Lord of the Flies

Set during a fictional nuclear war, William Golding's novel follows a group of British schoolboys stranded on an uninhabited island after a plane crash. Initially, they attempt to establish a democratic society led by Ralph and symbolized by a conch shell, prioritizing signal fires and shelter. However, the social order fractures as fear of a mythical 'beast' grows and Jack, a rival leader, appeals to the boys' primal instincts, leading to a descent into tribal savagery. The narrative culminates in the brutal ritualistic murders of Simon and Piggy, and the hunting of Ralph, before a naval officer arrives to rescue them, ironically returning them to a world engaged in its own catastrophic war.