The relationships between underlexicalization, metaphor, and simile in William Golding's 'The Inheritors' (London: Faber and Faber, 1955) are examined in terms of modern linguistic findings. It is suggested that the text anticipates recent work on the nature and function of metaphor, e.g., that metaphor is a basis for thought and reality construction. Conceptual metaphors in conflict are noted, cases of underlexicalization are identified, and further commentary on various device combinations is given. Golding is found to manipulate linguistic patterns to reflect the developing intellectual abilities of his characters. It is concluded that the text finds underlexicalization and metaphor inadequate for the development of analytical reasoning skills. It is suggested that some metaphors in the text be treated as cases of underlexicalization rather than metaphor. This division is found to clarify Golding's procedure and to permit an analysis that can more precisely capture the nature of the fiction. (Copyright 1993, Sociological Abstracts, Inc., all rights reserved.) (LLBA 1993, vol. 27, n. 3)