The Theme Of Loss Of Innocence In Lord Of The Flies

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In The Lord of the Flies, a novel written by William Golding, Ralph, the protagonist, a twelve-year old British boy left on an island with younger British boys, recollects: But the island was scorched up like dead wood━Simon was dead━and Jack had. . . . The tears began to flow and sobs shook him. He gave himself up to them now for the first time on the island; great, shuddering spasms of grief that seemed to wrench his whole body. (202) Ralph reflects upon the boys’ actions and recognizes that they all have lost their innocence, which can be interpreted as maturing and being exposed to the savagery within human beings. A loss of innocence is a major theme addressed by Golding in The Lord of the Flies, and is evident throughout much of the novel. …show more content…

However, as civilized British schoolboys, they are unable to overcome the influence of adults and society and kill the pig. Later on, Jack continuously attempts to hunt for meat, but is never successful. After the consecutive failures, Jack argues, “I was just waiting for a moment to decide where to stab him… I was choosing a place. Next time━!“ (31). Gradually, he loses his innocence; he becomes bloodthirsty and violent, breaking the barrier that civilization and society has created. Another hunt ensues the previous failures, during which Jack creates a mask, which symbolizes a final shift between civilization and savagery; with innocence lost , Jack and his hunters succeed in

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