Book Review ~ Lord of the FliesBy William Gerald GoldingDone by: Angela Leong Feng Ping

Audrey Tan Poh Poh Mallampalli Parinita

Basic Summary of the Book

This book is about a group of boys who, after being stranded for a period of time on an island, lose their civilized side and turn barbaric.

Their quest for more power, food and freedom causes them to gradually become brutes. This also leads to the loss of friendship and trust among them. Their primitive behavior even results in the gruesome deaths of two boys.

Biographical Information

Contents Simple timeline of the life of the

author – William Gerald Golding Events which may have influenced

this story Discussion of these events

Simple Timeline of William Gerald Golding’s Life

1911William Golding was born

1935Published a book of poems

1940Joined the royal navy and was at sea for 6 years 1954

Published his first novel, Lord of the Flies

Significant Biographical Events In 1940, during WWII, William Golding joined

the Royal Navy.

During his service years, he was placed in command of a rocket ship.

He witnessed the destruction of submarines, aircraft, and even participated in the sinking of Bismarck, a German warship. He also witnessed the D-Day invasion.

Discussion

During his service in the Royal Navy, Golding had witnessed many of the grim events of WWII.

This may have changed his perception of mankind.

Most, if not all, of the time, war is caused by man’s unquenchable thirst for more power.

Having seen the devastating consequences of man’s nature with his own eyes, he was left with an ominous impression of humanity.

He even once commented, “man produces evil, as a bee produces honey.”

After his service in the Navy, Golding returned to writing and published his first novel – Lord of the Flies – in 1954.

Discussion

Discussion Lord of the Flies may have been inspired by

Golding’s experience serving in the Navy during WWII.

In the story, the boys lose their sense of order, and this leads to massive destruction. This is probably the exact thing that Golding witnessed during the war.

This book is trying to convey the message that when mankind turns savage, it inevitably causes immense devastation.

Close Reading: Character

The two major characters we will be looking at are:

Ralph Jack

How is Ralph described? “The boy with fair hair lowered himself down

the last few feet of rock and began to pick his way toward the lagoon. Though he had taken off his school sweater and trailed it now from one hand, his grey shirt stuck to him and his hair was plastered to his forehead.” (Chapter 1: The Sound of the Shell; page 1)

Ralph has fair hair, and he is wearing his school sweater and a grey shirt when he first landed on the island.

How is Ralph described? “He was old enough, twelve years and a few

months, to have lost the prominent tummy of childhood and not yet old enough for adolescence to have made him awkward. You could see now that he might make a boxer, as far as width and heaviness of shoulders went, but there was a mildness about his mouth and eyes that proclaimed no devil.” (Chapter 1: The Sound of the Shell; page 5)

Ralph is an average twelve-year-old, with strong shoulders and a mild look.

What conclusion can you form about Ralph? Ralph is confident and adaptable, as seen

from his conviction when he reports his assessment of the island to Piggy.

During his assessment of the situation they faced, Ralph again shows his practical side.

Ralph is adventurous, curious and daring as seen from the boldness and eagerness he displays during the exploration of the island.

What conclusion can you form about Ralph? In the first chapter, Ralph does not

think much of Piggy, as seen from his careless attitude towards whatever Piggy says or does.

This is further emphasized by the fact that he tries to hide his interest when Piggy mentions something that catches his attention.

What conclusion can you form about Ralph? In addition, Ralph initially finds Piggy

somewhat irritating and pesky, as can be inferred from the fact that he tries to shake Piggy off and is unwilling to make friends with Piggy.

Ralph puts a lot of faith and trust in his father, who is a Navy commander, as seen from his conviction as he guarantees Piggy that his father would find them no matter what.

What conclusion can you form about Ralph? Ralph’s speeches show that he is a good and

natural leader.

However, he often allows himself to be controlled by his emotions, such as when he reveals Piggy’s nickname in a slip of tongue during the first assembly, thereby breaking his promise.

We can also see that he understands the importance of order in society, possibly due to the influence of his father, who is the commander of the Navy.

What conclusion can you form about Ralph? In Chapter 3: Huts on the Beaches, we see

Ralph’s growing frustration with being unable to keep the boys focused on task.

Also, we see Ralph’s growing tension with Jack over the latter’s obsession towards hunting.

However, despite this, both on them are still generally on good terms, as seen from their efforts to control their tempers.

What conclusion can you form about Ralph? Starting from Chapter 5: Beast from Water, Ralph

starts to feel the strain of maintaining order among the boys.

Also, his confidence is beginning to waver and he is beginning to suspect the existence of a beast on the island.

In addition, he starts to look upon Piggy as a friend, as can be deduced from his conversations with Piggy, during which he confides his fears and worries.

What conclusion can you from about Ralph? From Chapter 7: Shadows and Tall Trees

onwards, we can see that Ralph is turning less civilized, as he has developed bad habits such as biting his nails.

He is confused, struggling to maintain his civilized side while adapting to survive on the island. He is desperate to be rescued, to return to society.

