【The “true” story】

Remember the amazing story of three boys fighting together, overcoming difficulties and becoming great friends? An amazing story indeed. But unfortunately, this is only a fantasy, a story of which children would enjoy by the fireplace while drinking hot chocolate. The true story, however, is more mean and cruel.

During the Second World War, a couple of children, six to twelve years old, were stuck on an island because of an aircraft accident. They were frightened at first, but soon learned to live by themselves. They lived in peace for a little while but were soon torn apart. Most of the children were more interested in hunting with Jack, instead of building camps and trying to call for help with Ralf as the leader. Only a few still obeyed Ralf’s commands. Almost everyone had forgot that it was them who chose Ralf to be the leader, and those who still obeyed him, where killed one by one. But Jack was not satisfied. He planned to kill Ralf. To do that, he even burned the island. Ralf had nearly been killed, when an army came to the island, seeing the fire. And with the coming of the English general, civilization finally come back to this dreadful island.

Why did this happen? The children were supposed to live in peace together. And they managed it well in the beginning——some children built a camp, some looked for food and some lit a fire to call for help. Then why did the chaos appear? Every character had played their part......

【Ralf】

Ralf is the leader——at first. He appeared as a smart twelve-year old boy. When the accident happened, Ralf was the first who called the others together. It is he whom decided that the one who has the conch can speak. He led the children well at first, but when some begin to betray him, Ralf didn't do anything to stop them. He also had nothing to do watching his friends being killed by the renegades. In the end, he could barely protect himself. Who would remember that he was once the leader? A smart but cowardice person he was. He was friendly because of his cowardice. He made a lot of rules that sound great, but did less than he said. He created justness but did nothing to protect it. Ralf is better to be ruled by someone not to be the ruler. His cowardice effected the breaking of harmony.

【Piggy】

“Piggy”. A funny name. This name belongs to a fat little boy. Piggy stayed with Ralf in the beginning. He was the one who first discovered the conch. He’d done lots of work for Ralf, including calling the roll and thinking of solutions. But still, he was often a derision. Boys laughed at him because of his strange voice and his fat body. He couldn’t run fast and search for food. And he could barely swim. Piggy’s glasses seemed to be the only useful thing on him, because they could light a fire by concentrating the sunlight. But Piggy was one of the most important people amongst the children. His had a smart brain and never gave up hope. But those whom can think always seems to struggle. Piggy died because of his glasses. The traitors took his glasses and killed him when he asked them to give them back. He died holding the conch in his hand, because he still believed in the power of justness even in the last moment of his life. But when he fell, the conch brock into pieces. And so did his glasses. The conch of democracy and the glasses of knowledge.

【Simon】

Simon is a strange boy. He liked to stay alone while all the others were having fun. If one would call Piggy “smart”, then Simon should be described as “wise”. He talks to himself, to the evil in his heart. He also talked to the mysteries and creepy “lord of the files”. Not knowing why, the children were often scared by some “monster”. Instead of joining the panic, Simon searched the island alone, hoping to find the thing. He soon discovered the secret. But when he returned to tell the others about it, he was killed. For the boys thought that Simon was the “monster”. Simon’s dead body floated out to sea with twinkling lights around him. He departed without a sound. Simon is like a hermit, a redeemer. But he is also a prey of darkness.

【Jack】

The evildoer. Jack. In the book, Jack was described as an ugly red-headed boy with an evil look on his face. He was the first one who had betrayed. He hunted and killed. He cut of a pig’s head and stood it in the woods, creating “the lord of the files”. Jack is altogether evil. He killed Piggy, Simon, and tried to do the same to Ralf. He is the person who caused chaos. He was someone like Hitler. But one can say that he did better than Ralf in some ways. Instead of giving long speeches and not doing anything. Jack knew how to make the children agree with him. He used practical actions to prove that he is the best leader. He knew clearly what the children desired. He satisfied there will. If Jack hadn’t choosen to fight for power, but do what Ralf bid him to do, the chaos would not have happened.

【Evil】

But all the above still cannot explain why those terrible things happened. Why? Where did the evil come from? It came from the heart, the heart of every child on the island.

The author William Golding chose a special way of writing. Instead of telling tales of adults, he used children as the main characters. Children who are supposed to be the most decent and honest. They had leart to hide their evil before, but as time went on, the will and yearn of power began to grow in their hearts. Without the constraint of the society they set their evil free and let it burst out, not knowing what harm it would take. Even those who were once fair, had turned to evil.

The glasses were broken. The conch fractured. All that remains is the head of the pig still grinning between the trees. Flies buzzing around. But soon, even those will disappear in burning flames.