Lord of the Flies

Expository Essay Checklist

Name _____________________________ Date Due _Friday, 3 October__

SELF CHECK Peer Check Teacher’s Remakrs
Essay explains something of symbolic importance or
interest in the novel. (Not a Summary)

Explanations are clear and complete; the reader does not have to
guess, infer, or assume anything. Writer has led the reader
through the essay.

Essay contains at least three properly punctuated quotes from

the novel.
“I got the conch!” (Golding 166)

Quotes use proper bibliographic citation format.

(Golding 75)

All works quoted are included in bibliography; bibliography

is at end of the paper; bibliography is in proper format.

Golding, William. Lord of the Flies.

New York: The Berkeley Publishing Group, 1964.

Note the above is not correct for all versions of the book!

(BONUS: Essay contains appropriate quotes from critical material.)

Essay is of appropriate length (two to three (2-3) typed pages).

Essay begins with an introduction. Introduction includes title of

the novel, the author’s name, and a one sentence description of
what the book is about and where is it is set.

Introduction includes a clear thesis statement.

Each paragraph begins with a clear topic sentence. The topic

statement should make a statement about “WHAT” point will be
made in the paragraph, not just “that” a point will be made.

Essay ends with an expspansive “so what” conclusion.

Essay shows evidence of reading and understanding the novel.

Essay shows evidence of creative and independent thinking. (5)

Essay is well edited. Printed; Double spaced: New York; Times; Garamond 12 pt.

Zartler/ Lord of the Flies/ 2008

Lord of the Flies
Essay Topics

Origin of the Beast.

Explore the figure of Simon as a Christ figure in the novel; examine his role as savior, mystic, and martyer.

Examine the decline of the boys morality/ progression of the boys into savages; connect this decline to one
or more symbols in the novel including the conch.

Consider the question of the boys return to civilized society after the naval officer come to the island.
Would the boys be able to return to the world from which they came? You will need to prove that any
changes the boys went through were either temporary or permanent. (I’m not so sure about this one.)

Support the thesis: Lord of the Flies illustrates the truth that Mankind is born with evil instincts (or a
basically good nature).

Examine the characters of Ralph, Jack, or Piggy in terms of what they possess that link them with their past
lives, and what their emerging roles on the island are. Is there any indication which of these characters may
be advancing more rapidly toward savagery than the others? Support your conclusion.

What is the symbolism of the conch? Why does it seem to have so much power? What characteristics does it
have in common with what it appears to symbolize?

Compare and contrast Ralph and Simon. Both seem to be “good” characters. Is there a difference in their
goodness?

What does it mean to say that Lord of the Flies is an allegorical novel? What are its important symbols?

How does Jack use the beast to control the other boys?

Of all the characters, it is Piggy who most often has useful ideas and sees the correct way for the boys to
organize themselves. Yet the other boys rarely listen to him and frequently abuse him. Why do you think
this is the case? In what ways does Golding use Piggy to advance the novel’s themes?

What, if anything, might the dead parachutist symbolize? Does he symbolize something other than what the
beast and the Lord of the Flies symbolize?

The sow’s head and the conch shell each wield a certain kind of power over the boys. In what ways do these
objects’ powers differ? In what way is Lord of the Flies a novel about power? About the power of symbols?
About the power of a person to use symbols to control a group?

What role do the littluns play in the novel? In one respect, they serve as gauges of the older boys’ moral
positions, for we see whether an older boy is kind or cruel based on how he treats the littluns. But are the
littluns important in and of themselves? What might they represent?

Fire is the controlling metaphor of Lord of the Flies, yadda yadda yadda….

Zartler/ Lord of the Flies/ 2008