Analysis of The Portrayal of The Major Characters in Robert Michael Ballantyne's 'The Coral Island' and William Golding's 'Lord of The Flies'.
ABSTRACT
Tugas Akhir ini membahas penokohan novel yang berjudul The Coral
Island karya Robert Michael Ballantyne dan Lord of the Flies karya William
Golding. Saya memilih kedua novel ini karena keduanya mengangkat topik
seputar human nature: apakah manusia terlahir baik atau jahat.
The Coral Island dan Lord of the Flies sama-sama menceritakan tentang
beberapa orang anak yang terdampar di sebuah pulau tidak berpenghuni setelah
mengalami kecelakaan. Mereka mencoba untuk bertahan hidup dengan melewati
berbagai rintangan. Pandangan kedua pengarang mengenai human nature
dituangkan dengan jelas melalui karakteristik yang terdapat pada tiap-tiap tokoh
utama dalam kedua novel tersebut. Ballantyne berpendapat bahwa pada dasarnya
manusia itu tidak jahat sehingga ia menggambarkan para tokoh sebagai anak-anak
yang baik, rela berkorban, dan tidak memiliki kejahatan dalam diri mereka,
sedangkan Golding beranggapan sebaliknya dan para tokoh digambarkan sebagai
anak-anak yang jahat, kejam, dan liar. Dengan membaca kedua novel tersebut
pembaca diajak untuk berpikir lebih luas mengenai pandangan penulis terhadap
human nature.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS ..............................................................................
i
ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................
ii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study .....................................................................
Statement of the Problem ....................................................................
Purpose of the Study ...........................................................................
Method of Research ............................................................................
Organization of the Thesis ..................................................................
1
4
4
5
5
CHAPTER TWO: ANALYSIS OF THE PORTRAYAL OF THE
MAJOR CHARACTER IN THE CORAL ISLAND........................
6
CHAPTER THREE: ANALYSIS OF THE PORTRAYAL OF THE
MAJOR CHARACTER IN LORD OF THE FLIES .......................
18
CHAPTER FOUR: CONCLUSION ...........................................................
29
BIBLIOGRAPHY .........................................................................................
33
APPENDICES
Synopsis of The Coral Island ..............................................................
Synopsis of Lord of the Flies ...............................................................
Biography of Robert Michael Ballantyne ...........................................
Biography of William Golding ...........................................................
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APPENDICES
Summary of The Coral Island
The Coral island is a story about three young boys, Ralph Rover, Jack
Martin, and Peterkin Gay. They are friends and the sole survivors of a shipwreck
on the coral reef of an uninhabited Polynesian island. It is possible for them to live
on this island as it has plenty of fruit, fish, and wild pigs. During their time on the
island, they happen to meet people on three different occasions.
The first occasion is several months after the boys come ashore. They
observe two large canoes which land on the beach and see two groups of people
fighting. The boys decide to help and defeat the attacking party, earning the
gratitude of the chief, Taroro. Then, the Polynesians leave the island.
The second one is when pirates come to the island. Ralph is taken prisoner,
while Jack and Peterkin hide in the cave. On his journey, he becomes friends with
one of the pirates, named Bloody Bill. On one occasion there is a conflict between
the pirates and the inhabitants. Ralph successfully escapes and sails back to the
Coral Island, where his friends are waiting.
The third occasion they meet people is when the three boys sail to the
island of Mango, where a missionary has converted some of the inhabitants to
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Christianity. They come to this island to rescue Avatea. They manage to rescue
her, but the boys are taken prisoners. A month later, the arrival of another
missionary sets them free. The missionary then manages to convert the rest of the
inhabitants to Christianity. After these three occurrences, they set sail for home
with many valuable experiences.
Summary of Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Flies is a story about a group of British boys whose plane
crashes on a deserted island in the Pacific Ocean during a war. The boys are
scattered at first, but finally they are able to assemble, and then they decide that
they should govern themselves. They have an election and Ralph, one of the older
boys, becomes “chief”. Jack, another older boy, is jealous of Ralph’s power and
starts to hate him.
Later on, a dead man attached to a parachute is blown to the island,
causing chaos between the boys. They mistake him for a beast. Only a boy named
Simon doubts the identity of the so-called beast, and he then separates himself
from the group.
As times goes on, Jack, who has different ideals, decides to separate from
Ralph and invites other boys to go with him. In the end, they split into two groups:
Jack and his followers; and Ralph, only with Piggy, his loyal friend.
Jack and his group become more savage. They put a pig’s head stabbed on
a stick as an offering for the beast. After some time, Simon, who is not in a good
condition, finally knows the truth about the beast. Ironically, as he wants to tell
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the others about it, Simon is brutally killed by Jack and his group, being mistaken
as the beast.
Later on, when Ralph and Piggy want to talk calmly to Jack and his group,
who have turned into savages, Roger, one of Jack’s boys, pushes a huge boulder
off a cliff and kills Piggy. Knowing this fact, Ralph runs for his life. The day after,
Jack’s party begins to hunt for Ralph. Being hunted, Ralph runs to the shore and
he stumbles across an officer of the British Navy there. In this way, the boys are
eventually rescued.
Biography of Robert Michael Ballantyne
Robert Michael Ballantyne was born in Edinburgh, on April 24, 1825. His
father, Alexander Ballantyne, was brother and junior partner of John and James
Ballantyne, the printers of Sir Walter Scott’s works. His mother was Anne
Randall Scott Grant. Ballantyne attended the Edinburgh Academy for some time
before his father apprenticed him as a clerk in 1841 because of a financial crisis.
