What language techniques did Golding use in Lord of the Flies?

Clearly as this novel is a renowned example of literature
we can assume that there are many excellent examples of language techniques such as
imagery and figurative language that are used to make the novel come alive to the
reader. I am going to focus on one particular paragraph to highlight some of these, but
really, the novel is full of them, so after reading my example I would really encourage
you to examine the novel again and try and find your own examples. Consider this
quote:

The
shore was fledged with palm trees. These stood or leaned or reclined against the light
and their green feathers were a hundred feet up in the air. The ground beneath them was
a bank covered with coarse grass, torn everywhere by the upheavals of fallen trees,
scattered with decaying coconuts and palm saplings. Behind this was the darkness of the
forest proper and the open space of the scar. Ralph stood, one hand against a
grey trunk, and screwed up his eyes against the shimmering water. Out here, perhaps a
mile away, the white surf flinked on a coral reef, and beyond that the open sea was dark
blue. Within the irregular arc of coral the lagoon was still as a mountain lake - blue
of all shades and shadowy green and purple. The beach between the palm terrace and the
water was a thin stick, endless apparently, for to Ralph's left the perspectives of palm
and beach and water drew to a point at infinity; and always, almost visible, was the
heat.

This is an excellent
example of imagery - where writers appeal to the five senses to build a picture and make
it real to the reader. Also, there are some great examples of figurative language.
Consider how the leaves of the palm trees are described as "feathers" - this metaphor
comparing them to birds' feathers, but also emphasising the shade and softness that they
provide. The description of the ground with its "coarse grass, torn everywhere" and
"fallen trees" and "decaying coconuts" and the mention of the "scar" create stark visual
images that help us imagine the impact of the plane on the land. Note too the use of
colour to describe the water of the lagoon, which is "blue of all shades and shadowy
green and purple." Then finally consider the metaphor which describes the beach as a
"thin stick", separating the palm trees from the
water.

Hope this helps! Now go and look for some more
examples yourself! Good luck!