Context

Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding, was published in 1954. The novel is set in the time immediately after World War Two. This is proven as Piggy states "Didn't you hear what the pilot said? About the atom bomb?" As the atom bomb officially marked the end of World War Two, for it to be known and already happened it must be sometime after World War Two. However, a group of British schoolboys are being evacuated (or the reverse) by aeroplane, thus it mustn't be too long after the ending of the Second World War. Stated by the naval officer who rescued them "...a pack of British boys - you're all British aren't you..." Also, we know that the World isn't as advanced as it has currently become. Not all the islands have been discovered, "My Dad they still haven't found all the islands" states Ralph who's father is a naval officer. And not all creatures and animals have been discovered, esp creatures of the sea. "Daddy said they haven't found all the animals in the sea yet," says Maurice who's father is also in the navy. These facts and quotes all explain the context of this novel, that the novel is set in the context of immediately after the ending of World War Two.

Character, ROGER

Almost as if a final confirmation of the greater evil residing in Roger, the hunt after Ralph in the final chapter is lead by Roger. The tribe of savages , led by Roger, attempt to murder Ralph as they had done Piggy and Simon. Upon discovery of his predicament, Ralph miserably questioned the twins Samneric - who had been forced into the tribe through fear and torture at Roger's' hand - what would happen to him when the savages caught him. The terrifying reply read: "Roger sharpened a stick at both ends. (page 234)" This implies that Roger, through boundless quantities of evil and cruelty, would roast Ralph after, or perhaps before, his death. Roger even went as far as lighting the bush on fire in an effort to flush out his quarry.

The fact that he deliberately killed Piggy by rolling the rock; "Roger, with a sense of delirious abandonment, leaned all his weight on the lever (page 222)" only serves to prove this inner chaos and violent revelry. In fact, even members of the savages' tribe - esp the newly integrated Samneric - are afraid of Roger. "After a moment's silence, Sam spoke in a strangled voice. "You don't know Roger. He's a terror." (page 233)"

This is well illustrated in the quote "Roger advanced upon them as one wielding a nameless authority (page 224)." I believe it shows how deep Rogers' conviction is in being one of Jack's compatriots. It signifies him crossing to the other side, from where there is no return.

Exactly, see how he could have been a good person if only he had held true to his beliefs and rules. Sadly, what happened to him also happened to a greater or lesser extent to all the other boys. I thought he always appeared to be a strong person, true to his beliefs, but it turns out his beliefs were not of a similar kind to Ralph's.

He always had a full potential for good, - to be loyal to Ralph and his idea of Rescue and civilisation - or to be evil - to be a compatriot of Jack's in his own land of savages, where the fist rules and reason doesn't exist. This is shown (as he threw stones to the sides of Henry) by the quote "Yet there was a space around Henry, perhaps six yards in diameter, into which he dare not throw. Here, invisible yet strong, was the taboo of the old life. Round the squatting child was the protection of parents and school and police-men and the law." (page 78)

I thought Roger was 1 of the most important characters in the end. I thought he would turn out to be on Ralph's side but turns out he became even more evil than Jack was.