Ballantyne began writing when he was at Seven Islands for a few months
in 1846. Several years later, the manuscript was printed. In 1848, Hudson’s Bay;
or Life in the Wilds of North America was published by Blackwoods. It was a
great success and the press praised it.
The Young Fur-Traders was the first storybook of Ballantyne and was
published by Thomas Nelson and Sons in 1856. The book was based on his
experiences in Canada. He spent the rest of his life writing similar books. He has
written eighty complete stories. The Coral Island was an immediate success and
has not been out of print since it was first published in 1857.
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In 1866 Ballantyne married Miss Jack Dickson Grant, daughter of the
minister of the parish of Cavers, Roxburghshire. He had three sons and three
daughters. Ballantyne continued to live in Edinburgh until 1873 and settled down
at Harrow-on-the-hill in 1878, where he remained until the end of his life. He died
in Rome on February 8, 1894 and was buried in the English cemetery in Rome.
Source: “BALLANTYNE, ROBERT MICHAEL”
Biography of William Gerald Golding
William Gerald Golding was born in Cornwall, England, on September 19,
1911. His father was Alec, and his mother’s name was Mildred (Curnoe). Golding
went to Brasenose College at Oxford University in 1930. In 1934, he published
his first work, a book of poetry entitled Poems. A year later, he graduated from
Oxford with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Diploma in Education.
From 1935 to 1939, Golding worked as a writer, actor, and producer with
a small theater in London. In 1939, Golding began teaching English and
philosophy at Bishop Wordsworth’s School in Salisbury. Golding married Ann
Brookfield and they had two children, David and Judith.
Golding joined the Royal Navy and fought in World War II. He spent six
years in the Navy. In 1945, the world war ended and Golding went back to
teaching and writing until 1961.
Golding was best known for his work Lord of the Flies, which was
published in 1954. His other works were, among others, The Inheritors (1955),
Pincher Martin (1956), Free Fall (1959), and The Spire (1964). In 1955 Golding
was given membership in the Royal Society of Literature. At the age of 73, he
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was awarded the 1983 Nobel Prize for Literature. Golding was mainly a novelist,
but his works also include poetry, plays, essays, and short stories.
Golding spent the last few years of his life living with his wife at their
house near Cornwall and died on June 19, 1993 because of a heart attack.
Source: "Sir William Golding", "William Golding - Biography"
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, human nature means “the
nature of humans; especially the fundamental disposition and traits of humans”
(“Human Nature”). There are many opinions regarding human nature and society,
about whether it is good or evil and how society affects it. “For thousands of
years, philosophers have debated whether we have a basically good nature that is
corrupted by society, or a basically bad nature that is kept in check by society”
(Stafford). There is one neutral view about human nature.
Human nature is not one thing, neither ‘good nor ‘bad’ overall. People in
general have been genetically endowed by evolution with a wide variety of
tendencies and capacities that respond to – but are not necessarily
controlled or determined by – their environment. And so we see all sorts of
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individual and cultural behaviors, providing evidence to defend virtually
any assertions about ‘human nature’. (Atlee)
Robert Michael Ballantyne and William Gerard Golding are two writers who
discuss human nature through the novels they wrote. The novels which represent
their different perspectives regarding human nature are Ballantyne’s The Coral
Island and Golding’s Lord of the Flies, which I have chosen to analyse.
To show the basic human nature, Ballantyne and Golding wrote their
books in typical Robinsonade. Robinsonade is “a fictitious narrative of often
fantastic adventures in real or imaginary distant places; especially a story of the
adventures of a person marooned on a desert island” (“Robinsonade”). The term
Robinsonade was made after the success of Daniel Defoe’s novel, Robinson
Crusoe, published in 1719. Any novel written in imitation of it that deals with the
problem of the castaway’s survival on a desert island is included as Robinsonade
(“Robinsonade”). Robinsonade book is “moderately common in literary criticism
as a description of works in which a hero is snatched without warning from the
comforts of civilisation and must attempt to survive in difficult circumstances
through his wits and personal qualities” (Quinion). I believe the reason Ballantyne
and Golding use this genre is to show the readers the basic human nature
according to their perspective because the basic nature of human will shows up
once they no longer bound by society.
Robert Michael Ballantyne is a 19th century British writer who is famous
for his adventure stories and his thorough research before writing a book. The
works of Ballantyne are also admired by other great writers; William Golding is
one of them. Ballantyne wrote many works during his lifetime, but The Coral
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Island is what most people remember him about, and this book has not been out of
print since it was first published in 1857. It was adapted into children’s television
drama in the years of 1980 and 2000. The story is about three British teenagers
who are drifted ashore after a shipwreck and they keep sticking together to make
sure they survive. As the story continues, the teenagers experience many things,
from intervening in a battle between the natives to being kidnapped by the natives.
In the end, all of the experiences make their bond stronger and they become more
mature when they go back home.
Sir William Gerald Golding CBE, known as William Golding, is a 20th
century British writer and he has a great influence on the world of literature. Lord
of the Flies, which is written as the counterpart of Ballantyne’s The Coral Island,
is considered his greatest work; he received many awards and recognition in the
world of literature for this work. He was awarded the Booker Prize in 1980 and
was given a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1983. Aside from his literary awards,
Golding also received many other awards, such as the CBE (Commander of the
British Empire) in 1966 and being knighted by The Queen in 1988. His Lord of
the Flies was so popular that it was made into films twice, one directed by Peter
Brook in 1963 and the other by Harry Hook in 1990. William Golding’s Lord of
the Flies tells about a group of British boys stranded on an island during a war. As
the boys experience many incidents on the island they gradually lose their
morality and most of them begin to act like savage men.
