In “Lord of the Flies,” Sam and Eric, known as Samneric, represent society’s faceless majorities.
These twins are loyal followers of Ralph but switch allegiance under duress to Jack’s tribe, symbolizing the fall of civility under pressure.
They tend to be dominated by external circumstances, reflecting the common populace, who often bear the brunt of decisions made by powerful individuals or groups.
Their malleability to authority constitutes a dark commentary on the instinctual obedience often found in larger societal structures.
Lord of the Flies Quotes With Page Numbers
Samneric Quotes With Page Numbers
“Piggy bent his flashing glasses to them and could be heard between the blasts, repeating their names.
“Sam, Eric, Sam, Eric.”
Then he got muddled; the twins shook their heads and pointed at each other and the crowd laughed.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Piggy, Sam and Eric), Chapter 1, Page 19
“That’s why Ralph made a meeting. So as we can decide what to do.
We’ve heard names. That’s Johnny. Those two―they’re twins, Sam ‘n Eric.
Which is Eric―? You? No―you’re Sam―”
“I’m Sam―”
“‘n I’m Eric.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Jack, Ralph, Sam and Eric), Chapter 1, Page 21
“The twins, Sam ‘n Eric, were the first to get a likely log but they could do nothing till Ralph, Jack, Simon, Roger and Maurice found room for a hand-hold.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (The Narrator about Samneric), Chapter 2, Page 39
“Jack planned his new face. He made one cheek and one eye-socket white, then he rubbed red over the other half of his face and slashed a black bar of charcoal across from right ear to left jaw. He looked in the pool for his reflection, but his breathing troubled the mirror.
“Samneric. Get me a coconut. An empty one.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (The Narrator and Jack to Sam and Eric), Chapter 4, Page 63
“In the darkness of early morning there were noises by a rock a little way down the side of the mountain. Two boys rolled out a pile of brushwood and dead leaves, two dim shadows talking sleepily to each other. They were the twins, on duty at the fire. In theory one should have been asleep and one on watch. But they could never manage to do things sensibly if that meant acting independently, and since staying awake all night was impossible, they had both gone to sleep. Now they approached the darker smudge that had been the signal fire, yawning, rubbing their eyes, treading with practiced feet. When they reached it they stopped yawning, and one ran quickly back for brushwood and leaves.
The other knelt down.
“I believe it’s out.”
He fiddled with the sticks that were pushed into his hands.
“No.”
He lay down and put his lips close to the smudge and blew soffly. His face appeared, lit redly. He stopped blowing for a moment.
“Sam―give us―”
“―tinder wood.”
Eric bent down and blew softly again till the patch was bright. Sam poked the piece of tinder wood into the hot spot, then a branch. The glow increased and the branch took fire. Sam piled on more branches.
“Don’t burn the lot,” said Eric, “you’re putting on too much.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (The Narrator and Sam and Eric), Chapter 6, Pages 96-97
“Eric squatted back and watched Sam make up the fire. He built a little tent of dead wood and the fire was safely alight.
“That was near.”
“He’d have been―”
“Waxy.”
“Huh.”
For a few moments the twins watched the fire in silence. Then Eric sniggered.
“Wasn’t he waxy?”
“About the―”
“Fire and the pig.”
“Lucky he went for Jack, ‘stead of us.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (The Narrator and Sam and Eric), Chapter 6, Page 97
“Warmth radiated now, and beat pleasantly on them. Sam amused himself by fitting branches into the fire as closely as possible. Eric spread out his hands, searching for the distance at which the heat was just bearable. Idly looking beyond the fire, he resettled the scattered rocks from their flat shadows into daylight contours. Just there was the big rock, and the three stones there, that split rock, and there beyond was a gap―just there―
“Sam.”
“Huh?”
“Nothing.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (The Narrator, Sam and Eric), Chapter 6, Page 97
“The flames were mastering the branches, the bark was curling and falling away, the wood exploding. The tent fell inwards and flung a wide circle of light over the mountain-top.
“Sam―”
“Huh?”
“Sam! Sam!”
Sam looked at Eric irritably. The intensity of Eric’s gaze made the direction in which he looked terrible, for Sam had his back to it. He scrambled round the fire, squatted by Eric, and looked to see. They became motionless, gripped in each other’s arms, four unwinking eyes aimed and two mouths open.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (The Narrator, Sam and Eric), Chapter 6, Page 98
“Far beneath them, the trees of the forest sighed, then roared. The hair on their foreheads fluttered and flames blew out sideways from the fire. Fifteen yards away from them came the plopping noise of fabric blown open. Neither of the boys screamed but the grip of their arms tightened and their mouths grew peaked. For perhaps ten seconds they crouched like that while the flailing fire sent smoke and sparks and waves of inconstant light over the top of the mountain.
