Every now and then, one finds themselves taking a deeper look inside of their soul, often times resulting in the discovery of an inner being. This inner being is perfectly depicted through the lord of the flies. Contrary to the boys’ beliefs, the lord of the flies, or in the novel the symbol of the "beast", is not "something you could hunt and kill" (164), but rather a spirit that dwells inside of a soul, and slowly seduces one into complete and utter savagery. In the novel, Lord of the Flies, William Golding gives the reader a glimpse into a society composed of a group of young British boys, all raised in a civilized and orderly manner, that find themselves stranded on a deserted island. Fighting for survival, many of the boys surrender to the Beast that engulfs them. Others, like Ralph, find themselves in a much more complex and compromising battle- one that takes place inside the mind. In his novel, Lord of the Flies, William Golding uses the motifs of the pig dance, the conch, and the masks to convey the theme that man becomes a corrupt and savage being without a strict system of order and civilization.
By dancing and singing to celebrate the brutal murdering of a pig, the boys enter into a society, or even a cult, surrounded by sadistic and brutal thoughts. The first time the boys perform this ritual, Golding describes their actions as “relieved and excited…making pig-dying noises and shouting” (81). Clearly, the boys feel a rush of exhilaration and excitement when they escape their civilized manner and become a member of this vicious sacrament. These feelings serve only to propel them deeper into this cult, as one can see in their future “pig dances. Later in the novel, Golding describes Ralph’s feelings during the next pig dance, writing that “the desire to squeeze and hurt was overwhelming” (130). Here, it is obvious that even one of the most civilized boys on the island can still be overcome with this “desire”. The reader can see that the young boys are slowly becoming more savage and drifting further away from their civilized norms. During one of the last “pig dances” mentioned in the novel, one can see that the experience has become much more atrocious and brutal: “There were no words, and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws” (175). Here, every boy is transfixed by this power that has overcome them. They are helpless to defend themselves and ultimately give in to the beast. Through the ritual of the “pig dances”, the reader is able to interpret Goldings’ theme that a man without civilization is a savage and corrupt man.
From the beginning of the novel, Golding establishes the symbolism of the conch. It represents order and development in their small society. For example, the first person to use the conch is Ralph. As a result, Ralph becomes the leader of the group for the majority of the novel. In fact, it is only when the conch is broken near the end of the novel that Ralph completely loses his influence over the boys, as if it were contained in the shell and escaped when it shattered. During the first meeting with the conch, the boys are eager to embark on an adventure of living as young civilized British boys on the deserted island, and declare that they will “have rules!...Lots of rules! Then when anyone breaks ‘em-…” (33). The boys then proceed to make noises suggesting some sort of punishment for anyone that breaks these rules. Clearly, they are used to a system of order, most likely stemming from their private schools, and feel more comfortable functioning when this system is put in place. Near the middle of the novel, the plot thickens. Jack threatens to create his own tribe, which Ralph and Piggy know will only lead to more havoc. They have no choice but to confront the said “savages” and demand that they first give Piggy’s specs back after brutally stealing them during the night, and second, they insist upon sticking together because there is a possibility that they will be there for the rest of their lives. Ralph gives Piggy the honor of carrying the conch to their fort, and “Piggy sought in his mind for words to convey his passionate willingness to carry the conch against all odds” (198). The reader can see that the conch has power over Piggy, and he feels humbled by the privilege to carry it for a few minutes. The conch is a symbol of authority over the other boys, something that Piggy, as intelligent as he is, has been deprived of since they landed on the island. Later, when Ralph and Piggy confront the other boys about their savagery, the sadistic Roger begins to throw rocks down at Piggy. Then he rolled the great rock, and “the rock struck Piggy…the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist”(209). From this point on, Ralph sees that he is now fighting against his own kind; he is alone, with no one on his side. Thus begins his fight for survival, one of the many that took place on the island. Through the symbolism of the conch, Golding is able to portray to the reader the theme that order and civilization must be present in a society for its citizens to maintain a civilized manner.
Whenever one of the boys creates a mask on their face using the pigs’ blood and other substances, he becomes a completely different creature all together- one that marvels in the infliction of pain and fear upon others. For example, when Jack first discovers the power of the mask, Golding writes that “his laughter became a bloodthirsty snarling” (68). Jack had clearly been overtaken by the power of the mask, and was powerless against it. Often times, the boys will talk about the “painted savages” with fear and awe in their voices. Ralph even comments that he would “like to put on war-paint and be a savage” (162). The reader can clearly see that the boys on the island are all affected by the painted masks, even if they personally refuse to participate in the experience. One of the most profound examples of the influence of the mask is Golding’s description of Jacks thoughts:”…the mask was a thing on its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-consciousness…the mask compelled them”(69). Through the mask, Golding shows that the need for civilization on the island is so great that the boys will resort to even the most demented solutions to satisfy their needs.
By using the motifs such as the pig dance, the conch, and the mask, Golding is able to portray the theme that without civilization and order, man is susceptible to giving in to the forces that will transform him into a complete and utter savage. These motifs show the drastic change that occurred in many of the boys when they were left without discipline and supervision. When one is outside of his/her comfort zone, the boys’ being their school, one is vulnerable to being influenced by the thing inside them that tempts them to turn to savagery and disorder; this thing is the lord of the flies. Although the book was written nearly four decades ago, its theme outlasts time in that even today’s society is still influenced by these same forces.