How does Lord of the Flies end? The ending of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies is both dramatic and deeply ironic. As the novel reaches its climax, the boys, who are now fully descended into savagery, set the entire island on fire in a desperate attempt to flush Ralph out of hiding so they can kill him. Ironically, it’s this wildfire, intended for violence, that finally attracts the attention of a passing ship. Just as Ralph is running for his life from the other boys, a naval officer appears on the beach, bringing an abrupt end to their nightmare and rescuing them. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how Lord of the Flies ends and what makes its conclusion so powerful.
How does Lord of the Flies end?
Lord of the Flies ends with a dramatic and ironic twist. As the boys descend fully into savagery, Jack and his followers set the entire island on fire to smoke Ralph out of hiding so they can kill him. The fire rages out of control, destroying the island’s remaining vegetation:
“The fire was a big one and the drum-roll continued… The sky was black.” (Chapter 12)
Ironically, this act of destruction is what saves them. The massive smoke cloud is spotted by a passing ship:
“We saw your smoke. What have you been doing? Having a war or something?” (Chapter 12)
Just as Ralph is running for his life from the other boys—”He stumbled over a root and fell flat,”—he bursts onto the beach and collapses at the feet of a naval officer who has come ashore to investigate:
“A naval officer stood on the sand, looking down at Ralph in wary astonishment.” (Chapter 12)
With the arrival of the adult, the boys are suddenly confronted with what they’ve become. The officer is shocked by their appearance and behavior, expecting “a pack of British boys… would have been able to put up a better show than that.”
The ending is powerful because it shows how quickly order can collapse and how rescue can come at the most unexpected moment, turning an act meant for violence into one that brings salvation.
What is ironic about the ending of Lord of the Flies?
The ending of Lord of the Flies is deeply ironic because the very thing meant to destroy Ralph ends up saving everyone. Jack and his tribe set the island on fire to hunt Ralph down, but it’s actually this massive, destructive blaze that catches the attention of a passing ship and leads to their rescue. As Golding writes, “We saw your smoke. What have you been doing? Having a war or something?” (Chapter 12). Instead of a carefully tended signal fire, it’s Jack’s reckless act that brings salvation. This shows how chaos and violence unintentionally bring about the boys’ return to civilization.
Why does the Lord of the Flies end so abruptly?
The ending of Lord of the Flies feels abrupt because Golding wants to shock both the boys and the reader back into reality. After all the chaos and violence, the sudden arrival of the naval officer interrupts their descent into savagery and reminds us of how quickly things can change. The abruptness also highlights the thin line between civilization and chaos, leaving readers to reflect on what just happened and what it says about human nature.
Does the Lord of the Flies have a happy ending?
While the boys in Lord of the Flies are rescued at the end, it’s hard to call it a truly happy ending. The survivors are traumatized by everything they’ve been through, and their innocence is lost. The rescue brings relief but also forces everyone, including the reader, to confront the darkness that emerged on the island. So, while they’re saved physically, the emotional and moral scars remain.
Who survives at the end of Lord of the Flies?
At the end of Lord of the Flies, most of the boys survive, but not all. Only two named characters, Piggy and Simon, do not make it to the rescue. An unnamed littlun with a mulberry-colored birthmark is also presumed dead after the early forest fire. Of the seven main characters, five survive: Ralph, Jack, Sam, Eric, and Roger. As Golding writes in the final chapter, “Ralph wept for the end of innocence,” reflecting on everything they endured (Chapter 12). These survivors are rescued when a naval officer arrives after seeing smoke from the island’s fire.
Conclusion
In the final moments of Lord of the Flies, chaos reaches its peak as the boys set the island ablaze to hunt down Ralph. In a twist of fate, the fire meant to destroy him saves everyone, as its smoke signals a passing ship. A naval officer arrives on the beach just as Ralph is fleeing for his life from the other boys, bringing their savage ordeal to an abrupt and sobering end. Golding leaves us with a powerful reminder of how quickly civilization can break down and how rescue can arrive when we least expect it.