Paradise lost: the effects of isolation on the groups in Lord of the Flies and The Beach

Abstract: This essay discusses the effects of isolation on two isolated groups: the
young boys in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, and the backpackers in
Alex Garland’s The Beach. Through discussing the novels from different
perspectives, such as the circumstances of their isolation, the group
constellations and the threats that endanger their lives, it is possible to
draw conclusions regarding the extent to which isolation in itself
influences the two groups. The groups are in similar situations, alone on a
desert island, but the circumstances under which they became isolated
contribute to the different perceptions both groups have of isolated life.
The group constellations are also key factors in understanding the influence
isolation has on the groups. Both collectives include key individuals such
as a strong, dictator-like leader and social outcasts. Regarding the threats
that face the groups, the essay discusses two different types of threats:
threats that originate from outside the group and threats that originate
from within the group. Isolation influences the extent to which these
threats pose a real danger to the collectives.

Through comparing the two novels, looking for differences as well as
similarities, and relating these to the fact that the groups are isolated it
is concluded that isolation in itself plays a major part in the final
outcome of the two groups: violence and disintegration.