A novel of boyish adventure

It is a novel of boyish adventure. British boys are marooned on to an uninhabited coral island when the plane they are travelling in is attacked. The boys are at first overwhelmed by the beauty of the island and by the thought that they are on their own. The excitement reduces at night fall when they realize that there is no adult on the island and that they are on their own. Fear sets in when darkness takes over day and the boys start fearing the unknown just like any child left on his or her own.The boys are cut off from civilization and the guidance of elders. They at first organize themselves with enthusiasm only to find the organization broken up by personal rivalry and undisciplined behavior. At first there is a desire to conform to their previous existence through a strict code of rules. Ralph, the boy with fair hair and Piggy are the first to reach the beach. They come across a shell that Piggy calls a conch and advises Ralph what it can be used for; they call a meeting of the survivors. As Ralph retains his leadership he serves as a constant reminder of and comforting link with the adult world.The instinct for security draws the boys together. They try to organize themselves like adults but the evil nature of man overcomes them. Jack at first fails to kill a pig because he says blood is unbearable. Then Jack liberates himself from shame and self consciousness by painting his face with the pig’s blood as a mask. By doing this he no longer had the fear of killing. It is a world of children’s games where some take an opportunity to harm others in the pretext of playing; the only problem is that there is no parental control. The change to night time introduces the idea of the beast or snake which is an unidentifiable threat to their security. The threat further grows when the dead airman is seen floating on the sea. This state of affairs causes fear and the wish to have grown ups around. The boys miss a golden chance of rescue due to their carelessness. Ralph painfully laments: “Which is better, law and rescue, or hunting and breaking things up?”Simon tries to identify the true cause of their fear and he pays a price for trying to find the truth: “….maybe it is only us.” The innocence of childhood is soon shattered by the murder of some of their fellow boys. What began as a ritual play and chant later develops into ritual murder. Piggy laments: “What are we? Humans? Or animals? Or savages? What’s grownups going to think?” It is no wonder that Ralph wept for the end of innocence and the darkness of man’s heart.Sir William Golding’s boys eventually come to embody the ultimate savagery in man. Their little world is a microcosm of the real world which portrays the most malicious, evil, sadistic, envious and power hungry instinct in man.The reviewer is an educationist and publisher-