The Coral Island and Lord of the Flies are clearly seen as novels which
discuss human nature. “The Coral Island attempts to demonstrate that humans are
born good at heart and that evil is an external force present in the world which
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tempts once innocent people” (“Lord of The Flies Themes: Human Nature,
Society, Fear”). In Lord of the Flies, “Golding suggests that civilization can
alleviate but never eradicate the innate evil that dwells in mankind. Under the
proper circumstances, the innate evil can come out and transform the person into a
brand new individual. This is how savagery lies within each boy, representing the
evil that lives inside humanity” (Pomoni).
The two authors have different perspectives regarding human nature and
they show them through the characters in each book. Thus, I would like to analyze
the portrayal of the major characters. According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s
Dictionary, portrayal is “the act of showing or describing somebody/something in
a picture, play, book, etc” (“Portrayal”).
Statement of the Problem
The problems that I am going to discuss are:
1. How are the major characters portrayed in The Coral Island and Lord of
the Flies?
2. What are the authors’ purposes in creating such characters?
Purpose of the Study
Based on the above problems, the purposes of this study are:
1. To show how the major characters are portrayed in The Coral Island and
Lord of the Flies.
2. To show the purpose of each author in creating such characters.
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Method of Research
The method of research that I use is library research. I begin the research
by reading R.M. Ballantyne’s The Coral Island and William Golding’s Lord of
the Flies. After this, I analyze each primary text by using some information and
materials from the Internet that can support my analysis and can help me write a
good thesis. Lastly, I draw some conclusions based on what has been discussed.
Organization of the Thesis
This thesis consists of four chapters, preceded by the Acknowledgements,
the Table of Contents and the Abstract. Chapter One is the Introduction, which
consists of the Background of the Study, the Statement of the Problem, the
Purpose of the Study, the Method of Research, and the Organization of the Thesis.
In Chapter Two, I analyze the portrayal of the major characters in Ballantyne’s
The Coral Island in accordance with the purpose of the author. In Chapter Three, I
analyze the portrayal of the major characters in Golding’s Lord of the Flies in
accordance with the purpose of the author. Chapter Four is the Conclusion. This
thesis ends with the Bibliography and the Appendices, consisting of the Synopsis
of the Novels and the Biography of the Authors.
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CHAPTER FOUR
CONCLUSION
After analyzing Ballantyne’s The Coral Island and Golding’s Lord of the
Flies I conclude that both authors share quite similar ideas for their novels. They
have some similarities and differences. The first similarity is that Ballantyne and
Golding use children as their characters. They believe that children are still pure
and innocent at heart and can be a good example to show the true nature of
human. The second one is the situation of the boys who are stranded on an
uninhabited island. The boys are just by themselves on a deserted island without
the presence of adults. And the most important similarity is the purpose of the two
novels as a means to show the respective authors’ perspectives on human nature.
Though the author in the two novels use children as the characters, their
characteristics are very different. Both Jacks are leaders, but Jack in Lord of the
Flies experiences humanity degeneration as the story continues, which is also
shown later by the other children. In The Coral Island, Jack is the true leader and
the one whom Ralph and Peterkin admire. Jack manages to guide his friends until
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they go back to England, and the bonds between them are very strong. The ending
of Ballantyne’s novel is a good and happy one, but Golding’s ending is more
serious. The perspective of human nature by both authors is also different.
Ballantyne believes that humans are born good at heart, and evil is just an external
force that tempts innocent people; on the other hand, Golding believes that every
human has evil inside them. Golding once says, "Look out, the evil is in us all"
(Lambert).
The purpose of both authors is to share their view on human nature, and
they manage to do it through their books. The Coral Island and Lord of the Flies
show how both authors create such characters that can fit their clashing opinions.
From the very beginning, Golding’s intention to write Lord of the Flies is none
other than making a counterpart of Ballantyne’s The Coral Island. I agree with
Ross’s thought that “Golding, who found Ballantyne’s interpretation of the
situation naïve and improbable, likely intended Lord of the Flies to be an indirect
critique of The Coral Island. Golding preserves the names of two of Ballantyne’s
characters, Ralph and Jack, to force the two texts into deeper comparison” (Ross).
