With reference to the ways Golding presents the boys, show how far you agree that rescue is the boys’ main concern.
This is an essay on rescue in William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”. This essay received an A, and I received an A* overall.
With reference to the ways Golding presents the boys, show how far you
agree that rescue is the boys’ main concern.
Throughout the novel “Lord of the Flies”, rescue is a key theme, and a
driving force for Ralph’s actions during the plot. However, rescue is also one of
the main causes of conflicts between the two factions on the island. As the
novel progresses, the boys worry less and less about rescue and more about
the primal desires within them. By the novel’s conclusion, where Jack’s control
of the island is complete, rescue is no longer a concern for anyone but Ralph.
Under Ralph’s leadership at the beginning of the novel, rescue is a top
priority. The one hope of returning home, of rescue, for Ralph is the fire. As
the boat passes by, we see Ralph’s dedication to keeping the fire (and the
hope for rescue) alive as he does “desperate violence to his body”, trying to
light the fire before it’s too late. The adjective “desperate” is an example of
emotive language and has a significant effect on the reader, causing them to
intensely empathise with Ralph. Golding employs the phrase to show his
readers the extent to which Ralph would go to in order to keep the fire
burning- to the point of physically injuring himself. This establishes Ralph’s
commitment to and prioritisation of the fire and the rescue.
However, not all of the boys share Ralph’s concerns. As Ralph rushes
to the fire, Jack has chosen to prioritise hunting. His violent nature has caused
him to find great joy in the “lashings of blood”. The noun “lashings” is most
commonly associated with describing delicious meals and sweet treats. The
use of it here highlights the enjoyment Jack has found in killing, revealing his
bloodthirsty character. The theory of evolution details a hypothesis in which
man has grown from more primitive animals. In “Lord of the Flies”, Jack
becomes devolved reverting back to his primal state. Animals in this state
require to be the strongest to survive, and Jack has adopted this concept
believing strength to be the only thing necessary for survival. This
demonstrates to the reader that Jack dismissed the need for rescue, and
focused on hunting and violence instead.
In chapter five, Ralph accepts responsibility and authority. As a result,
he attempts to convince the other boys to leave behind their fanciful desires in
favour of logic. This is evident when Ralph declares “this meeting must not be
fun, but business”. The use of the noun “business” portrays to the reader how
Ralph convinces the other boys to quit their immaturity, as business is a
fundamental part of the adult world. By devoting himself to the maturation of
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