Then as though they had but one terrified mind between them they scrambled away over the rocks and fled.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (The Narrator about Sam and Eric), Chapter 6, Page 98
“Sam ‘n Eric. Call them to an assembly. Quietly. Go on.”
The twins, holding tremulously to each other, dared the few yards to the next shelter and spread the dreadful news. Ralph stood up and walked for the sake of dignity, though with his back pricking, to the platform. Piggy and Simon followed him and the other boys came sneaking after.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (The Narrator and Ralph about Sam and Eric), Chapter 6, Page 99
Simon Lord of the Flies Quotes
“He handed the conch to Eric, the nearest of the twins. “We’ve seen the beast with our own eyes. No—we weren’t asleep—” Sam took up the story. By custom now one conch did for both twins, for their substantial unity was recognized.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (The Narrator about Sam and Eric), Chapter 6, Page 100
“It was furry. There was something moving behind its head―wings. The beast moved too―”
“That was awful. It kind of sat up―”
“The fire was bright―”
“We’d just made it up―”
“―more sticks on―”
“There were eyes―”
“Teeth―”
“Claws―”
“We ran as fast as we could―”
“Bashed into things―”
“The beast followed us―”
“I saw it slinking behind the trees―”
“Nearly touched me―”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Sam and Eric), Chapter 6, Page 100
“All right. Who wants to climb the mountain now?” Silence was the only answer.
“Samneric? What about you?”
“We ought to go an’ tell Piggy―”
“―yes, tell Piggy that―”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Ralph, Sam and Eric), Chapter 7, Page 119
“Ralph jumped up, ran swiftly round the fire and stood by Piggy, holding up his hair.
“But we’ve got to have a list! There’s you and me and Samneric and―”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Ralph about Sam and Eric), Chapter 8, Page 131
“Where’s Samneric?”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Ralph about Sam and Eric), Chapter 8, Page 138
“Trouble is, we haven’t got enough people for a fire. You got to treat Samnenc as one turn. They do everything together―”
“Of course.”
“Well, that isn’t fair. Don’t you see? They ought to do two turns.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Ralph and Piggy about Sam and Eric), Chapter 8, Pages 138-39
“Then the three of them turned and trotted away. Presently Ralph rose to his feet, looking at the place where the savages had vanished. Samneric came, talking in an awed whisper.
“I thought it was―”
“―and I was―”
“―scared.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (The Narrator about Ralph, Sam, and Eric), Chapter 8, Page 141
“Samneric took the conch.
“That must be fun like Bill says―and as he’s invited us―”
“―to a feast―”
“―meat―”
“―crackling―”
“―I could do with some meat―”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Sam and Eric), Chapter 8, Page 142
“For a time he looked at them and the crackle of the fire was the loudest noise over the droning of the reef. Ralph looked away; and Sam, thinking that Ralph had turned to him accusingly, put down his gnawed bone with a nervous giggle. Ralph took an uncertain step, pointed to a palm tree, and whispered something inaudible to Piggy; and they both giggled like Sam.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (The Narrator about Ralph, Sam and Eric), Chapter 9, Page 149
“And look, Ralph”―Piggy glanced round quickly, then leaned close―”don’t let on we was in that dance. Not to Samneric.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Ralph and Piggy about Sam and Eric), Chapter 10, Page 157
“Samneric came dragging a great log out of the forest. They dumped it by the fire and turned to the pool. Ralph jumped to his feet.
“Hi! You two!”
The twins checked a moment, then walked on.
“They’re going to bathe, Ralph.”
“Better get it over.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Ralph and Piggy about Sam and Eric), Chapter 10, Page 158
“The twins were very surprised to see Ralph. They flushed and looked past him into the air.
“Hullo. Fancy meeting you, Ralph.”
“We just been in the forest―”
“―to get wood for the fire―”
“―we got lost last night.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Ralph, Sam and Eric), Chapter 10, Page 158
“You got lost after the…”
Piggy cleaned his lens.
“After the feast,” said Sam in a stifled voice. Eric nodded. “Yes, after the feast.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Piggy, Sam and Eric), Chapter 10, Page 158
“Sam touched a scratch on his forehead and then hurriedly took his hand away. Eric fingered his split lip.
“Yes. We were very tired,” repeated Sam, “so we left early. Was it a good―”
The air was heavy with unspoken knowledge. Sam twisted and the obscene word shot out of him. “―dance?”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Sam and Eric), Chapter 10, Page 158
“He would not name people and Sam finished the sentence for him by nodding along the beach.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Sam and Eric), Chapter 10, Page 162
“We’ve got to keep it going.”