I also share the same idea with an article which states that the
characteristics portrayed in each novel are presented as a total opposite. “In
Ballantyne’s tale, a group of shipwrecked English boys reach a tropical island and
soon organize themselves into a reasonable imitation of the pious Victorian
English society” (“Perceptiveness on Civilization and Savagery of Human Nature
Reflected from William Golding’s Lord of the Flies”). In Lord of the Flies, the
opposite happens. Ballantyne lives in the Victorian era and in a way that fact
influences his view on human nature. In The Coral Island Jack is described as
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prudent, humane, and bold. He is good at heart, and the only thing that makes him
furious is the influence from an outer source, in this case, Taroro. Another
character is Ralph. Ralph is described as true. He is true to his friends, Jack and
Peterkin. Even in a dangerous situation that can cost his life he chooses to be true
to them, just like when he is being threatened by the pirates to tell his comrade’s
location. In Lord of the Flies, Golding makes the characters show many negative
traits compared to The Coral Island. I agree with the article titled “Perceptiveness
on Civilization and Savagery of Human Nature Reflected from William Golding’s
Lord of the Flies” that the reason is because “The time gap between the two books
is about 100 years, but the numerous disasters and crises the Western society had
undergone made the story of Coral Island shallow and hypocritical, sensitive
intellectuals were thrown into deep disillusionment, and Golding was one of
them.” In the novel, Jack and Ralph are standing against each other. Jack is cruel,
proud, and violent. He likes to bully Piggy, is not happy if people criticize him,
then he turns violent and eventually kills his friend. Ralph, though he is organized
and responsible, also has a violent side. He wants everything in order and does his
job properly, but the other part of him is also happy to live a violent life. It is
proven when he excitedly takes part in the ‘game’ that ends up taking his friend’s
life.
Comparing the two different ways of characterization by Ballantyne and
Golding, I think Golding’s is more realistic. Ballantyne’s characterization is too
good to be true. We cannot expect everything will be fine when several kids are
deserted on an uninhabited island, especially when they meet cannibal savages. In
my opinion, children at their age are still learning according to their environment.
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Being friends with the savages and seeing them live that way, children are more
likely going to adapt themselves to the same way and end up like the savages.
Yet, in this novel, things are going smoothly and the entire adventure mostly gives
them positive experiences. Lord of the Flies, though darker, is more realistic. The
same situation happens to the children, but with the addition that they are in the
middle of a war. It is highly possible for some children to turn violent when they
are confronted with such a situation. The survival of the fittest contest applies. In
the deserted island just by themselves, they need to adjust quickly to stay alive.
Without parents who feed them, they must eat any resources available. If the
children live under such circumstances for quite a long time, then it would not be
strange if they become violent as they need to do anything to survive.
Having analyzed the two novels makes me more aware about my
perspective of basic human nature. Before writing this topic I never really thought
about whether humans are born good or bad. However, after searching for some
support for my thesis and having read many arguments about basic human nature
I come to a conclusion that every human is born neutral, pure, innocent; not good
nor bad. There are many factors that affect what children become later, such as
how they are raised, the circumstances they face, the society around them, and
their experiences as they are growing up (just like Ballantyne who experiences
war). In my opinion, there is no such thing that humans are good or bad from the
very beginning.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Primary Texts
Ballantyne, Robert Michael. The Coral Island. London: Puffin Classics, 1994.
Print.
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. London: Cox&Wyman Ltd., 1987. Print.
References
Atlee, Tom. "Does Evolution Say We Are Basically Good or Basically
Bad?" Evolutionary Life. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2013.
“Bold.” Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. 8th ed. 2010. Print.
Burris, Skylar Hamilton. “’What makes things break up like they do?’
Alternatives Explanations For the Societal Breakdown in William
Golding’s Lord of the Flies”. Lord of the Flies Literary Criticism. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.
“Cruel.” Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Merriam-Webster Online, 2013.
Web. 20 Oct. 2013.
“Humane.” Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. 8th ed. 2010. Print.
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"Human Nature." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Merriam-Webster Online,
2013. Web. 1 May 2013.
“Imprudent.” Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. 8th ed. 2010. Print.
Lambert, Bruce. "William Golding Is Dead at 81; The Author of 'Lord of the
Flies'." New York Times. The New York Times Company, 20 June
1993. Web. 27 Oct. 2013.
“Lord Of The Flies Themes: Human Nature, Society, Fear.” Lord Of The Flies
Themes: Human Nature, Society, Fear. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2013.
“Loyal.” Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. 8th ed. 2010. Print.
“Organized.” Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Merriam-Webster Online,
2013. Web. 20 Oct. 2013.
Peel,
Bruce.
"BALLANTYNE,
ROBERT
MICHAEL." Biography
–
BALLANTYNE, ROBERT MICHAEL – Volume XII (1891-1900) –
Dictionary of Canadian Biography. University of Toronto/Université
Laval, 1990. Web. 14 July 2014.
"Perceptiveness on Civilization and Savagery of Human Nature Reflected from
William Golding's Lord of the Flies" WriteWork.com. WriteWork.com,
18 August, 2005. Web. 9 May. 2014.
Pomoni, Christina. "Literary Analysis: How Is William Golding's Lord of the
Flies an Allegory."Yahoo Voices. Yahoo Inc., 31 Mar. 2010. Web. 27
Oct. 2013.
“Portrayal.” Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. 8th ed. 2010. Print.
“Proud.” Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Merriam-Webster Online, 2013.
Web. 20 Oct. 2013.
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"Prudent." Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. 8th ed. 2010. Print.
Quinion, Michael. "Robinsonade." World Wide Words. Michael Quinion, 24 Feb.
2007. Web. 21 Sep. 2013.
“Religious.” Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. 8th ed. 2010. Print.
“Responsible.” Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Merriam-Webster Online,
2013. Web. 20 Oct. 2013.
"Robinsonade." Global.britannica.com. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., n.d. Web.
28 Sep. 2013.
“Robinsonade.” Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Merriam-Webster Online,
2013. Web. 9 Jun. 2013.
Ross, Jeremy. A. Kimball, December 8, 2006, and A. Kissel, ed. "Lord of the
Flies Background". GradeSaver, 18 August 2007 Web. 9 May 2014.
"Sir William Golding." The Biography Channel website. 2013. Web. 15 Apr.
