Lord of the FliesWilliam Golding
Literary Terms Plot Diagram
Exposition Inciting Moment Rising Action Climax/Turning Point Falling Action Denouement
Setting: time and place Mood: feeling or
atmosphere that the author creates
Tone: author’s attitude towards a subject
Protagonist: Central character of the story – should go through a change in the story
Antagonist: character or force that works against the protagonist
Characterization: techniques used to develop characters Physical description What a character says/does Other characters Narrator’s comments
Literary Terms Theme: The central idea or
message in a work of literature – not to be confused with the plot – theme is a perception about the human condition that is shared with the reader
Human condition: physical, emotional, and spiritual components of human existence shared by all
Conflict: struggle between opposing forces Person v person Person v nature Person v
society/machine Person v God Person v self (internal)
Foil: a character who provides a striking contrast to another character
Literary Terms Imagery: words and
phrases that create vivid sensory images
Foreshadowing: Hints and clues of events that will occur later in the story
Motif: reoccurring ideas
Symbolism: person place or object that represents something beyond itself
Allegory: a story in which every object is a symbol – used to teach
Microcosm: a small group of people that are symbolic of how the author is trying to portray society
Why So Many Literary Terms? Authors use literary devices (terms) in order
to better communicate their themes. What is the theme of Lord of the Flies?
“The theme is an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature.”
~William Golding
William Golding Born in 1911 in
Cromwell, England Father was a teacher,
and a scientist Mother stayed at home
and dabbled in woman’s rights
Went to college at Oxford and started by studying science.
William Golding After two years he changed
his major to English After college he was a writer, actor, and
playwright Married in 1939 to Ann Brookfield, a scientist
herself Then Golding became an English teacher
William Golding During World War II he served in the Royal
Navy Present when the Bismarck was sunk Saw action against battleships, submarines,
and aircraft Took his ship to France on D-Day “But I went through war and that changed
me.”
Lord of the Flies Motifs:
Biblical parallels The bullying of the weak by the strong The outward trappings of savagery (face paint,
spears, etc.) Themes presented in the novel:
Civilization v Savagery Loss of Innocence Innate human evil