In addition, he is becoming less fluent in his speeches, and starting to lose his leadership attributes.

What conclusion can you form about Ralph? Ralph is also sliding deeper into savagery,

as seen from the thrill he experiences when hunting the pig, and the pride he feels upon inflicting injuries on the pig.

In the final three chapters, Ralph reveals, through his conversation with Piggy, that he is horrified by how the boys have turned savage, but despite his worries, he himself turns into a savage too in the end.

Is the author’s portrayal of Ralph effective? Yes, the author initially portrays Ralph as

a natural leader, despite being indecisive at times and all too often giving in to his own emotions.

Ralph initially appears to be a confident and self-assured leader, but later lapses into several moments of confusion, during which he seeks Piggy’s advice and enlightenment.

Is the author’s portrayal of Ralph effective? Ralph is portrayed as one of the most

civilized boys on the island, who understands the importance of order in society.

However, like the other boys, he eventually succumbs to the pressure of having to survive in a harsh environment, and turns into a savage himself. However, his transformation is gradual – turning first from civilized to primitive, and then to savage.

Why do you think he chooses to portray Ralph in such a way?

The change in Ralph’s behavior and mindset is analyzed in detail by the author; he is the one who has struggled to keep order for the longest time, before finally giving up and lapsing into savagery himself.

Until the last few chapters, he acts as the benchmark to show how the boys on the island are becoming more savage and primitive.

Why do you think he chooses to portray Ralph in such a way?

The author probably wishes to show that however civilized man may be, he will eventually turn to the savage roots of his ancestors after having to survive in a harsh environment for a period of time.

He wishes to convey to the readers the inevitable savage nature of humanity.

How does this illustrate the thematic concerns of the text?

One main thematic concern of the text is the savage side of humanity – how even the most civilized man will follow in the primitive steps of his ancestors after being thrown into the wild.

Ralph’s gradual transformation from one of the most civilized boys on the island to a dangerous savage is proof of this.

How does this illustrate the thematic concerns of the text?

Another thematic concern of the text is the darkness of man’s heart.

Ralph, despite being described as a mild and civilized boy initially, finds thrill in hunting a pig, and turns to violent means to defend himself against the other boys, aptly showing his cruel side.

How is Jack described? “[…] but each boy wore a square black cap with

a silver badge in it. Their bodies, from throat to ankle, were hidden by black cloaks which bore a long silver cross on the left breast and each neck was finished off with a hambone frill. […] The boy who controlled them was dressed in the same way though his cap badge was golden.”

Unlike the other choir boys, Jack wears a golden badge, hinting at his special position in the choir.

How is Jack described? “Inside the floating coat he was tall, thin, and bony:

and his hair was red beneath the black cap. His face was crumpled and freckled, and ugly without silliness. Out of this face stared two light blue eyes, frustrated now, and turning, or ready to turn, to anger.”

This description sets Jack apart from Ralph, hinting that Jack is the villain of the story, since his bony frame and ugly appearance gives readers the impression that he is a mean person, while his red hair hints at his violent nature, which is further emphasized by the unpleasant expression in his eyes.

What conclusion can you form about Jack? Jack is full of authority, as seen from

his level of control over the other boys in the choir.

However, he is rude and uncaring, as seen from his attitude towards Piggy and Jack.

He is a crude and blunt person who does not spare a thought for the feelings of others.

What conclusion can you form about Jack? Jack is arrogant and full of himself, as

inferred from “‘I ought to be chief,’ said Jack with simple arrogance, ‘because I’m chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C sharp.’”

Jack’s enmity towards Ralph is hinted at in the early chapters, for example, his condescending attitude towards Ralph in the first chapter, and his more heated arguments with Ralph in the later chapters.

Is the author’s portrayal of Jack effective? Yes, the author portrays Jack as strong-willed and

extremely egoistic. Even from the beginning of the novel, Jack is hinted to be the antagonist of the story, and this is emphasized all the more in the chapters that follow.

Jack is the first to fall to turn savage, and his primitive way of living acts as an effective counter-balance to Ralph’s civilized way. The author effectively highlights the difficulty Ralph faced in convincing the boys to be more civilized, in contrast with how easy it was for Jack to turn the boys into barbarians. This shows how natural it is for mankind to lapse into primitivism.

Why do you think he chooses to portray Jack in such a way? Jack and Ralph represent the two

extreme natures of humanity – man’s civilized and savage sides.

The author probably wishes to show how the nature of a leader affects that of his followers. When Ralph was the leader of the boys, they could be considered civilized. When the older boys turned to Jack as the chief, they became savages.

How does this illustrate the thematic concerns of the text? Jack’s savage nature, in contrast to Ralph’s civilized

ways, effectively depicts the conflict between the civilizing instinct and the barbarizing instinct that exist in all human beings. The difference in their natures are a dramatic representation of the struggle between order in society and the primitive chaotic nature of mankind when free from the influence of society.