2013.
Stafford, Tom. “Are We Naturally Good or Bad?” BBC. BBC, 14 Jan. 2013. Web.
8 Dec. 2013.
“Violent.” Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. 8th ed. 2010. Print.
"William Golding - Biography". Nobelprize.org. n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2013.
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Tugas Akhir ini membahas penokohan novel yang berjudul The Coral
Island karya Robert Michael Ballantyne dan Lord of the Flies karya William
Golding. Saya memilih kedua novel ini karena keduanya mengangkat topik
seputar human nature: apakah manusia terlahir baik atau jahat.
The Coral Island dan Lord of the Flies sama-sama menceritakan tentang
beberapa orang anak yang terdampar di sebuah pulau tidak berpenghuni setelah
mengalami kecelakaan. Mereka mencoba untuk bertahan hidup dengan melewati
berbagai rintangan. Pandangan kedua pengarang mengenai human nature
dituangkan dengan jelas melalui karakteristik yang terdapat pada tiap-tiap tokoh
utama dalam kedua novel tersebut. Ballantyne berpendapat bahwa pada dasarnya
manusia itu tidak jahat sehingga ia menggambarkan para tokoh sebagai anak-anak
yang baik, rela berkorban, dan tidak memiliki kejahatan dalam diri mereka,
sedangkan Golding beranggapan sebaliknya dan para tokoh digambarkan sebagai
anak-anak yang jahat, kejam, dan liar. Dengan membaca kedua novel tersebut
pembaca diajak untuk berpikir lebih luas mengenai pandangan penulis terhadap
human nature.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS ..............................................................................
i
ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................
ii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study .....................................................................
Statement of the Problem ....................................................................
Purpose of the Study ...........................................................................
Method of Research ............................................................................
Organization of the Thesis ..................................................................
1
4
4
5
5
CHAPTER TWO: ANALYSIS OF THE PORTRAYAL OF THE
MAJOR CHARACTER IN THE CORAL ISLAND........................
6
CHAPTER THREE: ANALYSIS OF THE PORTRAYAL OF THE
MAJOR CHARACTER IN LORD OF THE FLIES .......................
18
CHAPTER FOUR: CONCLUSION ...........................................................
29
BIBLIOGRAPHY .........................................................................................
33
APPENDICES
Synopsis of The Coral Island ..............................................................
Synopsis of Lord of the Flies ...............................................................
Biography of Robert Michael Ballantyne ...........................................
Biography of William Golding ...........................................................
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APPENDICES
Summary of The Coral Island
The Coral island is a story about three young boys, Ralph Rover, Jack
Martin, and Peterkin Gay. They are friends and the sole survivors of a shipwreck
on the coral reef of an uninhabited Polynesian island. It is possible for them to live
on this island as it has plenty of fruit, fish, and wild pigs. During their time on the
island, they happen to meet people on three different occasions.
The first occasion is several months after the boys come ashore. They
observe two large canoes which land on the beach and see two groups of people
fighting. The boys decide to help and defeat the attacking party, earning the
gratitude of the chief, Taroro. Then, the Polynesians leave the island.
The second one is when pirates come to the island. Ralph is taken prisoner,
while Jack and Peterkin hide in the cave. On his journey, he becomes friends with
one of the pirates, named Bloody Bill. On one occasion there is a conflict between
the pirates and the inhabitants. Ralph successfully escapes and sails back to the
Coral Island, where his friends are waiting.
The third occasion they meet people is when the three boys sail to the
island of Mango, where a missionary has converted some of the inhabitants to
36
Christianity. They come to this island to rescue Avatea. They manage to rescue
her, but the boys are taken prisoners. A month later, the arrival of another
missionary sets them free. The missionary then manages to convert the rest of the
inhabitants to Christianity. After these three occurrences, they set sail for home
with many valuable experiences.
Summary of Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Flies is a story about a group of British boys whose plane
crashes on a deserted island in the Pacific Ocean during a war. The boys are
scattered at first, but finally they are able to assemble, and then they decide that
they should govern themselves. They have an election and Ralph, one of the older
boys, becomes “chief”. Jack, another older boy, is jealous of Ralph’s power and
starts to hate him.
Later on, a dead man attached to a parachute is blown to the island,
causing chaos between the boys. They mistake him for a beast. Only a boy named
Simon doubts the identity of the so-called beast, and he then separates himself
from the group.
As times goes on, Jack, who has different ideals, decides to separate from
Ralph and invites other boys to go with him. In the end, they split into two groups:
Jack and his followers; and Ralph, only with Piggy, his loyal friend.
Jack and his group become more savage. They put a pig’s head stabbed on
a stick as an offering for the beast. After some time, Simon, who is not in a good
condition, finally knows the truth about the beast. Ironically, as he wants to tell
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the others about it, Simon is brutally killed by Jack and his group, being mistaken
as the beast.
Later on, when Ralph and Piggy want to talk calmly to Jack and his group,
who have turned into savages, Roger, one of Jack’s boys, pushes a huge boulder
off a cliff and kills Piggy. Knowing this fact, Ralph runs for his life. The day after,
Jack’s party begins to hunt for Ralph. Being hunted, Ralph runs to the shore and
he stumbles across an officer of the British Navy there. In this way, the boys are
eventually rescued.
