Lord of the Flies is a 1954 novel by Nobel Prize-winning British author William Golding. The book focuses on a group of British boys stranded on an uninhabited island and their disastrous attempt to govern themselves.(Wikipedia).
The boys divide up into groups with leaders, followers and dissenters and the story follows their progress and regression on the island as some fall prey to power mania or peer pressure and participate in bullying and even murder. Others however, stand strong against the force of man's inhumanity to his fellow man. NB There is NO cannabalism in this story.
A haunting, tragic book, with such deep hidden meaning. Golding reminds us of the depraved human nature of man, and how even the most civilized people can become monsters. (Kyra Bredenhof).
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Lord of the Flies Themes
- Human Nature. William Golding once said that in writing Lord of the Flies he aimed to trace society's flaws back to their source in human nature. ...
- Civilization. ...
- Savagery and the "Beast" ...
- Spirituality and Religion. ...
- The Weak and the Strong
- Friendship and loyalty
- Peer pressure
- Power
- Verdict of IrishParent: This is an important book on the study of human frailty and human compassion. Thought-provoking in the best sense.Some parents might feel that this book is more suitable for study at Senior Level, due to the violence which the boys perpetrate when they hunt for the pigs, and later, Piggy, the boy. However, it does not contain offensive curse words or any sexual content and ultimately, it is not promoting violence, but rather, exposing what is already present in the human heart. Parents should read the book for themselves.
- Excellent modern classic and suitable for the classroom but parental discretion needed in the case of a sensitive child.
Wonderful book with universal themes such as: the true nature of the human heart and civilization versus savagery; Spirituality and Religion; the roles of both the weak and
the strong in society; loyalty and friendship versus the need to belong. This is a robust and well-written account of the true nature of humankind and is told through the story of a group of boys whose plane crashes on a deserted island. They have to find a way to live and survive as individuals and as a collective community. An excellent choice for the classroom by the NCCA.
(Review: Niall,EnglishTeacher and Parent,Co.Galway)
Verdict: The story is an absorbing one with great character development. I definitely recommend this book as a fabulous addition to any English literature curriculum!
(Excited for my Girl’s love of reading great books! Katharine N.Co. Offaly)