The setting of Lord of the Flies

Chapter 1, page 10

   "Ralph stood, one hand against a grey trunk, and screwed up his eyes against the shimmering water. Out there, perhaps a mile away, the white surf flinked on a coral reef, beyond that the open sea was dark blue." To me, the open dark blue sea could be a symbol for isolation. Golding writes that "the water drew to a point at infinity". This deep dark see seems to be never ending, as if they will never escape this place. They will become parts of this island. The sea goes on to an infinity, and so does their isolation.

   The dark, scary forest stands for danger. The littluns seem to imagine figures in the night out of the creepers. They see things in the forest and have nightmares about things that may be residents there. The forest is a dark mystery and anything could be lurking there and waiting to capture them.

   By the end of chapter one and two, the boys have already taken possession of this island. They see it as something new and exciting. It is a place away from grown-ups, away from authority, away from home. As Ralph said, "We want to have fun and we want to be rescued". The boys see this island as a place that they can have fun. They inhabit this island and immediately take possession of it. It doesn't seem like they are merely visitors of this island, it seems that this will become their home.