The quotes from Lord of the Flies by William Golding provide profound insights into the novel’s exploration of human nature, power, and morality.
Each line resonates with the story’s central themes, capturing the gradual descent of a group of stranded boys from innocence to savagery.
From Ralph’s reflections on leadership to Simon’s revelations about the human capacity for darkness, these quotes underscore Golding’s powerful commentary on the thin veneer of civilization and the primal instincts that lurk beneath.
By analyzing these lines, readers gain a deeper understanding of the novel’s enduring relevance and its chilling portrayal of societal breakdown.
Lord of the Flies Quotes: Page Number, Chapter, Editions.
Lord of the Flies book by William Golding has many editions, while page numbers may vary by editions with different pagination. Examples:
Lord of the Flies, Mass Market Paperback, has 224 pages.
Lord of the Flies, Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition, has 331 pages.
Lord of the Flies, Educational Edition (Paperback), has 304 pages.
Important Quotes from Lord of the Flies Book
“The fire’s the most important thing on the island.” – Ralph, Chapter 2
“The thing is – fear can’t hurt you any more than a dream.” – Ralph, Chapter 5
“Which is better – to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill?” – Piggy, Chapter 11
“We’ve got to have rules and obey them. After all, we’re not savages.” – Jack, Chapter 2
“There isn’t anyone to help you. Only me. And I’m the Beast.” – The Lord of the Flies, Chapter 8
Lord of the Flies Quotes about Savagery and Civilization
The tension between savagery and civilization is a central theme in Lord of the Flies, represented by quotes that highlight the gradual erosion of order as the boys descend into primal behavior.
The chant “Kill the pig! Cut her throat! Spill her blood!” captures the violent triumph of savagery over their initial attempts at maintaining societal structure.
“We’ll have rules! Lots of rules! Then when anyone breaks ’em—” – Jack, Chapter 2
“Bollocks to the rules!” – Jack, Chapter 5
“The rules! You’re breaking the rules!” – Ralph, Chapter 5
“What are we? Humans? Or animals? Or savages?” – Piggy, Chapter 5
“The world, that understandable and lawful world, was slipping away.” – Narrator, Chapter 5
“Kill the pig! Cut her throat! Spill her blood!” – The hunters (during Simon’s death), Chapter 9
“We won’t be painted because we aren’t savages.” – Ralph, Chapter 11
Quotes from Lord of the Flies about Fire and Rescue
Fire symbolizes both hope for rescue and destruction in Lord of the Flies.
Ralph’s assertion, “The fire is the most important thing on the island”, reflects the boys’ initial unity and shared goal of being rescued. However, their neglect of the fire, as seen in Ralph’s frustration, symbolizes their loss of focus and descent into chaos.
Ironically, the fire intended for destruction ultimately leads to their rescue in the end.
“We’ve got to make smoke up there — or die.” – Ralph, Chapter 2
“We’ve got to keep the fire going!” – Ralph, Chapter 2
“You let the fire go out.” – Ralph, Chapter 4
“Don’t you want to be rescued? All you can talk about is pig, pig, pig!” – Ralph, Chapter 4
“I was talking about smoke! Don’t you want to be rescued?” – Ralph, Chapter 5
“The fire is the most important thing. Without the fire, we can’t be rescued.” – Ralph, Chapter 6
Lord of the Flies Quotes from Ralph
Ralph, the embodiment of order and leadership, frequently speaks about the need for structure and cooperation.
Ralph’s despair at the boys’ transformation is summed up in “I’m frightened. Of us”, showcasing his recognition of humanity’s inherent flaws.
“This is our island. It’s a good island. Until the grownups come to fetch us we’ll have fun.” – Ralph, Chapter 2
“If only they could send us something grown-up… a sign or something.” – Ralph, Chapter 5
“What makes things break up like they do?” – Ralph, Chapter 5
“I’m calling an assembly.” – Ralph, Chapter 5
“I’m chief. I’ll go. Don’t argue.” – Ralph, Chapter 6
“He hates me. I dunno why. If he could do what he wanted—” – Ralph, Chapter 7
“There’s no food here, and no shelter. Not much fresh water.” – Ralph, Chapter 9
“This is a rotten place.” – Ralph, Chapter 9
“That was murder.” – Ralph, Chapter 10
“I’m frightened. Of us.” – Ralph, Chapter 10
“You’re a beast and a swine and a bloody, bloody thief!” – Ralph, Chapter 11
Lord of the Flies Quotes from Piggy
Piggy represents intellect and rationality, offering insights that often go unheeded.
His dedication to reason is evident in “Life is scientific, that’s what it is” and “What are we? Humans? Or animals? Or savages?”.
Piggy’s poignant plea, “Which is better — to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill?”, underscores the tragedy of his death and the complete breakdown of civilized values on the island.
“We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting. They’ll come when they hear us.“ – Piggy, Chapter 1
“You didn’t ought to have let that fire out. You said you’d keep the smoke going—” – Piggy, Chapter 4
“That was a dirty trick.” – Piggy, Chapter 4
“Life is scientific, that’s what it is.” – Piggy, Chapter 5
“It’s them that haven’t no common sense that make trouble on this island.” – Piggy, Chapter 5
“You don’t really mean that we got to be frightened all the time, on account of nothing?” – Piggy, Chapter 5
“We did everything adults would do. What went wrong?” – Piggy, Chapter 8
Lord of the Flies Quotes from Jack
Jack embodies the descent into savagery, with his quotes showcasing his growing hunger for power and violence. Early on, he declares, “We’ll have rules! Lots of rules! Then when anyone breaks ’em”, revealing his authoritarian tendencies.