Biography of Robert Michael Ballantyne
Robert Michael Ballantyne was born in Edinburgh, on April 24, 1825. His
father, Alexander Ballantyne, was brother and junior partner of John and James
Ballantyne, the printers of Sir Walter Scott’s works. His mother was Anne
Randall Scott Grant. Ballantyne attended the Edinburgh Academy for some time
before his father apprenticed him as a clerk in 1841 because of a financial crisis.
Ballantyne began writing when he was at Seven Islands for a few months
in 1846. Several years later, the manuscript was printed. In 1848, Hudson’s Bay;
or Life in the Wilds of North America was published by Blackwoods. It was a
great success and the press praised it.
The Young Fur-Traders was the first storybook of Ballantyne and was
published by Thomas Nelson and Sons in 1856. The book was based on his
experiences in Canada. He spent the rest of his life writing similar books. He has
written eighty complete stories. The Coral Island was an immediate success and
has not been out of print since it was first published in 1857.
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In 1866 Ballantyne married Miss Jack Dickson Grant, daughter of the
minister of the parish of Cavers, Roxburghshire. He had three sons and three
daughters. Ballantyne continued to live in Edinburgh until 1873 and settled down
at Harrow-on-the-hill in 1878, where he remained until the end of his life. He died
in Rome on February 8, 1894 and was buried in the English cemetery in Rome.
Source: “BALLANTYNE, ROBERT MICHAEL”
Biography of William Gerald Golding
William Gerald Golding was born in Cornwall, England, on September 19,
1911. His father was Alec, and his mother’s name was Mildred (Curnoe). Golding
went to Brasenose College at Oxford University in 1930. In 1934, he published
his first work, a book of poetry entitled Poems. A year later, he graduated from
Oxford with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Diploma in Education.
From 1935 to 1939, Golding worked as a writer, actor, and producer with
a small theater in London. In 1939, Golding began teaching English and
philosophy at Bishop Wordsworth’s School in Salisbury. Golding married Ann
Brookfield and they had two children, David and Judith.
Golding joined the Royal Navy and fought in World War II. He spent six
years in the Navy. In 1945, the world war ended and Golding went back to
teaching and writing until 1961.
Golding was best known for his work Lord of the Flies, which was
published in 1954. His other works were, among others, The Inheritors (1955),
Pincher Martin (1956), Free Fall (1959), and The Spire (1964). In 1955 Golding
was given membership in the Royal Society of Literature. At the age of 73, he
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was awarded the 1983 Nobel Prize for Literature. Golding was mainly a novelist,
but his works also include poetry, plays, essays, and short stories.
Golding spent the last few years of his life living with his wife at their
house near Cornwall and died on June 19, 1993 because of a heart attack.
Source: "Sir William Golding", "William Golding - Biography"
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, human nature means “the
nature of humans; especially the fundamental disposition and traits of humans”
(“Human Nature”). There are many opinions regarding human nature and society,
about whether it is good or evil and how society affects it. “For thousands of
years, philosophers have debated whether we have a basically good nature that is
corrupted by society, or a basically bad nature that is kept in check by society”
(Stafford). There is one neutral view about human nature.
Human nature is not one thing, neither ‘good nor ‘bad’ overall. People in
general have been genetically endowed by evolution with a wide variety of
tendencies and capacities that respond to – but are not necessarily
controlled or determined by – their environment. And so we see all sorts of
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individual and cultural behaviors, providing evidence to defend virtually
any assertions about ‘human nature’. (Atlee)
Robert Michael Ballantyne and William Gerard Golding are two writers who
discuss human nature through the novels they wrote. The novels which represent
their different perspectives regarding human nature are Ballantyne’s The Coral
Island and Golding’s Lord of the Flies, which I have chosen to analyse.
To show the basic human nature, Ballantyne and Golding wrote their
books in typical Robinsonade. Robinsonade is “a fictitious narrative of often
fantastic adventures in real or imaginary distant places; especially a story of the
adventures of a person marooned on a desert island” (“Robinsonade”). The term
Robinsonade was made after the success of Daniel Defoe’s novel, Robinson
Crusoe, published in 1719. Any novel written in imitation of it that deals with the
problem of the castaway’s survival on a desert island is included as Robinsonade
(“Robinsonade”). Robinsonade book is “moderately common in literary criticism
as a description of works in which a hero is snatched without warning from the
comforts of civilisation and must attempt to survive in difficult circumstances
through his wits and personal qualities” (Quinion). I believe the reason Ballantyne
and Golding use this genre is to show the readers the basic human nature
according to their perspective because the basic nature of human will shows up
once they no longer bound by society.
Robert Michael Ballantyne is a 19th century British writer who is famous
for his adventure stories and his thorough research before writing a book. The
works of Ballantyne are also admired by other great writers; William Golding is
one of them. Ballantyne wrote many works during his lifetime, but The Coral
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Island is what most people remember him about, and this book has not been out of
print since it was first published in 1857. It was adapted into children’s television
drama in the years of 1980 and 2000. The story is about three British teenagers
who are drifted ashore after a shipwreck and they keep sticking together to make
sure they survive. As the story continues, the teenagers experience many things,
from intervening in a battle between the natives to being kidnapped by the natives.
In the end, all of the experiences make their bond stronger and they become more
mature when they go back home.
