Indirect Characterization in Lord of The Flies Essay Example

In the novel, Lord of the Flies, the author, Golding, uses indirect characterization to teach the reader further about the characters.  Golding uses many forms of actions, dialogue, and narration of thoughts.  To begin, the author uses dialogue to help the reader get a better depiction of the characters.  The quote “Kill the pig! Cut his throat! Kill the pig! Bash him in!” (Golding 114). This quote shows the reader how the children on this island are becoming more savage.  The kids have just killed a pig and they are reenacting the slaughter.  This is an example of indirect characterization that further develops the characters into savages. In addition, Golding suggests the quote, “Use a littlun” (115). In this excerpt, Jack is joking around about how the hunters can use a small child, called a littlun, to catch a pig.  This indirectly shows the reader how Jack's character is turning into a savage since we do not know if he is joking or being serious.  Furthermore, the author of the novel states “Why do you hate me?” (Golding 118). In this quote, one can see that there is a strong hatred from Jack to Ralph.  Jack does not answer this question, leading the reader to infer that Jack does hate Ralph through indirect characterization.  To support the quote from page 118, the author states “The boys stirred uneasily” (Golding 118). As aforementioned, this shows the reader through actions, that boys are nervous about the question of hate.  This indirectly shows what the boy's tendencies are and how they act leading to the indirect development of their characters. In conclusion, there are many uses of dialogue and actions that help further develop the characters in the novel Lord of the Flies.  Golding uses many examples of indirect characterization such as the reenacting of killing a pig, the inquiry of hatred, and dark sarcasm about killing children.