As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 79,000 lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you succeed.
Try it risk-freeAlready registered? Log in here for access
Judith has taught university literacy and teacher education courses and holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction.
Let's say that you wanted a way to explain your beliefs and other abstract ideas but you didn't want to express them directly. You may decide to tell a story that has deeper meaning beyond superficial details, a story that's more like a really long metaphor. You want to create a tale in which characters, plot, and setting work together to symbolize situations found in real life.
An allegory is one such literary device you could use to communicate your ideas. It allows you to weave together themes and motifs to tell a story that allows for deeper interpretation.
Allegory is used in William Golding's classic novel Lord of the Flies. In this book, Golding's use of setting, plot, and characters are much more than they seem; they all work together to convey a particular message. We are going to look at two widely accepted allegorical readings of Lord of the Flies: the story as a biblical allegory and as a geo-political one. As we will soon see, Golding is trying to teach us something about human nature as well as issue a dire warning. Let's turn first to the biblical allegory in Lord of the Flies.
Before the book is even opened, its similarities to stories of the Bible are apparent. The title Lord of the Flies is a literal translation of Beelzebub, a Hebrew name for Satan. The biblical allegory is also present in the setting. The boys' plane crash lands on a lush uninhabited island unscathed by human influence, a figurative Garden of Eden. The island provides fruit, materials for shelter, and in some sense, escape from the war raging in the outside world.
However, just as in the Bible, paradise will soon be lost, and its inhabitants will suffer a momentous downfall leading to their expulsion from the island. This downfall is foreseen by Simon, one of the novel's main protagonists. In many ways, Simon is a Christ-like figure. He is the only one in the story to care for and feed the younger children. He meditates in a forest glen and is met by evil - the sow's head, swarming with flies - just as Christ dwells in the Garden of Gethsemane and is tempted by Satan. Additionally, Simon, like Jesus, is eventually betrayed and dies as a result of the behavior of his former friends.
If we consider the context in which Golding wrote Lord of the Flies, the geo-political allegory is easily seen. The book was written after the devastation of World War II, when the world was politically divided into the so-called Free World and the Communist Block.
In the novel, the boys quickly divide into two camps. One is led by the democratic and rational Ralph, the other by the cruel dictatorship of Jack. As a cautionary tale, Golding may have been warning the world of the consequences of autocracy. In the novel, the former paradise of the island is set aflame by Jack's ruthlessness and that of his followers.
The true ironic use of allegory though is revealed in the final few paragraphs of the novel. Ralph, who is being hunted through the now burning island only narrowly escapes death when a naval officer who has seen the fire comes ashore. Gazing in astonishment at the now savage boys, the officer expresses his disappointment in their state and behavior. The irony is that once the officer returns the boys to England, he will return to the war and engage in killing under the accepted banner of war. In essence, Golding is asking, 'Who will save the world from destruction by its own?'
In this lesson, we explored two allegories in William Golding's classic novel Lord of the Flies. The first allegorical reading of the novel is biblical. We see how Golding echoed stories found in the Bible to warn readers of the dangers of giving in to the dark side of human nature. The second allegorical reading of the novel revolves around the geo-political consequences of war. Using the island as a microcosm of global society, Golding speaks about the devastating, long-term effects of warfare. In either allegorical sense, the author presents us with a cautionary tale about human morality.
To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member.
Create your account
Already a member? Log In
BackAlready registered? Log in here for access
Did you know… We have over 200 college courses that prepare you to earn credit by exam that is accepted by over 1,500 colleges and universities. You can test out of the first two years of college and save thousands off your degree. Anyone can earn credit-by-exam regardless of age or education level.
To learn more, visit our Earning Credit Page
Not sure what college you want to attend yet? Study.com has thousands of articles about every imaginable degree, area of study and career path that can help you find the school that's right for you.
Back To Course
Lord of the Flies Study Guide6 chapters | 92 lessons | 2 flashcard sets
{{courseNav.course.topics.length}} chapters | {{courseNav.course.mDynamicIntFields.lessonCount}} lessons | {{course.flashcardSetCount}} flashcard set{{course.flashcardSetCoun > 1 ? 's' : ''}}
Next Lesson
Watch 5 minute video clips, get step by step explanations, take practice quizzes and tests to master any topic.
Study.com has a library of 750,000 questions and answers for covering your toughest textbook problems
I love the way expert tutors clearly explains the answers to my homework questions. Keep up the good work!
- Maritess, College StudentStudy.com video lessons have helped over 30 million students.
"I learned more in 10 minutes than 1 month of chemistry classes"
- Ashlee P.
"I learned more in 10 minutes than 1 month of chemistry classes"
- Ashlee P.
"I aced the CLEP exam and earned 3 college credits!"
- Clair S.
Over 65 million users have prepared for {{displayNameByProductKey[registrationData.product || testPrepCocoon]}} and other exams on Study.com
"The videos have changed the way I teach! The videos on Study.com accomplish in 5 minutes what would take me an entire class."
- Chris F.
Over 65 million users have prepared for {{displayNameByProductKey[registrationData.product || testPrepCocoon]}} and other exams on Study.com