Sir William Gerald Golding CBE, known as William Golding, is a 20th
century British writer and he has a great influence on the world of literature. Lord
of the Flies, which is written as the counterpart of Ballantyne’s The Coral Island,
is considered his greatest work; he received many awards and recognition in the
world of literature for this work. He was awarded the Booker Prize in 1980 and
was given a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1983. Aside from his literary awards,
Golding also received many other awards, such as the CBE (Commander of the
British Empire) in 1966 and being knighted by The Queen in 1988. His Lord of
the Flies was so popular that it was made into films twice, one directed by Peter
Brook in 1963 and the other by Harry Hook in 1990. William Golding’s Lord of
the Flies tells about a group of British boys stranded on an island during a war. As
the boys experience many incidents on the island they gradually lose their
morality and most of them begin to act like savage men.
The Coral Island and Lord of the Flies are clearly seen as novels which
discuss human nature. “The Coral Island attempts to demonstrate that humans are
born good at heart and that evil is an external force present in the world which
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tempts once innocent people” (“Lord of The Flies Themes: Human Nature,
Society, Fear”). In Lord of the Flies, “Golding suggests that civilization can
alleviate but never eradicate the innate evil that dwells in mankind. Under the
proper circumstances, the innate evil can come out and transform the person into a
brand new individual. This is how savagery lies within each boy, representing the
evil that lives inside humanity” (Pomoni).
The two authors have different perspectives regarding human nature and
they show them through the characters in each book. Thus, I would like to analyze
the portrayal of the major characters. According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s
Dictionary, portrayal is “the act of showing or describing somebody/something in
a picture, play, book, etc” (“Portrayal”).
Statement of the Problem
The problems that I am going to discuss are:
1. How are the major characters portrayed in The Coral Island and Lord of
the Flies?
2. What are the authors’ purposes in creating such characters?
Purpose of the Study
Based on the above problems, the purposes of this study are:
1. To show how the major characters are portrayed in The Coral Island and
Lord of the Flies.
2. To show the purpose of each author in creating such characters.
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Method of Research
The method of research that I use is library research. I begin the research
by reading R.M. Ballantyne’s The Coral Island and William Golding’s Lord of
the Flies. After this, I analyze each primary text by using some information and
materials from the Internet that can support my analysis and can help me write a
good thesis. Lastly, I draw some conclusions based on what has been discussed.
Organization of the Thesis
This thesis consists of four chapters, preceded by the Acknowledgements,
the Table of Contents and the Abstract. Chapter One is the Introduction, which
consists of the Background of the Study, the Statement of the Problem, the
Purpose of the Study, the Method of Research, and the Organization of the Thesis.
In Chapter Two, I analyze the portrayal of the major characters in Ballantyne’s
The Coral Island in accordance with the purpose of the author. In Chapter Three, I
analyze the portrayal of the major characters in Golding’s Lord of the Flies in
accordance with the purpose of the author. Chapter Four is the Conclusion. This
thesis ends with the Bibliography and the Appendices, consisting of the Synopsis
of the Novels and the Biography of the Authors.
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CHAPTER FOUR
CONCLUSION
After analyzing Ballantyne’s The Coral Island and Golding’s Lord of the
Flies I conclude that both authors share quite similar ideas for their novels. They
have some similarities and differences. The first similarity is that Ballantyne and
Golding use children as their characters. They believe that children are still pure
and innocent at heart and can be a good example to show the true nature of
human. The second one is the situation of the boys who are stranded on an
uninhabited island. The boys are just by themselves on a deserted island without
the presence of adults. And the most important similarity is the purpose of the two
novels as a means to show the respective authors’ perspectives on human nature.
Though the author in the two novels use children as the characters, their
characteristics are very different. Both Jacks are leaders, but Jack in Lord of the
Flies experiences humanity degeneration as the story continues, which is also
shown later by the other children. In The Coral Island, Jack is the true leader and
the one whom Ralph and Peterkin admire. Jack manages to guide his friends until
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they go back to England, and the bonds between them are very strong. The ending
of Ballantyne’s novel is a good and happy one, but Golding’s ending is more
serious. The perspective of human nature by both authors is also different.
Ballantyne believes that humans are born good at heart, and evil is just an external
force that tempts innocent people; on the other hand, Golding believes that every
human has evil inside them. Golding once says, "Look out, the evil is in us all"
(Lambert).
The purpose of both authors is to share their view on human nature, and
they manage to do it through their books. The Coral Island and Lord of the Flies
show how both authors create such characters that can fit their clashing opinions.
From the very beginning, Golding’s intention to write Lord of the Flies is none
other than making a counterpart of Ballantyne’s The Coral Island. I agree with
Ross’s thought that “Golding, who found Ballantyne’s interpretation of the
situation naïve and improbable, likely intended Lord of the Flies to be an indirect
critique of The Coral Island. Golding preserves the names of two of Ballantyne’s
characters, Ralph and Jack, to force the two texts into deeper comparison” (Ross).
