A comparison of the literary elements of characterization and setting in Mark Twain's "Huckelberry Finn" and William Golding's "Lord of the Flies"

The societies in "Lord of the Flies" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" both have startling and often horrifying effects on the individuals within them. William Golding and Mark Twain both present novels where the characters must suffer the consequences of society, which are often quite harsh. However, these consequences can also be a lesson to the individual in that society, and sometimes produce a positive effect. The society or societal expectations can often force …

…show the growth of Huck's character through his denial of societal expectations. The way that Golding and Twain use these two literary devices enhances the similarities between the themes of the two novels. The setting and characterization in Lord of the Flies and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn show how our modern society, which has many of the same aspects as the societies in the novels, affects the individuals in it both positively and negatively.