Why did Golding use British school boys?

Answer 1

He uses British school boys to symbolize that even at a young age, the evil that lives within us all is present, and by using school boys he shows that doing the right thing has to be taught. He show that people only do the right thing if there is a fear of punishment from an authority figure.

Answer 2

Most likely, the reason why Golding used British school boys was because he was British himself. It is common for authors to write about things they know because they can tell what the character is going through.

What's more, for some years he was a teacher at a school in England.

Another can be that he wanted to relate the happening on the island to the World War 2.for this he needed british boys the war was taking place in their locality and they had been evacuated to remain safe.

Answer 3

Golding's choice of British schoolboys was particularly effective because his characters' behaviour and development contrasted with the image that people had of schoolboys. On the surface these appeared to be middle class boys who were well groomed and well versed in manners and behaviour. Jack and his party are actually choirboys, from whom one would expect only decorous and proper behavior. By turning these little bastions of the empire and civilization into blood thirsty murderous savages Golding added an enormous amount of impact to his novel. The behavior of his characters was shocking enough but when those characters where politely brought up schoolboys, such as you saw every day waiting for a bus, their behaviour became downright disturbing.

Answer 4

Maybe because English boys tend to me more proper than American boys? Also, the boys in this story are in boarding school, making them more proper and civilized. They have learned obedience and know abou rules, and in the beginning of the story, it was always the thought of their old lives that made them make better choices.

Answer 5

Golding used British school boys in "Lord of the Flies" to symbolize the inherent capacity for violence and evil within human nature, even in those who are sheltered and seemingly innocent. By depicting the breakdown of society and morality among these boys, Golding explores the destructive forces that can emerge when societal constraints are removed.

Answer 6

Goulding wanted to suggest that anyone, even innocent children, had the capacity for evil and corruption

Answer 7

I'm guessing the author may have been British himself? So at that point, it could be more of a "why not?".