Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Get started
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
Lord of the Flies summary
William Golding
A Dystopian Classic on the Dark Side of Human Nature and Survival
19 mins
Brief summary
Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a classic novel about a group of British schoolboys stranded on an uninhabited island and their descent into savagery. It explores themes of power, human nature, and the dangers of mob mentality.
Table of Contents
Lord of the Flies
Summary of 5 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 5
Ralph and Jack: Civilization vs. savagery.
Shortly after emerging from the wreckage of the plane, Ralph runs into the innocent and reasonable Piggy. While exploring the island, they discover a conch shell; Ralph blows into it, creating a deep and loud sound which alerts the other kids to their location. With everyone gathered around, it’s time for the stranded boys to take stock of their situation, and plan out their next move.
Things start out well enough. After a democratic vote, Ralph is chosen as the leader of the group, winning out against the ambitious Jack. To keep order, they agree on a rule that someone can only speak while holding the conch shell. With leadership and order established, Ralph starts allocating jobs: Sending a group to check out the island, starting a fire, building shelter.
However, it isn’t long until tensions emerge – particularly between Ralph and Jack. Firstly, Jack and his team of hunters fail in their duty to keep the fire lit. Secondly, there is disagreement over an alleged beast hiding somewhere on the island: Ralph is skeptical about its existence, while Jack insists that it is there, and he shall kill it.
As Jack grows more savage and obsessed with killing the beast, more of the boys start following him. Some out of the promise of meat, others out of fear of the supposed beast. Those who don’t join him are tortured or killed by Jack and his crew – Piggy is crushed by a giant rock, which also destroys the conch shell.
In the final dramatic moments of the book, Ralph remains the only boy not under the influence of Jack. He runs through the island, dodging spears, pursued by Jack and his crew. He would surely be killed like Piggy, but at the last minute he runs into a Naval patrol officer who had been attracted by the fire. This marks the end of Ralph’s struggles; and the end of the book.
ANALYSIS
The main element we see here is the power struggle and influence of Ralph and Jack, which serves to highlight one of the main themes of Lord of the Flies: Civilization vs. savagery. To understand what’s going on through this part of the story, you need to look at the role of the simple conch shell.
From the beginning, Ralph uses this to maintain order. It calls the group together in the first place, and they use it to stop everyone talking over each other. It is the perfect symbol of structure in society and the idea that if everyone agrees to do their part and follow the rules, then the system will work.
At one point, as the group begins to argue from fear and paranoia, Ralph considers blowing the conch, but stops, saying: “If I blow the conch and they don’t come back… we’ll be like animals” Piggy, the voice of reason, replies: “But if you don’t blow, we’ll soon be animals anyway.” If we don’t at least try to maintain order, then savagery will win out.
Which is what we see in the character of Jack. From the start he tries to undemocratically appoint himself leader, and is continuously obsessed with power and violence. As the group stops following Ralph and the rule of the conch, the boys descend further into depravity. This reaches its logical conclusion when Jack and his crew kill Piggy (the voice of reason) and destroy the conch (the symbol of order).
So, what’s the message here? Just below the safety of our social order, lies a primal savagery that will break out if those rules aren’t protected.
Want more?
Read or listen to the key ideas
from 7,500+ titles
Read or listen to the key ideas
from 7,500+ titles
Key ideas in Lord of the Flies
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is Lord of the Flies about?
Lord of the Flies (1954) is the allegorical story of a group of young boys stranded on a deserted island and left to fend for themselves and create a society. As the boys struggle with the complexities of leadership, cooperation, and survival, they are forced to face some fundamental questions about human nature and the fragility of civilization.
Lord of the Flies Review
Lord of the Flies (1954) by William Golding is a thought-provoking novel that explores the dark side of human nature. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- Deeply insightful, it delves into the complexities of human behavior and the fragile nature of civilization.
- The book offers a chilling portrayal of the potential for violence that exists within all of us, raising important questions about power and morality.
- Gripping and suspenseful, it keeps readers engaged from beginning to end, through its exploration of survival, fear, and the clash between order and chaos.
Who should read Lord of the Flies?
- Readers looking for fresh eyes on an old classic
- Literature lovers who somehow never got around to this important book
- Anyone looking for insight into the nature of society and the humans who build it
Categories with Lord of the Flies
Book summaries like Lord of the Flies
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
Macbeth
William Shakespeare
Regicide and Revenge in one of the World's Most Famous Tragedies
20 min
4.6
The Technological Republic
Alexander C. Karp
Hard Power, Soft Belief, and the Future of the West
16 min
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
37 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
Lord of the Flies FAQs
What is the main message of Lord of the Flies?
The main message of Lord of the Flies is the dark potential for savagery in human nature.
How long does it take to read Lord of the Flies?
The reading time for Lord of the Flies will vary depending on the reader, but it typically takes several hours. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is Lord of the Flies a good book? Is it worth reading?
Lord of the Flies is worth reading because it explores the theme of human nature under extreme conditions and raises important questions about the nature of power and civilization.
Who is the author of Lord of the Flies?
The author of Lord of the Flies is William Golding.
What to read after Lord of the Flies?
If you're wondering what to read next after Lord of the Flies, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
- Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984) by George Orwell
- Raising Men by Eric Davis
- Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
- Why Taiwan Matters by Kerry Brown
- Ulysses by James Joyce