Lord of the Flies Essay Questions

Compare and contrast the development of Ralph and Jack in terms of their values, their leadership methods, and their personal relationships throughout the novel. How are the two characters different? In what ways are they similar?

When Ralph realizes that there are no grown-ups on the island, he is delighted. But as events transpire, his feelings change. How does Ralph’s response to the absence of adults evolve?

Golding provides lush descriptions of the island’s natural setting. How does the natural world predict, imitate, or mirror the course of the conflict among the boys?

An atomic war serves as the novel’s backdrop. How does Golding use this setting and the events of the novel to comment on contemporary civilization?

As their time on the island increases, the boys’ physical appearance changes in both subtle and dramatic ways. How do these alterations in appearance parallel changes in the boys’ sense of community and their ideas of appropriate behavior?