Lord of the FliesIntroduction

The Basics

Author: William Golding (born in 1911) had experience in performing arts, was a teacher and had military experience during WWII.

His experiences from the war opened taught him about human darkness. He questioned whether or not people could fight for a ‘right’ side.

The BasicsGolding wrote Lord of the Flies in 1954 during the Cold War, a time when the audience had a very real fear of being caught in the middle of a nuclear war.

He wanted to show how humans can be corrupted in extreme circumstance. This novel has inspired many TV Shows, such as Survivor and Lost.

The PremiseIn the original novel, British school boys are being evacuated from England, but are marooned after a plane crashes on a deserted island. All the adults are killed.

Initially, the boys think it is paradise. However, their efforts to create a new civilization break down into savagery.

Symbols- The Scar (plane crashes, snake

in the Garden of Eden)- The Conch (authority) - Uniforms (the old society and

old ways) - Pig’s head (on a stick -

symbolizes the violence of the young boys)

- The beast (violence within us)

Important Characters

The Civil, Sensible Leader

The Tyrant, opposes Ralph’s leadership

Violent child; volunteers to hunt, hurts the other children, keeps to himself

Realizes the beast is inside the children; a prophetic character. Not taken seriously

The Littluns (easily swayed), Samneric (stay loyal to Ralph)

The Brain, who is made fun of for his physical challenges (even by his friend Ralph, who tells everyone Piggy’s nickname from school)

For more information on the novel:

Visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/proselordflies/