Roger

Roger is one of the older boys on the island, and while he appears to be quiet at the beginning of the novel, he quickly proves to be incredibly cruel and barbaric. At first his consciousness stops him from continuing to inflict pain on others, like when he stops throwing rocks at the littluns, but over time the savage inside of him takes over. He viciously kills a pig, threatens to torture Samneric, and kills Piggy by rolling a boulder over him. As Samneric explain to Ralph, “You don’t know Roger, he’s a terror” (272).

Since Roger enjoys causing pain and harming others, he represents human’s inner barbarity. Originally, he is still connected to civilization so morality prevents him from continuing to throw rocks at the littluns and acting on his savage drives. However, as time goes by and the boys’ connection to civilization diminishes, Roger’s savage side takes over. Roger serves as a reminder that while civilization serves as a restraining force, it can only pull so far.