I also share the same idea with an article which states that the
characteristics portrayed in each novel are presented as a total opposite. “In
Ballantyne’s tale, a group of shipwrecked English boys reach a tropical island and
soon organize themselves into a reasonable imitation of the pious Victorian
English society” (“Perceptiveness on Civilization and Savagery of Human Nature
Reflected from William Golding’s Lord of the Flies”). In Lord of the Flies, the
opposite happens. Ballantyne lives in the Victorian era and in a way that fact
influences his view on human nature. In The Coral Island Jack is described as
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prudent, humane, and bold. He is good at heart, and the only thing that makes him
furious is the influence from an outer source, in this case, Taroro. Another
character is Ralph. Ralph is described as true. He is true to his friends, Jack and
Peterkin. Even in a dangerous situation that can cost his life he chooses to be true
to them, just like when he is being threatened by the pirates to tell his comrade’s
location. In Lord of the Flies, Golding makes the characters show many negative
traits compared to The Coral Island. I agree with the article titled “Perceptiveness
on Civilization and Savagery of Human Nature Reflected from William Golding’s
Lord of the Flies” that the reason is because “The time gap between the two books
is about 100 years, but the numerous disasters and crises the Western society had
undergone made the story of Coral Island shallow and hypocritical, sensitive
intellectuals were thrown into deep disillusionment, and Golding was one of
them.” In the novel, Jack and Ralph are standing against each other. Jack is cruel,
proud, and violent. He likes to bully Piggy, is not happy if people criticize him,
then he turns violent and eventually kills his friend. Ralph, though he is organized
and responsible, also has a violent side. He wants everything in order and does his
job properly, but the other part of him is also happy to live a violent life. It is
proven when he excitedly takes part in the ‘game’ that ends up taking his friend’s
life.
Comparing the two different ways of characterization by Ballantyne and
Golding, I think Golding’s is more realistic. Ballantyne’s characterization is too
good to be true. We cannot expect everything will be fine when several kids are
deserted on an uninhabited island, especially when they meet cannibal savages. In
my opinion, children at their age are still learning according to their environment.
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Being friends with the savages and seeing them live that way, children are more
likely going to adapt themselves to the same way and end up like the savages.
Yet, in this novel, things are going smoothly and the entire adventure mostly gives
them positive experiences. Lord of the Flies, though darker, is more realistic. The
same situation happens to the children, but with the addition that they are in the
middle of a war. It is highly possible for some children to turn violent when they
are confronted with such a situation. The survival of the fittest contest applies. In
the deserted island just by themselves, they need to adjust quickly to stay alive.
Without parents who feed them, they must eat any resources available. If the
children live under such circumstances for quite a long time, then it would not be
strange if they become violent as they need to do anything to survive.
Having analyzed the two novels makes me more aware about my
perspective of basic human nature. Before writing this topic I never really thought
about whether humans are born good or bad. However, after searching for some
support for my thesis and having read many arguments about basic human nature
I come to a conclusion that every human is born neutral, pure, innocent; not good
nor bad. There are many factors that affect what children become later, such as
how they are raised, the circumstances they face, the society around them, and
their experiences as they are growing up (just like Ballantyne who experiences
war). In my opinion, there is no such thing that humans are good or bad from the
very beginning.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Primary Texts
Ballantyne, Robert Michael. The Coral Island. London: Puffin Classics, 1994.
Print.
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. London: Cox&Wyman Ltd., 1987. Print.
References
Atlee, Tom. "Does Evolution Say We Are Basically Good or Basically
Bad?" Evolutionary Life. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2013.
“Bold.” Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. 8th ed. 2010. Print.
Burris, Skylar Hamilton. “’What makes things break up like they do?’
Alternatives Explanations For the Societal Breakdown in William
Golding’s Lord of the Flies”. Lord of the Flies Literary Criticism. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.
“Cruel.” Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Merriam-Webster Online, 2013.
Web. 20 Oct. 2013.
“Humane.” Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. 8th ed. 2010. Print.
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"Human Nature." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Merriam-Webster Online,
2013. Web. 1 May 2013.
“Imprudent.” Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. 8th ed. 2010. Print.
Lambert, Bruce. "William Golding Is Dead at 81; The Author of 'Lord of the
Flies'." New York Times. The New York Times Company, 20 June
1993. Web. 27 Oct. 2013.
“Lord Of The Flies Themes: Human Nature, Society, Fear.” Lord Of The Flies
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“Loyal.” Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. 8th ed. 2010. Print.
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2013. Web. 20 Oct. 2013.
Peel,
Bruce.
"BALLANTYNE,
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"Perceptiveness on Civilization and Savagery of Human Nature Reflected from
William Golding's Lord of the Flies" WriteWork.com. WriteWork.com,
18 August, 2005. Web. 9 May. 2014.
Pomoni, Christina. "Literary Analysis: How Is William Golding's Lord of the
Flies an Allegory."Yahoo Voices. Yahoo Inc., 31 Mar. 2010. Web. 27
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“Portrayal.” Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. 8th ed. 2010. Print.
“Proud.” Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Merriam-Webster Online, 2013.
Web. 20 Oct. 2013.
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"Prudent." Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. 8th ed. 2010. Print.
Quinion, Michael. "Robinsonade." World Wide Words. Michael Quinion, 24 Feb.
2007. Web. 21 Sep. 2013.
“Religious.” Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. 8th ed. 2010. Print.
“Responsible.” Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Merriam-Webster Online,
2013. Web. 20 Oct. 2013.
"Robinsonade." Global.britannica.com. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., n.d. Web.
28 Sep. 2013.
“Robinsonade.” Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Merriam-Webster Online,
2013. Web. 9 Jun. 2013.
Ross, Jeremy. A. Kimball, December 8, 2006, and A. Kissel, ed. "Lord of the
Flies Background". GradeSaver, 18 August 2007 Web. 9 May 2014.
"Sir William Golding." The Biography Channel website. 2013. Web. 15 Apr.
2013.
Stafford, Tom. “Are We Naturally Good or Bad?” BBC. BBC, 14 Jan. 2013. Web.
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"William Golding - Biography". Nobelprize.org. n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2013.
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