Lord of the Flies Summary

In Lord of the Flies, a group of British boys becomes stranded on a deserted tropical island after their plane crashes amid a war. Left without adults, they try to govern themselves. The story starts with Ralph and Piggy finding a conch shell, which Ralph uses to gather the others. They elect him as chief, focusing on three main goals: having fun, getting rescued, and maintaining a signal fire.

As Ralph takes charge, Jack is named leader of the hunters. The boys attempt to build shelters and organize their efforts. Not everyone joins in, though; some are more interested in playing or hunting. This leads to rising tensions among the group, creating a sense of disunity. The desire for rescue shifts when Jack’s growing focus on hunting begins to overshadow their priority of keeping the signal fire burning.

The fear of a “beast” that might inhabit the island becomes a major worry for the boys. This paranoia escalates when a younger boy claims he saw the creature. Ralph tries to quell their fears, but panic takes hold. During one of their hunting excursions, Jack’s tribe neglects the fire, causing them to miss a passing ship. This act further strains the relationship between Jack and Ralph, emphasizing their differing priorities.

Ralph's leadership faces significant challenges as Jack raises doubts about his authority. Eventually, Jack breaks away from Ralph's group, creating his own tribe. The hunters start to wear war paint, reveling in their ability to hunt and cause chaos. This new tribe celebrates their gruesome killings, including those of pigs, marking their acceptance of brutality with offerings like the decapitated head of a pig, known as the "Lord of the Flies."

Simon, a quiet and thoughtful boy, confronts the Lord of the Flies and experiences a vision that reveals the beast’s true nature—merely a reflection of the boys' own violent instincts. As Simon searches to share this truth with the others, he climbs the mountain and finds that the beast is actually a dead parachutist, trapped in the trees. His journey back proves deadly.

In a pivotal twist, during a wild feast, the boys, consumed by hysteria, mistake Simon for the beast and kill him in a savage rage. Despite his attempts to maintain order, Piggy becomes a victim when another boy, Roger, pushes a boulder that shatters the conch shell and fatally hits him. With Piggy's death, the island’s delicate sense of civilization crumbles completely.

As Jack's tribe gives in fully to savagery, they hunt Ralph, which culminates in a dramatic chase that starts throughout the forest and ends on the beach where they had once created order. In this climactic moment, a naval officer arrives, drawn by the fire from burning trees. The boys, witnessing the remnants of their complete breakdown, feel remorse and sadness as the burden of their actions unfolds.

Ultimately, Lord of the Flies captures the decline from hope and order to fear and chaos. The boys’ transformation illustrates the struggle between civilization and savagery—concluding in their rescue and the painful realization of what they have become.

At the end of Lord of the Flies, Ralph, the last remaining boy among the group, is devastated. He is being hunted by Jack's tribe, who have turned desperate and violent. Ralph flees through the jungle, reflecting on the primal behavior of his peers and how civilization has been lost among them.

As he runs, chaos ensues on the island. The boys ignite a fire that engulfs much of the land; their recklessness reaches a terrifying peak. Just when it seems Ralph might be caught, a naval officer arrives on the scene. The sheer shock of adult presence jarringly contrasts with the savage power the boys have fallen into.

The officer questions Ralph and his peers about their situation. The boys, now recognizing the human loss they’ve endured, are filled with regret and reminisce about the moments of innocence lost. The story closes with Ralph breaking down in tears, showcasing the suffering that comes from their dark experiences, underscoring the struggle between savagery and civilization they faced.