Lord of the Flies Themes Spark

Themes are the fundamental concepts addressed and explored in a literary work. Civilization and Savagery - The overriding theme of the novel is the conflict between two competing impulses that exist within all human beings: the instinct to live by rules, act peacefully, follow moral commands, and value the good of the group on the one hand; and the instinct to gratify one's immediate desires, act violently to obtain supremacy over others, and enforce one's …

…ruling classes and political leaders. The developing relationships of the older boys to the younger ones further symbolize their connection to either the civilized or the savage instinct: civilized boys such as Ralph and Simon use their power to protect the littler boys and advance the good of the group; savage boys such as Jack and Roger use their power to gratify their own desires, treating the littler boys as objects for their own amusement.