Eric flung himself down.
“I’m too tired. And what’s the good?”
“Eric!” cried Ralph in a shocked voice. “Don’t talk like that!”
Sam knelt by Eric.
“Well―what is the good?”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Ralph, Sam and Eric), Chapter 10, Page 164
“From the darkness of the further end of the shelter came a dreadful moaning and they shattered the leaves in their fear. Sam and Eric, locked in an embrace, were fighting each other.
“Sam! Sam!”
“Hey―Eric!”
Presently all was quiet again.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Ralph, Sam and Eric), Chapter 10, Page 165
“Samneric came close and peered at Ralph.
“Are you two all right?”
“I think so―”
“―I got busted.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Ralph, Sam and Eric), Chapter 10, Page 167
“That was Jack and his hunters,” said Ralph bitterly. “Why can’t they leave us alone?”
“We gave them something to think about,” said Sam.
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Ralph, Sam and Eric), Chapter 10, Page 167
“An assembly for only us?”
“It’s all we got. Sam―let me hold on to you.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Ralph, Sam and Eric), Chapter 11, Page 169
“He opened the flap of his cheek and looked at the twins.
“We could smarten up a bit and then go―”
“We ought to take spears,” said Sam. “Even Piggy.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Ralph and Sam), Chapter 11, Page 170
“He’ll be painted,” said Sam, timidly. “You know how he’ll be―”
“―he won’t think much of us―”
“―if he gets waxy we’ve had it―”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Sam and Eric), Chapter 11, Page 171
“We’ll be like we were. We’ll wash―”
Sam gulped down a mouthful and protested.
“But we bathe every day!”
Ralph looked at the filthy objects before him and sighed.
“We ought to comb our hair. Only it’s too long.”
“I’ve got both socks left in the shelter,” said Eric, “so we could pull them over our heads like caps, sort of.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Ralph, Sam and Eric), Chapter 11, Page 172
“Well, we won’t be painted,” said Ralph, “because we aren’t savages.”
Samneric looked at each other.
“All the same―”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Ralph, Sam and Eric), Chapter 11, Page 172
“The painted group moved round Samneric nervously and unhandily.
Once more the silvery laughter scattered.
Samneric protested out of the heart of civilization.
“Oh, I say!”
“―honestly!”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Sam and Eric), Chapter 11, Page 178-79
“The hangman’s horror clung round him. The chief said no more to him but looked down at Samneric.
“You got to join the tribe.”
“You lemme go―”
“―and me.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Jack, Sam and Eric), Chapter 11, Page 182
“What d’you mean by it, eh?” said the chief fiercely. “What d’you mean by coming with spears? What d’you mean by not joining my tribe?”
The prodding became rhythmic. Sam yelled.
“That’s not the way.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Jack and Sam), Chapter 11, Page 182
“Ralph put his head down on his forearms and accepted this new fact like a wound. Samneric were part of the tribe now. They were guarding the Castle Rock against him. There was no chance of rescuing them and building up an outlaw tribe at the other end of the island. Samneric were savages like the rest;”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (The Narrator about Ralph and Sam), Chapter 12, Page 186
“Samneric―”
He heard a cry and a flurry from the rock. The twins had grabbed each other and were gibbering.
“It’s me. Ralph.”
Terrified that they would run and give the alarm, he hauled himself up until his head and shoulders stuck over the top. Far below his armpit he saw the luminous flowering round the rock.
“It’s only me. Ralph.”
At length they bent forward and peered in his face.
“We thought it was―”
“―we didn’t know what it was―”
“―we thought―”
Memory of their new and shameful loyalty came to them. Eric was silent but Sam tried to do his duty.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Ralph, Sam and Eric), Chapter 12, Page 187
“I came to see you two―”
Words could not express the dull pain of these things. He fell silent, while the vivid stars were spilt and danced all ways.
Sam shifted uneasily.
“Honest, Ralph, you’d better go.”
Ralph looked up again.
“You two aren’t painted. How can you―? If it were light―”
If it were light shame would burn them at admitting these things. But the night was dark. Eric took up; and then the twins started their antiphonal speech.
“You got to go because it’s not safe―”
“―they made us. They hurt us―”
“Who? Jack?”
“Oh no―”
They bent to him and lowered their voices.
“Push off, Ralph―”
“―it’s a tribe―”
“―they made us―”
“―we couldn’t help it―”
After a moment’s silence, Sam spoke in a strangled voice.
“You don’t know Roger. He’s a terror.”
