“Maybe there is a beast… maybe it’s only us.” — William Golding, Lord of the Flies
Chapter 1: The Sound of the Shell
After a plane crash, a group of British schoolboys find themselves stranded on a deserted island. Ralph, a fair-haired boy, and Piggy, an overweight, intellectual boy, discover a conch shell. Ralph blows it to summon other survivors, including Jack Merridew, the leader of a choir group. The boys elect Ralph as their leader, though Jack resents this. Ralph, Jack, and Simon explore the island and confirm they are alone.
Chapter 2: Fire on the Mountain
Ralph calls an assembly and establishes rules, emphasizing the need for a signal fire to attract rescuers. The boys use Piggy’s glasses to start a fire, but it quickly burns out of control, destroying part of the forest. A small boy with a birthmark claims to have seen a “beastie,” but the older boys dismiss him.
Chapter 3: Huts on the Beach
Tensions rise as the boys struggle to maintain order. Ralph and Simon work on building shelters, while Jack obsessively hunts pigs. The younger boys (littluns) grow fearful of the island’s unknown dangers, and the first signs of division between Ralph’s leadership and Jack’s hunting group emerge.
Chapter 4: Painted Faces and Long Hair
Jack paints his face, embracing savagery to hunt more effectively. Meanwhile, a ship passes, but the signal fire has gone out because Jack’s hunters neglected it. Enraged, Ralph confronts Jack, but the hunters celebrate their first successful pig kill, further dividing the group.
Chapter 5: Beast from Water
Ralph calls another assembly to address the boys’ growing fear of the “beast.” Piggy insists the beast is imaginary, but Jack mocks him, undermining Ralph’s authority. The meeting dissolves into chaos as fear spreads, and Jack leads a group away, rejecting Ralph’s leadership.
Chapter 6: Beast from Air
A dead parachutist lands on the island, mistaken by the boys for the beast. Sam and Eric, the twins guarding the fire, panic and report seeing the creature. Jack and Ralph lead an expedition to hunt the beast, further escalating tensions.
Chapter 7: Shadows and Tall Trees
Ralph, Jack, and Roger continue searching for the beast. Jack wounds a pig, reveling in the violence. When they reach the mountain, they see the parachutist’s corpse and flee in terror, convinced the beast is real.
Chapter 8: Gift for the Darkness
Jack openly rebels against Ralph, declaring himself the new leader. Most boys join him, forming a savage tribe. Simon, alone in the forest, hallucinates a conversation with the “Lord of the Flies” (a pig’s head on a stick), which taunts him, suggesting the beast is within them.
Chapter 9: A View to a Death
Simon discovers the truth—the “beast” is the dead parachutist. He rushes to tell the others, but in a frenzied ritual, Jack’s tribe mistakes him for the beast and murders him. His body is washed away by the storm.
Chapter 10: The Shell and the Glasses
Ralph, Piggy, and Samneric are the last remaining civilized boys. Jack’s tribe steals Piggy’s glasses to control the fire, leaving Ralph’s group helpless. The boys are now fully divided, with Jack ruling through fear and violence.
Chapter 11: Castle Rock
Ralph, Piggy, and Samneric confront Jack’s tribe to demand Piggy’s glasses back. Roger, now fully savage, rolls a boulder, killing Piggy and shattering the conch. Samneric are captured, leaving Ralph completely alone.
Chapter 12: Cry of the Hunters
Jack’s tribe hunts Ralph, setting the island on fire to smoke him out. As Ralph flees for his life, he stumbles upon a naval officer who has arrived after seeing the smoke. The officer is shocked by the boys’ savagery. Overcome with emotion, Ralph weeps for the loss of innocence.
Key Ideas
- The inherent darkness in human nature
- The breakdown of civilization under pressure
- The conflict between savagery and order
- The loss of innocence
- The dangers of mob mentality
Notable Adaptations
| Year | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Lord of the Flies | First film adaptation, directed by Peter Brook |
| 1990 | Lord of the Flies | Modernized version with American boys |
| 2017 | Lord of the Flies (Stage Play) | Adapted by Nigel Williams |
Who should read this book?
- Readers interested in psychological and moral dilemmas
- Fans of dystopian and allegorical fiction
- Students exploring themes of power and human nature