Roger
English Lit: AQA GCSE Lord of the Flies, topic 3.1.6
Roger
Roger shows violence from the very start, picking on the littluns. He sharpens a stick at both ends when the mob hunts Ralph.
Roger
- As a reader, we do not hear much about Roger until Jack takes over as the main leader of the island.
- At the start, we see him picking on the littleuns, throwing rocks near them to frighten them.
- He is shown to be “watching the littleuns”, as if biding his time until he could do them harm.
Terror
- When Jack takes over, evil is allowed free reign and Roger uses the opportunity to show his incredibly evil, sadistic side.
- Roger is the result of evil winning – he terrorises the boys, enjoys torturing them.
True evil
- “Samneric lay looking up in quiet terror. Roger advanced upon them as one wielding a nameless authority”.
- Even the boys in Jack’s tribe, who are on the same side as Roger, are incredibly scared of him: “He’s a terror”.
- Roger has no mercy and enjoys the power he has to hurt others – he represents true evil.
Roger cont.
Roger is the one who completely destroys all civilisation, law, order, and intelligent reasoning on the island.
Piggy's murder
- Roger is the one who casually releases the boulder on the hill, murdering Piggy with extreme ease and, even, joy:
- “Roger, with a sense of delirious abandonment, leaned all his weight on the lever”.
Cold-blooded murder
- This death is the first case of cold, calculated murder on the island.
- Roger has no remorse. He wanted to kill Piggy.
- Roger is the one who completely destroys all civilisation, law, order, and intelligent reasoning on the island.
WW2
- As the novel was written after World War 2, Roger could be likened to one of Hitler’s secret police who enforced his laws through violence and intimidation.
- Golding shows what could have happened to society if the Germans (evil forces) had won: the end of goodness and civilised thoughts.
Summary of Roger
- Roger is only ever shown doing sinister, nasty things.
- He represents complete terror and evil.
- He is the one who commits the only premeditated, calculated murder on the island: Piggy’s.
- He hunts Ralph with a stick that is sharpened at both ends.
- He is brutal and savage.
Test yourself on Roger
Who does Roger pick on?
Who does Roger deliberately murder in cold-blood?