The battle between civilization and savagery is represented in a number of Golding’s novels, most famously in Lord of the Flies and The Inheritors.
Lord of the Flies
In Lord of the Flies, the fragile civilisation created by the boys on the island fragments and the boys divide into two camps. Ralph and Piggy remain ‘civilised’, continuing to obey and uphold the rules, despite the threat from violence of Jack’s hunters, who symbolise savagery. Jack’s group don’t just act in a savage manner – they paint their faces in order to look ‘savage’, and to enhance their levels of intimidation. Lord of the Flies is an allegorical tale of the danger when civilisation breaks down, and savagery takes over.
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