“And the chief―they’re both―”
“―terrors―”
“―only Roger―”
Both boys froze. Someone was climbing toward them from the tribe.
“He’s coming to see if we’re keeping watch. Quick, Ralph!”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Ralph, Sam and Eric), Chapter 12, Pages 187-88
Roger Lord of the Flies Quotes
“Sam―I’m going to be all right, aren’t I?”
The twins were silent again.
“Here!” said Sam suddenly. “Take this―”
Ralph felt a chunk of meat pushed against him and grabbed it.
“But what are you going to do when you catch me?”
Silence above. He sounded silly to himself. He lowered himself down the
rock.“What are you going to do―?”
From the top of the towering rock came the incomprehensible reply.
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Ralph, Sam and Eric), Chapter 12, Page 190
“He squatted down in the tall grass, remembered the meat that Sam had given him, and began to tear at it ravenously. While he was eating, he heard fresh noises―cries of pain from Samneric, cries of panic, angry voices. What did it mean? Someone besides himself was in trouble, for at least one of the twins was catching it.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (The Narrator about Ralph, Sam and Eric), Chapter 12, Page 190
“He mastered his breathing for a moment, wiped his mouth, and told himself to be calm. Samneric were somewhere in that line, and hating it. Or were they? And supposing, instead of them, he met the chief, or Roger who carried death in his hands?”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (The Narrator about Ralph, Sam and Eric), Chapter 12, Page 196
“If anyone peered under the bushes and chanced to glimpse human flesh it might be Samneric who would pretend not to see and say nothing. ”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (The Narrator Sam and Eric), Chapter 12, Page 198
What quote shows Sam and Eric are inseparable?
“They were the twins, on duty at the fire. In theory one should have been asleep and one on watch. But they could never manage to do things sensibly if that meant acting independently, and since staying awake all night was impossible, they had both gone to sleep. Now they approached the darker smudge that had been the signal fire, yawning, rubbing their eyes, treading with practiced feet. When they reached it they stopped yawning, and one ran quickly back for brushwood and leaves.”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (Sam and Eric), Chapter 6, Pages 96-97
Samneric Character Analysis
Samneric are twins referred to as a combined entity in William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies. They play an integral role in the narrative, fluctuating from their initial innocence to eventually being manipulated by circumstances.
Samneric is inseparable. Even though they work one shift together, they’re the hardest workers on the island. When something needs to be done, the first question is, “where’s Samneric?”
The readers first encounter Samneric as part of a group of boys of different ages. As the story unfolds, we watch them being pulled into the churning of power dynamics and tribalism.
They eventually join Jack on his hunting sprees and his newly formed tribe, succumbing to the primal influence of the mask and camouflage.
Their loyalty to Ralph persists as they channel their efforts to maintain the fire. They make tough decisions like confining the fire’s spaces due to inadequate help.
Their commitment, however, gets deviously exploited by Jack when they are abducted, forced into submission, and coerced into his tribe.
The gravity of their plight is felt as Ralph, on a reconnaissance mission to Castle Rock, discovers the terrorized twins guarding the gates.
In the following turmoil, the twins, now pawns under Jack’s reign, are tortured into revealing Ralph’s hiding place. Thus underscoring the boys’ tragic transformation from innocent children to unwilling participants in Jack’s savage rule.
The twins’ character arc starkly illustrates the corrosive impact of fear, violence, and coercion on human behavior and relationships.
Lord of The Flies Characters Symbolism and Analysis
Samneric physical description Lord of the Flies
Samneric are physically depicted as ‘bullet-headed’ with ‘hair like tow.’ This somewhat sketchy physical description gives readers a basic understanding of their appearance.
Predominantly, the author, Golding, hints that the boys’ mental and behavioral attributes are of greater importance than their physical characteristics.
“The two boys, bullet-headed and with hair like tow, flung themselves down and lay grinning and panting at Ralph like dogs. They were twins, and the eye was shocked and incredulous at such cheery duplication. They breathed together, they grinned together, they were chunky and vital. ”
~William Golding, Lord of The Flies (The Narrator about Sam and Eric), Chapter 1, Page 19
Why were Samneric tortured?
Samneric were tormented because they had remained loyal to Ralph, a rival to Jack and his tribe. They increase their vulnerability and paint them as potential threats. Jack tortured them to learn Ralph’s location from them.
Does Samneric betray Ralph?
Yes, Samneric betrays Ralph towards the end of the story, albeit against their own will. Faced with relentless torture from Roger under Jack’s command, they were compelled to betray Ralph by revealing his nearby location to the savages. However, they had always been supportive of Ralph up until that point.