Setting is the physical environment in which the action of a novel occurs. Time, place, and time elapsed, are all aspects of setting. Authors use setting to further the plot, reveal traits and personalities of characters, and to reinforce the thematic preoccupation of the work. In William Golding's Lord of the Flies, the setting of the novel is an essential component in the effectiveness of the novel and in the conveying of the theme. Golding uses a tropical island in the pacific as his setting. The island is the only place that Golding could successfully use for the novel because on that island the boys could be completely removed from society and civilization, yet still survive on their own. In Lord of the Flies, the setting advances the plot because the boys are secluded, yet provided with all their needs to survive. The setting also reveals characters personalities through their response to the island and certain places they encounter. Lastly, the setting of the island reinforces the theme because the lack of societal constraints allows for a revelation of mans" true nature. The time spent on the island is symbolic of a journey within man, to his innate core. Golding through the use of the setting communicates many ideas about mankind and the propensity for evil within man, when removed from society, and released from the binding Rings of Civilization. .
Golding's purpose in Lord of the Flies is to expose that which is within man, when all societal restraints are eliminated. The setting is effective in furthering the plot because if the island were not used, the boys would not be successful in the exploration of their core, due to the fact that they would be connected and submerged into some form civilization. The only way to get the boys completely alone, with no adults, was to use the exact setting chosen by Golding. Another essential element was the way Golding delivered the boys to the setting.
