The main theme of Lord of the Flies is that moral nature is not instinctive in mankind. There is a capacity for evil in all people, and their morality is superficial. Nonetheless, it is this moral integrity that must continue in order for a person to be ethical, for society to be maintained, and to keep society from falling in on itself. Society holds everyone together. Without the rules and the structure, evil in everyone becomes more prominent, and ideals, values, and basics of right and wrong are forgotten. Without society's rigid rules, chaos and savagery come to light. There are also a number of secondary themes in the book such as: people will abuse power when it is not earned; people will degrade others to heighten their own sense of security; the fear of the unknown is powerful; it can make you turn to insight or hysteria. All of the themes are shown using symbolism.A group of young boys are in a plane that crashes on a deserted island where the current appears to be flowing backwards. The island is a microcosm representing the world, and the current gives the impression that civilization might be going backward for the island or its inhabitants. Young boys were probably chosen because they would have had less time to be moulded by society, and their individual characteristics would be more prominent.The first two characters to appear are Piggy and Ralph. They are both probably about twelve years old.Ralph is an attractive boy, "built like a boxer." His name, Anglo-Saxon in origin, means "counsel." He, along with Piggy, depicts the struggle for order and democracy. He illustrates law, order, organized society, and moral integrity. He knows right from wrong, and he is constantly making commonsense rules for the boys to follow.Piggy is shorter, fat, with glasses and asthma. Piggy is just his nickname, but no attempt is made to learn his real name. His nickname parallels the wild pigs that are hunted on the islan...
