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Lord of the Flies can be categorized into two genres: allegorical and dystopian fiction. An allegorical novel is when a writer may use symbols/objects or characters to convey a moral and deeper meaning. His central message is the concept of civilization is fragile.
In chapter 2, page 34, the beast is introduced. At first, it is described as a “snake thing”. Snakes generally have negative connotations as it is usually used to portray, one of the reasons is the story of Genesis, it is believed that it was the snake/serpent that led Eve to eat the forbidden fruit and corrupt her mind this leads the readers to believe that the snake/beast is clearly evil and symbolizes the inherent evil within ourselves. The readers can comprehend this concept, and Simon is the first character to 'Maybe there is a beast...maybe it's only us.' -Chapter.5 page 95
Ralph denies the existence of there ever being a dark side to humanity, despite witnessing it firsthand with the hunters and Jack when they turn barbaric and into savages. 'Something he had not known was there rose in him and compelled him to make the point, loudly and again. 'But I tell you there isn't a beast!” Instead, the rest of the boys see this beast as an animal rather than the idea that evil is inherent in each individual. Golding’s use of exclamative here shows
The boy's belief in the beast leads them to behave more barbarically and act from feelings of fear, by doing this, they are not bounded to the rules that were initially introduced by Ralph and as a result, they begin to demonstrate barbaric behavior and a loss of civilization.
It could also be described as a dystopian novel because Golding presents the characters living in a state of fear, the opposite of a utopian society. A utopian society would have a stress-free environment and be perfect for its citizens. A place where people can be free of suffering. Dystopian writers such as Golding, embed fear and violence into the novel to convey a wider message. At the beginning of the novel, the readers are led to believe that the boys are living in a utopian society, and this is because of Golding’s choice of setting. Being surrounded by beaches, water, and exotic fruits. However, this novel only reinforces the idea that suffering is inevitable as it is a result of their inherently flawed nature. Golding presents the characters as being in constant suffering. The boys go hungry and become dirty, living in constant fear of the beast, all whilst being under the cruel and oppressive rule of Jack.
The message is that it only there can never truly be a perfect and stress-free society for its citizens (utopia), however, it can be made easier and better through a democratic system, and the protagonist represents this. A conch shell is used to symbolize a civilized society that works through democracy, it also acts as authority between the boys. This is evident in chapter 2, page 31 when Simon says “ I'll give the conch to the next person to speak” This civilization that has been created on this island almost reflects where they left from. However, the conch quickly becomes a symbol of great power and is used to represent the stark contrast between democracy (Ralph) and dictatorship (Jack)
The writer uses a third-person narrator, this voice is completely separate from the other characters. Golding's choice to use an omniscient narrator is effective because it allows the narrator and readers to stay objective. Most of the narration is dedicated to the protagonist, Ralph and this may cause most readers to become slightly biased and lean towards characters like Ralph, however, with a third-person narrator, the reader is allowed to see what is going on without certain characters clouding their judgment.
On the other hand, the novel ‘We Need to talk about Kevin’ is written by Lionel Shriver in a first-person narrative. This is evident in the first line of the novel chapter 1 page 1 when Eva begins the letter by saying “I’m unsure why one trifling incident this afternoon has moved me to write to you”. Shriver’s choice to use a first-person narrative is effective because it creates a vivid portrayal of the character's thoughts and emotions, creating an intimate feel. Shriver’s choice of narrative allows the reader to create a bias and be able to empathize with Eva. Golding does the opposite of this and allows the readers to remain objective.
Golding’s writing style in this novel is a mixture of vivid descriptions of nature, capturing graphic action scenes and lengthy passages of dialogue. Although his writing style has a mixture, it is effective as it creates a sense of foreboding which is maintained throughout the novel. The sense of foreboding reflects how the group of boys socially declines and turns into barbaric behavior, violence, and chaos. The writer generally uses different types of techniques to tell the story, however, the content of the novel almost always goes back to the problem of evil, civilization vs savagery, and how they’re binary opposites.
When Golding was writing Lord of the Flies, the society he was living in was different. The Second World War that Golding served in, ended but Britain was still dealing with the effects of war and grieving. The few years that Golding served still had a huge impact on his life and the way he viewed society. Golding was exposed to barbaric behavior that humans were capable of. During his time here, Golding was able to examine the duality of man and how the “civilized” side of humanity can quickly turn barbaric and savage. When writing about his experiences serving in the war, Golding says “man produces evil, as a bee produces honey.” Ultimately saying that it is natural for humankind to act in such a way and evil is inherent within every individual.
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