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Think about Imperial England--how they were with the Native Americans. The English sought to take and control everything they wanted and could get their hands on. They raped, they killed, they stole--they were flat out barbaric, actually. They did not care at all for the natives. And, in Lord of the Flies, this small group of English boys embodies that--that at the core of possibly every human being is primal savagery. Jack, for instance, was distinguished, he was a leader--and yet he went power hungry, just like the English in their pursuit for land, riches, and resources.

In the time of the book, a world war is going on. It is believed in that time period that the English (people from England) were the most proper people in the world. The point is that the English let that assumption go to their heads and became savages. When the characters say "After all we're not savages, we're English; and the English are best at everything," it's proving that point.

1) It could be mocking the war. Golding spent a lot of time fighting in the war and he could be mocking the way the politicians tried to raise morale by pointing out that they were British. In this case, it could be that he was saying "Oh, blah blah we're BRITISH" to cover up for the murders that are to occur. (Key word : Foreshadowing) No matter what they say, the fact that murder is murder. OK, thats my interpretation, I think the textbook explanation would be...

2) It could be that even though they were so confident that they were best at everything, it turns out that at the end of the book they still ended up turning into savages. Thus, indicating that even the best of people are evil.