The Social, Cultural, and Historical Issues in Coral Island and Lord of the Flies

The Social, Cultural, and Historical Issues in Coral Island and Lord of the Flies

At first sight, ‘Coral Island’ seems an extremely pompous and arrogant

novel. This, however, is because the book is being read from a 21st

century perspective, whereas when Ballantyne wrote ‘Coral Island’ it

was seen as a thoroughly enjoyable story. This is because the book

was written in the 19th century, when the people of Britain felt that

they had developed an organised society where humans were at their

best and flourishing. As Ballantyne himself described the society:

‘Britons at the top of the tree, savages and pigs at the bottom.’

Looking at ‘Coral Island’ from a 20th century point of view, Golding

analysed the book very critically and decided that it was an out of

date, arrogant, false portrayal of society and that he could write a

better book. He sat down and wrote ‘Lord of the Flies’ to show the

problems of human nature. The island in the book was used just as a

place to put his group of boys away from the adult world, but also had

symbolic values linked closely to the theme of evil in man throughout

the novel:

‘The island itself is a symbol of perfection and paradise, and the

instant that humans arrive, a scar of destruction is left through the

once perfect forest. The island is also boat shaped, and looking out

at the waves at a point on the island gives the illusion that it is

moving backwards. This symbolises a journey in which man is always

moving on, but makes no progress in life.’

As well as being linked to Golding’s beliefs, the use of the island

also enabled direct comparisons with ‘Coral Island’. Golding hated

the tone and ideas of Ballantyne in ‘Coral Island’, and expressed his

thoughts publi...

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...e rescue in the end

where adult life appears, dignified and capable, but in reality

enmeshed in the same evil as the symbolic life of the children on the

island. The officer, having interrupted a manhunt, prepares to take

the children off the island in a ship which will presently be hunting

its enemy in the same way. And who will rescue the officer?’

Overall, I think the main theme running throughout ‘Coral Island’ is

the nobility and courage of Victorian England, that the English are

innocent and that they can do nothing wrong. These views are

completely turned upside down by Golding in ‘Lord of the Flies’. I

think Golding makes a very clear point that society holds everyone

together. Without strong government and rules, mayhem and savagery

will thrive, and without policemen and schools men revert to their

primitive beginnings as hunters and killers.