Theme of Lord of the Flies

In Lord of the Flies, a novel by William Golding, the protagonist Ralph asks his friend Piggy, “What makes things break up like they do?” (127). This very serious question gives insight into the novel’s central theme. Before analyzing the novel, however, it is first important to note the historical period in which the novel was published, and important events that occurred in the life of Golding before the novel’s publication. The novel was …

…Lord of the Flies is a novel that has a bleak outlook on humanity, and the future of humanity. Golding tells a story of a group of very young boys who end up resorting to even murder. For what reason? Golding put it best: “The boys try to construct a civilization on the island; but it breaks down in blood and terror because the boys are suffering from the terrible disease of being human” (Rosenfield 247).