ferent fate. His version shows boys who lose all control and become savages. This contrast between the two novels helps Golding expose the false idea of man’s natural goodness.

Reversal of the Victorian Ideal: Ballantyne’s The Coral Island was written in the Victorian period, when people believed in moral progress and Christian virtue. The boys there show courage, faith, and kindness. But in “Lord of the Flies,” Golding rejects this romantic view. His Ralph and Jack turn violent and divided. The island becomes a place of fear, not peace. Golding says through his story that civilization is only a thin layer. When rules disappear, even innocent children can turn into murderers and worship the “beast.”

Symbol of Civilization Versus Savagery: The two islands represent two sides of human nature. Ballantyne’s island stands for order, faith, and harmony. Golding’s island, however, becomes a symbol of savagery and moral decay. At first, Ralph tries to build rules and shelter, like in The Coral Island. But soon the fire dies, the conch breaks, and Piggy is killed. The chant, 

“Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood,” 

It shows the replacement of prayer and discipline. Golding uses this reversal to show how easily human civilization collapses without moral strength.

Irony of the Shared Names: Golding deliberately names his main characters Ralph and Jack after the heroes of The Coral Island. But in his novel, Ralph loses control, and Jack becomes a savage killer. This change shows deep irony. The same names now stand for moral failure instead of heroism. When the naval officer saves the boys at the end, he says, 

“Jolly good show. Like The Coral Island.” 

This line adds sharp irony, because the officer fails to see the horror that the boys have lived through.

Representation of Human Nature: Golding rewrites The Coral Island to prove that evil comes from within man, not from outside forces. His boys are not corrupted by the island; they carry corruption inside their hearts. Simon realizes this when he says, 

“Maybe it’s only us.” 

In Ballantyne’s story, Christianity wins over savagery. But in “Lord of the Flies”, religion fails, and moral values disappear. Golding’s use of The Coral Island highlights man’s weakness and shows that human beings are born with both good and evil instincts.

In termination, Golding’s “Lord of the Flies” turns The Coral Island upside down. He uses it to reveal the darkness of human nature and to reject false faith in civilization and innocence. The peaceful world of Ballantyne becomes a tragic world of cruelty and loss. Through this contrast, Golding shows that evil lives within every human heart and waits to rise when order and conscience fall.