Lord of the Flies, by William Golding

(1) Think of one or two adjectives to describe the following characters:

• Ralph 
• Jack
• Simon
• Piggy
• Roger
• Sam and Eric

(2) Think about the differences between the two main antagonists, Ralph and Jack. How are they different from each other? At what point did you realise this uneasy truce would end badly?

(3) In what way can Piggy with his eye glasses be seen to represent rational,
scientific aspects of society?

(4) What role does the conch play?

(5) What does the beast represent? How is it used by Jack to control the others? What does Simon mean when he suggests the beast is only the boys
themselves?

(6) Why do the littleuns choose to follow Jack and the hunters rather than Ralph?

(7) What does hunting mean to Jack at the beginning and then later? What
happens to his mental state after he kills his first pig?

(8) The pig’s head on a stick is named by Simon as the “Lord of the Flies” (Lord of the Flyers = Beelzebub). Is this an important symbol? Why?

(9) What do you think of Golding’s vision of humanity? Are we born with an
instinct for peace and cooperation or violence and dominance?

(10) Golding wrote the novel 10 years after the Second World War. Is it a novel
of its time or is it still relevant today? Why?