As the story progresses, his statements, like “Bollocks to the rules!” and “I’m not going to play any longer. Not with you”, demonstrate his rejection of order and embrace of primal instincts.
“I’m chief then.” – Jack, Chapter 1
“We’re strong — we hunt!” – Jack, Chapter 2
“I thought I might kill.” – Jack, Chapter 3
“We want meat!” – Jack, Chapter 4
“I painted my face — I stole up. Now you eat — all of you—” – Jack, Chapter 4
“I’m not going to play any longer. Not with you.” – Jack, Chapter 8
Quotes from the Lord of the Flies about Simon, Ralph, Piggy, Jack.
“He’s not fatty. His real name’s Piggy!” – Ralph, Chapter 1
“Jack planned his new face.” – Narrator, Chapter 4
“We mustn’t let anything happen to Piggy, must we?” – Jack, Chapter 4
“He was the only boy on the island whose hair never seemed to grow.” – Narrator (about Piggy), Chapter 4
“The mask was a thing on its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-consciousness.” – Narrator, Chapter 4
“Authority sat on his shoulder and chattered in his ear like an ape.” – Narrator (about Ralph), Chapter 5
“Ralph, if you’re frightened of course —” – Jack, Chapter 7
“The desire to squeeze and hurt was over-mastering.” – Narrator (about Ralph), Chapter 7
“The beast was harmless and horrible; and the news must reach the others as soon as possible.” – Narrator (describing Simon), Chapter 9
“Simon’s dead body moved out towards the open sea.” – Narrator, Chapter 9
“The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee.” – Narrator, Chapter 11
“He’s a proper chief, isn’t he?” – Roger (about Jack), Chapter 11
“They hate you, Ralph. They’re going to do you.” – Samneric, Chapter 12
“The tears began to flow and sobs shook him.” – Narrator (about Ralph), Chapter 12
“What was the sensible thing to do? There was no Piggy to talk sense.” – Narrator, Chapter 12
“Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy.” – Narrator, Chapter 12
Quotes from Lord of the Flies about the Beast and Fear
The Beast symbolizes the boys’ fear and the darkness within human nature.
Simon’s insight, “Maybe there is a beast… maybe it’s only us”, captures the novel’s central message about inner evil. Jack manipulates fear to gain power, claiming, “If there’s a beast, we’ll hunt it down!”.
The boys’ terror culminates in the tragic frenzy of “Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!”, leading to Simon’s death.
“What if we are the beasts?” – Simon, Chapter 5
“I don’t believe in the beast.” – Piggy, Chapter 5
“I tell you there isn’t a beast!” – Ralph, Chapter 5
“Maybe the beast is a ghost.” – Littlun (Percival), Chapter 5
“Maybe there is a beast … maybe it’s only us.” – Simon, Chapter 5
“We’ve got to talk about this fear and decide there’s nothing in it.” – Ralph, Chapter 5
“He says the beast comes out of the sea.” – Narrator (describing the Littluns’ fear), Chapter 5
“If there’s a beast, we’ll hunt it down!” – Jack, Chapter 6
“There were eyes — teeth — claws.” – Samneric, Chapter 6
“We’ve seen the beast with our own eyes. No – we weren’t asleep.” – Samneric, Chapter 6
“Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill! You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you?” – Simon, Chapter 8
Quotes from the Lord of the Flies about the Conch
The conch shell represents order and authority, with its power seen in statements like “I got the conch!” and “We’ll have to have ‘hands up’ like at school”.
However, its influence wanes as savagery takes hold, reflected in Jack’s dismissal, “The conch doesn’t count at this end of the island”. Its shattering in Chapter 11 symbolizes the complete collapse of civilization on the island.
“I got the conch!” – Piggy, Chapter 2
“We don’t need the conch anymore.” – Jack, Chapter 6
“The conch doesn’t count at this end of the island.” – Jack, Chapter 6
“The conch is gone —” – Piggy, Chapter 11
“The conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist.” – Narrator, Chapter 11
Other Short Quotes from the Lord of the Flies
“The storm broke.” – Narrator, Chapter 9
“The mask compelled them.”– Narrator, Chapter 4
“The greatest ideas are the simplest.” – Narrator, Chapter 2
“You’ll get back to where you came from.” – Simon, Chapter 7
“You don’t know Roger. He’s a terror.” – Samneric, Chapter 11
“They’re going to hunt you tomorrow.” – Samneric, Chapter 12
Summary: Lord of the Flies Book by William Golding
Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a harrowing tale that examines the inherent conflict between civilization and savagery.
Set during an unspecified wartime, the novel follows a group of British schoolboys stranded on a deserted tropical island after their plane crashes.
Initially, they attempt to establish order through democratic processes, electing Ralph as their leader and devising plans for rescue. However, as time passes and their isolation deepens, the boys’ fragile societal structure begins to crumble.
The novel explores the boys’ descent into chaos, driven by fear, power struggles, and the primal instincts that emerge when societal norms vanish.
The symbol of the conch shell represents order and authority, while the titular “Lord of the Flies” – a pig’s head mounted on a stick – becomes a chilling emblem of the darkness within the human psyche.
Key characters such as Ralph, Piggy, Jack, and Simon embody different aspects of human nature, from reason and morality to aggression and mysticism.
As the boys’ behavior spirals into violence, Golding illustrates how quickly the veneer of civilization can dissolve, leading to devastating consequences.
Lord of the Flies is a profound and unsettling exploration of human nature, raising timeless questions about power, morality, and the thin line between order and chaos.
