Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Lord of the Flies by William Golding
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Classic literature, YA
1954

A group of boys find themselves stranded on an isolated island after a plane crashed. The time is during WWII with the idea of protecting the boys from the impending war.

The first to be introduced are Ralph and “Piggy” who was an overweight boy with glasses and asthma. His obvious health issues make him the target of ridicule and ignorance. Once this cruel nickname was shared the others were not interested in his real name. The two boys find a conch shell which Ralph blew to alert any others on the island which then becomes a symbol of power.

Next to arrive was a choir of boys led by Jack Merridew who seemed to have a regimented control over the group. The group contains various members including twins, Sam and Eric, as well as Roger and Simon.

After the initial thrill of freedom from adult supervision, it becomes obvious the group needs unification with rules and guidelines. Ralph and Jack become the leaders who decide to separate the kids into two groups. They agreed that each group would be assigned tasks which would help them survive until a rescue is made. Can people survive without discipline or leadership? What happens when a group is left to their own accord?

It oddly reminds me of a religious scenario while Moses receives the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. While Moses left his followers for an extended period of time, the people become restless and resort to sinful indulgences in their despair. The lack of moral guidance and discipline enhanced doubt and anger which ultimately led to their demise.

In Lord of the Flies, ethical and moral issues come to the surface which has people wondering what role societal rules and institutions have on the individuals. Although this was my first reading of this classic novel, I had become aware of the various themes of violence and tragedy when a society lacks structure and proper leadership.

There are many scenes which demonstrate the savagery and evil which lurks with each person. In this case, the people are in fact “innocent” children who are cast into a very “real” adult environment.



View all my reviews