conflict

• “The creature was a party of boys, marching approximately in step in two parallel lines and dressed in strangely eccentric clothing...The boy who controlled them was dressed in the same way though his cap badge was golden.” 


  -golding immediately introduces conflict through power and identity. The boys are described collectively as “the creature”, a striking metaphor that dehumanises the group, stripping them of individuality.

  -“marching approximately in step” hints at a militaristic structure, introducing a hierarchical power dynamic. It conveys discipline, control, and order.

  • “strangely eccentric clothing” symbolises the tension between civilisation and chaos. though the boys cling to old society, “eccentric” suggests this normality is distorted or fading.

  "the boy who controlled them” highlights Jack’s authority, immediately positioning him as a dominant figure. foreshadows the conflict for leadership between Jack and Ralph
• “I’m not going to play any longer. Not with you...I’m not going to be part of Ralph’s lot - “ -jack


  -marks a turning point in the novel, where Jack openly breaks away from Ralph’s leadership, escalating the conflict between civilisation and savage

  -ironic— the boys initially treated life on the island like a game, Jack now rejects that “game” when he’s no longer in control. His tone is childish ,beneath the immaturity lies a much darker rejection of order and rules.

  -Jack’s words embody the emergence of tribalism and division. The use of the third person — “Ralph’s lot” — distances Jack further, suggesting he no longer sees himself as one of the group but as a separate, superior force

  -simplicity of Jack’s language contrasts with the profound implications of his decision. What begins as a petty refusal becomes the foundation for the novel’s descent into chaos and violence.
• "They didn’t come for the conch. They came for something else. Ralph - what am I going to do?" -piggy 


  -Piggy is speaking here, and we see his rising anxiety and internal conflict

  -The conch is a symbol of civilization, order, and democracy. Piggy thinks that the boys would want it because of its symbolic authority.

  -moment of external/social conflict. Jack and his hunters have fully turned away from Ralph’s leadership and are now using force and fear instead of rules.

  -"Ralph – what am I going to do?" highlights Ralph's emotional conflict — he's expected to be a leader
• “His [Ralph] temper broke. He screamed at Jack. “You’re a beast and a swine and a bloody, bloody thief!” 


  -“His temper broke” signals a loss of control. Ralph, who has tried to stay civilised and rational throughout the novel, finally snaps

  -“beast” links to the central symbol of the "beast" within — Ralph is accusing Jack of becoming inhuman, driven by primal instincts.

  -“Swine” dehumanizes Jack — pigs represent the hunted, the dirty, the savage.

  -climax of the power struggle between Ralph and Jack. Ralph is desperately trying to hold onto justice and morality, while Jack has embraced violence and dominance.

  • “thief” reflects the breakdown of social order — Jack has stolen Piggy’s glasses, a symbol of knowledge and civilisation.