Lord of the Flies, Chapter Seven

Symbolism

Authors, including William Golding, commonly use reoccurring symbols that are vital to the plot and help define the different themes. The first six chapters of Lord of the Flies contain a number of symbols. Since these symbols are used throughout the novel, the symbols are a vital part of the story. These symbols add to the plot and help define the different themes. Remember, authors commonly use symbolism in literature. Symbolism is the practice of representing things by attributing symbolic meaning to objects, events, or relationships. In this interactivity, click each marker to view the different symbols and their meanings from Lord of the Flies. Click the player button to get started.

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Theme

Theme can be defined as the main idea of a text and it can be expressed directly or indirectly.  Similar to direct and indirect characterization that you studied earlier, a theme that is stated directly will be stated outright, either by the narrator or by one of the characters in the novel.  A theme that is expressed indirectly will require a little more thought on the part of the reader to figure it out, and the reader will have to examine the setting, characters, and dialogue to determine the theme(s).

When trying to figure out a theme, you should consider the choices the author makes when writing the novel.  For example, there is a reason that Golding had the novel set on a tropical and deserted island.  Likewise, there is a reason that he did not have any adult survivors and that he had the boys be within a specific age range.  Golding was trying to make some statements about the way societies function as well as offer some commentary about the state of the world.  In this interactivity, click each of the number or use the previous and next buttons to explore some of the themes that are found in Lord of the Flies. Click the player button to get stated.

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Theme Review

In this non-graded interactivity, read the theme description and select the character(s) or situation that you would include in a discussion about that theme. Click SUBMIT to check your answer. Click the player button to get started.