The Very Unhappy Ending of Lord of the Flies William Golding's Lord of the Flies does indeed have a happy ending in the literal sense. The boys are saved as their senseless cruelty reaches its peak by the loving, caring and mature outside world. On the other hand, by whom and what are the boys saved? Symbolically, the “happy ending” is exactly the opposite. Far from sacrificing artistic excellence, Golding's ending confirms the author's powerful symbolism. Readers know a lot about the boys' society and its leadership long before the "rescue." Ralph will be killed and remain a perpetual gift to the “beast”. The boys' xenophobic view of the Beast is ironically unfounded because the Beast emerges from within the boys: they themselves are dangerous and frightening monsters that all must fear, and they kill the first person who suggests it (Simon). Although the paratrooper may symbolize the archetypal fall of civilization, he is only a "beast" as far as civilization is to be feared. (The boys' fear of the beast may therefore be well-founded, but only symbolically). As the action progresses, readers see no sign of deviation from the boys' self-destructive trajectory. Shortly before the boys' "rescue", they expect the boys to perish either from the fire (which ultimately saves Ralph), a tragedy of the commons, or a war internal. Golding could have either extended the book to its intended bloody ending or changed course. The surprise action plan becomes Golding's central theme. Golding's theme is not just about the obvious evils of boys' society; this includes the idea that boys are a microcosm of society. Although readers may be able to determine its theme immediately before the end, the connection to the middle of the paper......he is at a loss for words, but the officer treats the boys as if they were playing a game in the yard. “Pretty good show, like Coral Island,” he remarks, followed by the inquiry: “You’re all British, aren’t you?” (184). The officer believes that the boys have formed an enlightened and orderly society like in the novel Coral Island, but he does not realize that even the British, "the best at everything", can fall into the trap of brutal war (40 ). The officer destroys readers' stereotypes that they are superior to war because he shows that war is a virus that can infect everyone. In short, Golding's end is as symbolic as it is unfortunate. The ironic rescue transcends the isolated island to inspire readers, especially the British, to recognize their evil potential. The naval officer shows how far the boys fell and why their "rescue" wasn't really that happy.