The changes in Jack’s character throughout the story shows the disastrous consequences that can happen if mankind is to shrug off all our moral values.

Close Reading: Plot

The 2 important scenes/events we will be looking at are:

The First Assembly (Chapter 1: The Sound of the Shell; pages 12-19)

The Break-up (Chapter 8: Gift for the Darkness; pages 130-138)

Scene 1 ~ The First Assembly

This scene starts with Ralph blowing on the conch, which leads to a gathering of all the stranded boys on the beach. This is subsequently followed by an attempt by Ralph to create some form of order on the island, including the voting of a chief. The scene ends with Ralph, Jack and Simon leaving the beach to explore the island.

Why are these scenes/events important? This is the first scene where other

characters, including both major and minor characters, apart from Ralph and Piggy, are introduced.

Also, in this scene, the main attributes of the characters are revealed, for example, the haughty and commanding attitude of Jack.

The sense of a basic establishment of order on the island starts in this scene, with the assembly, and attempts to organize the group of boys by voting a leader, etc.

In other words, this is the scene where some form of a society is being formed on the island.

Why are these scenes/events important?

How do these scenes/events reflect the main themes of the story?

One of the main themes of the story is power. The hunger for more power causes the boys, notably Ralph and especially Jack, to become savage and turn against one another.

In the first assembly, the boys are differentiated according to their level of ‘power and importance’. Thus, Jack and Ralph are held in higher esteem than the others like Piggy.

This reflects the typical human nature of differentiation by social status, power and etc.

How do these scenes/events reflect the main themes of the story?

How do they contribute to the development of the story? In this scene, we can see that Jack is a figure

of authority among his choir members and is treated like a leader. Thereby, we can deduce that he expects the same treatment from the rest of the boys as well.

In addition, Ralph takes an immediate liking to Jack because of his confidence and leadership qualities, something which Ralph feels they share.

However, during the assembly, Ralph was chosen as the leader while Jack is appointed as merely the leader of the hunting group. We can see that Jack is not satisfied with the power he has, and this ignites the spark of jealousy he feels towards Ralph.

How do they contribute to the development of the story?

This has adverse effects later on in the story as Jack becomes increasingly envious of Ralph, until the point when his envy consumes his friendship with Ralph and Jack turns against Ralph.

This also brings out the brutality in Jack as he becomes more savage and forgets his civilized self.

How do they contribute to the development of the story?

Scene 2: The Break-up

This scene starts with Jack calling for an assembly after Sam ‘n’ Eric reportedly sighted the beast. A heated argument then occurs between Ralph and Jack. Jack leaves the group after the other boys refuse to vote for him as chief, and is soon joined by the ‘bigguns’ – the older boys.

Why are these scenes/events important? This is the scene where Ralph and Jack fall

apart, where their relationship worsens to a point beyond salvation.

Jack’s jealousy towards Ralph has turned into hatred, and thus he turns against the latter.

It is also the main event that contributes to the transformation of the boys from civilized human beings to violent and cruel savages.

How do these scenes/events reflect the main themes of the story?

One of the main themes of the story is the darkness of man’s heart.

This scene depicts how man reverts back to the evil and savage roots of his ancestors when he is taken over by a quest for more power. This may ultimately lead to him turning against those around him, including his own friends.

Jack’s unappeased hunger for power and his jealousy and enmity towards Ralph cause him to turn primitive.

His mind is taken over by his sense of hunting, causing him to forget his former, sane self.

Thus, he breaks away from Ralph’s group, and in turn, causes the older boys to also leave Ralph. They forget their civilized way of living and turn savage.

How do these scenes/events reflect the main themes of the story?

How do they contribute to the development of the story? In this scene, Jack feels insulted when

nobody votes for him to be the leader. He is unable to bear the humiliation and thus leaves the group.

After Jack has left Ralph, Ralph momentarily falls into a state of depression as he used to like Jack and still regards him as a friend and not a rival.

Jack also wants to avenge this insult, and seeks revenge against Ralph, first by raiding his camp and stealing their fire, and then by attempting to kill him.

The breaking up of the established order in the island is the major turning point in the state of the boys’ mind, when they transform from civilized humans to savages.

How do they contribute to the development of the story?

The situation is further complicated by the fact that both wise Simon and sensible Piggy are dead.

With no level-headed Ralph to guide them, the other boys eventually turn into savage brutes.

This event provides the main reason as to why the other boys were actively hunting Ralph like an animal near the end of the story.

How do they contribute to the development of the story?

Bibliography

http://summarycentral.tripod.com/thelordoftheflies.htm

http://www.bookrags.com/notes/lof/ http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literat

ure/laureates/1983/golding-bio.html http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/wgolding.htm http://www.gradesaver.com/author/willia

m-golding/

http://www.william-golding.co.uk/p_biography.html

http://www.teenreads.com/reviews/0399501487-excerpt.asp

http://www.bellmore-merrick.k12.ny.us/lord.html