Topic sentences

Question 1

Ralph

Answer 1

– At the beginning of the novel, Ralph is presented as a democratic leader determined to maintain civilisation on the island, contrasting characters like Jack.
– However, Golding begins to show Ralph’s descent into savagery, illustrating how no one can hide from the pull of darkness and deceit.
– By the end of the novel, Ralph’s lack of control and morality highlights the great evil which can arise without the bounds of society.

Question 2

Jack

Answer 2

– Golding conveys Jack’s desire for power at the expense of others.
– Golding demonstrates Jack’s devolution into savagery and how this allows him to commit atrocities far beyond what he might have done within the bounds of society.
– Golding also uses Jack to suggest that power can be gained and maintained far more effectively when based on fear rather than respect.

Question 3

Piggy

Answer 3

– From the very beginning of the novel, Golding shows Piggy to be the voice of reason and logic.
– Despite this, Piggy is often the object of derision from the other boys, his weight and conditions mark him as physically inferior to the boys, as well as there being a subtle class divide between him and the boys.

Question 4

Simon

Answer 4

– Golding illustrates Simon as a virtuous, almost Christ-like figure, highlighting how people have the capacity for both good and evil, and suggesting that maybe it is necessary to make a conscious effort to choose the light and not the darkness.
– Golding uses Simon’s death to illustrate how goodness and light is often destroyed in a world where darkness fights to overcome all else.

Question 5

Roger

Answer 5

– Roger’s descent into savagery emphasises the need for the boundaries of society in controlling the inherent evil of mankind.
– Roger’s rise in authority towards the end of the book suggests that more power can be garnered through fear than respect.

Question 6

Civilisation vs Savagery

Answer 6

– Golding illustrates the duality of man, and how we are all subject to the conflict between civilisation and savagery.
– Golding suggests that when we have the freedom to choose, without societal boundaries, humanity will lean towards the more primal and savage side of their nature, highlighting the importance of the bounds of civilisation.

Question 7

Power

Question 8

Fear

Answer 8

– Golding illustrates how it is fear more than anything which pushes the boys to embrace their more primal instincts.
– Golding also demonstrates how fear is uses by some of the boys as a method of control, reflecting the totalitarian tendency to use fear tactics to influence people.

Question 9

Innocence

Question 10

Nature