individual personalities. They can also commit savage deeds without feeling responsible

5. Killing of the pig, but Jack twitches which shows he still retains a little piece of order6. The boys no longer obey the rules, “ bollocks to rules” (turning point)7. Jack leaves the tribe. He makes a tribe which is mostly about hunting which is what

savage tribes do8. Death of Simon. He is killed by the boys, who have become savages, using sharpened

sticks9. Bloodlust is evident when the sow is killed10. The burning of the island to capture and kill Ralph. The savagery and darkness in Man’s

heart has taken over all the boys except Ralph

End• The end of the play is as abrupt as the beginning• The sentences are very short which adds to the

tension and the abruptness of the ending• The reader is so caught up by the events and the

tension that they just want to know what happens to Ralph

• The ending has a large impact because the reader has no time to disagree

• The story is over and has made its impression on us before we even realize it

EndThe ending is a “happy” one in the literal sense as the boys are rescued

and things will go back to normalBut because of the events on the island, physically they will only have

minor wounds that will heal over time. But mentally they, especially Ralph, will be scarred for life as they have lost their innocence and realised the “darkness in Man’s heart”

The reader is seduced by Golding into automatically accepting this idea before thinking it through and considering other possibilities.

Only after the story is read and felt thoroughly, can we understand the danger of allowing our inner darkness to take over. This is what Ralph realises at the end.

ChaptersThere is a definite structure of the chapters where some

aspects are dominantE.g. order & reason is dominant at the start of the novel. As

the savagery grows, order & reason is replaced by uncertainty and when the savagery is fully realised, it is the dominant force in the last part of the novel

This is linked to many other ideas that change like who is supreme chief in the novel (Ralph Ralph/Jack Jack) and the co-operation of the group (co-operation selfishness co-operation but it’s more forced)

Distribution of motifs• Motifs are distributed unevenly

and are repeated in many chapters.

• This reinforces the idea of each motif and assists the writer to express his ideas indirectly. E.g. the increasing images and scenes of dancing suggests the idea of increasing savagery in the boys.

• Fire is mentioned nearly all throughout the novel as this is the most important motif for Ralph and also for Jack but in a different way.

Chapters →Motifs ↓ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1

011

12

Fire X X X X X O X X X X X

Conch X X O X X X X X X

Beast X X X X X X X X X X

Dance X X X X X X X X

Glasses X X X X X O X X X

X = Mentioned O = Minor Mention Only

Distribution of motifs• The exception is at ch 1 when they

had no intention of being rescued and the island was still a paradise

• As the savagery grows, the beast and dancing is mentioned more often nearing the end of the novel

• It can also be seen here that the Conch is mentioned more to the end of the novel.

• This is because the authority and power it has over the boys becomes weaker and weaker so it must be mentioned more often to retain its purpose.

Chapters →Motifs ↓ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1

011

12

Fire X X X X X O X X X X X

Conch X X O X X X X X X

Beast X X X X X X X X X X

Dance X X X X X X X X

Glasses X X X X X O X X X

X = Mentioned O = Minor Mention Only

Fable Structure• A fable is a short fictional story intended to teach a moral

lesson like Aesop’s fables• The Lord of the Flies does not resemble a fable structure

as it allows much room for speculation, whereas a fable features one-dimensional characters, a simple story line and leaves little room for argument

• Instead of talking animals, Golding uses human characters that represent the dominant motifs

• As these human characters interact with each other and their environment, so do the ideas that they represent

Fable Structure• Using characters allows Golding to compare and contrast• Unlike Aesop’s animals, human beings act in ways that

frequently conflict with the values they hold, like Ralph• Because Ralph finds himself participating in the same

savage behaviour he condemns in the other boys, he presents a realistic picture of a humane person resorting to brutality under unusual circumstances

• Other characters also bring ambiguity to the motifs they embody

Fable Structure• Piggy, for example, represents the scientific rationalist whose

knowledge and intellect far exceed that of the other boys. Yet for all his intelligence, he cannot figure out how to speak so that the others will listen as he lacks the social skills and leadership

• Golding doesn’t force us to accept this lesson in morality like the ending proverb in fables, but leaves us to make our own decisions about mankind

• At the end of Golding’s fable, the reader has not learned that evil is confined to the “Jack” part of society - the pacifist Ralph participated in some of the brutal tribal activities.

Fable Structure• Also the reader does not learn that science or even

common sense will save humanity from itself - Piggy is ridiculed throughout and then killed.

• Insight into the human condition will not save us - the fate of the saint-like Simon.

• Instead the reader learns that evil lives in us all, and there is no proverb to remedy that situation: Golding presents to us a complex fable and moral lesson