book review lord of the flies

Non-Fiction
Author’s Corner
Reader’s Corner
Writing Guide
Book Marketing Services
Write for us

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Publisher: Faber and Faber | Genre: Allegory, Social Commentary

Title : Lord of the Flies

Author: William Golding

Publisher: Faber and Faber

Genre: Allegory, Social Commentary

First Publication: 1954

Language: English

Setting Place: Deserted Tropical Island

Protagonist: Ralph

Major Characters: Ralph, Piggy, Jack, Simon, Samneric, Roger

Narration: Third person Omniscient

Theme: Evil, Outlets for violence, Human nature, Loss of innocence, Savagery Vs Civilization

Book Summary : Lord of the Flies by William Golding

In the midst of a nuclear war, a plane carrying a group of British school boys crashed on a deserted island. Without adult supervision they must work together and govern themselves to survive. At first the boys are civilized and elect Ralph, a boy of twelve years old, as a leader. Things start out okay and boys use Conch shell as a talking stick.

The first day goes rather smoothly and they discuss about hot to get rescued and what they have to do until then any ship come to bring them home. Ralph is determined about creating a smoke signal, so Samneric, a pair of twin boys, is assigned the duty to start and watch a signal fire. Another group, the choirboys lead by Jack, elect themselves to become the hunters and provide meat for the group. Simon, an enlightened boy and Piggy, a scientific thinker, quickly become the counsel for Ralph. Besides these boys, there are several younger boys about the age of six.

“Maybe there is a beast… maybe it’s only us.”

Jack and his group become increasingly interested in killing sows. They begin to paint their faces and track the animals for hunting. All the boys begin to be afraid of an imaginary beast in the jungle. Their fears are further fueled when a dead man with a parachute landed on the top of the mountain. The boys begin to see Jack as a protector and look to him for leadership.

Then the conflict increased between Ralph and Jack. Most of the boys on island joined Jack’s tribe, except Ralph, Piggy, Sam and Eric and a couple of the littluns. Jack and group have become complete savages partaking in daily hunting and tribal dancing.

Character List: Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Character List - Lord of the Flies | The Bookish Elf

Ralph- The main protagonist of the story, a twelve year old boy who was elected as leader of the boys. Ralph tries to maintain discipline, order, structure. He represents the civilizing instinct of human beings.

Jack – The antagonist of the novel, and one of the older boys and leader of the choir. Jack becomes increasingly dark and disturbed during his stay on island. He represents the evil that exists within all men in uncivilized situations.

Piggy – Piggy is Ralph right hand man. Though criticized for his weight, asthma and lack of physical agility, He is the scientific mind and the rational thinker of Ralph’s team.

Roger – An oddly secretive and sadistic older boy who thrives on preying on those who are younger and weaker. Roger quickly becomes Jack’s first follower and carries out Jack’s evil wishes.

Sam and Eric – Also known as “samneric”, they are twin boys who seem to be one person. They are follower of Ralph and enjoy their duty of keeping the fire signal going.

Maurice- He is Jack’s key supporters, accompanies him on the raids on Ralph’s camp.

Simon – The “enlightened” boy with a true natural sense of morality who spends a lot of time alone with nature. Simon helps and comforts the younger boys in their dreadful moments.

The Lord of the Flies – It’s the name given to the sow’s head that Jack’s gang transfixes on spear as an offering to the “beast.” The Lord of the Flies comes to symbolize the primeval instincts of power and barbaric nature that take control of Jack’s tribe.

Littluns- The littlest boys, around ages six and up.

Book Review - Lord of the Flies | The Bookish Elf

Book Review: Lord of the Flies by William Golding

In 1954, William Golding wrote Lord of the Flies, when the world was in the middle of the silent yet terrifying Cold War soon after the World War II . It is not only a tale of boys surviving after their plane crashed on a deserted island; it is an allegorical novel about the conflicts between savagery and civilization.

The significant symbolism which is rather easy to comprehend, made it one of the most popular and admired books in history. Lord of the Flies by William Golding presents a memorable and haunting account of believable characters portrayed so subtly and accurately.

“The thing is – fear can’t hurt you any more than a dream.”

Lord of the Flies by William Golding is based on a series of events following a plane crash that leaves a group of young school-going children stranded on a deserted Island during the Cold War. Lord of the Flies by William Golding is the story of those boy’s shocking survival. The dreams of all the boys have finally come true: after all, who wouldn’t want a whole island all to themselves to play on without any nagging from adults? Soon after a day or two, the boys realize they needed a leader. The main protagonist, Ralph, is elected as a leader of the group because to his popularity and leadership skills, with Piggy as his sidekick.

All the boys befriend one another, because there is nowhere to go. As the days pass, Jack gets hungrier for authority. What seemed to be a joyous escape from the chaotic adult world at first, soon advances into something far more disturbing and sinister.

I remain convinced to this day that Lord of the Flies is one of those controversial classic books that depends upon how you read it. On the surface it could be read as a simple moralistic tale – a portrayal of what happens when you take people away from society.

“The greatest ideas are the simplest.”

It may look as if Lord of the Flies is just a children’s adventure story. However, there is also a truth concealed deep inside the novel where Golding makes reader conscious of certain issues. The issues it concerns are: society, human nature, good vs. evil, ecological balance and cooperation. This is an allegorical novel where Golding employs the scene of a deserted island and a group of English school boys to serve as a framework, through which he explores the theme of his book.

William Golding uses this deceptively simple setup to question just how civilized we really are and how quickly we can descend into a mob of crazies. The question for the reader is whether these are but immature children or an allegory for the adult world and how quickly mob rule can take over and how few dare to go against the herd.

This story is a powerful depiction of human nature and its role in the rise and fall of democracy. Central to this story is the theme of fear: how it can be used as a means to control people and how it chisels away at our humanity.

“Which is better–to have laws and agree, or to hunt and kill?”

The three main characters Ralph, Jack and Piggy are archetypes of a natural leader, a bully and a nerd. They are not terribly complex people but they are still quite vivid characters who are defined more by their action than their brief moments of introspection. The early chapters have a spirit of adventure or perhaps a child’s idea of utopia, a world without adult supervision. As the characters degenerate into savagery the tone of the book become very dark and disturbing.

William Golding’s prose style is deliberately prosaic; there are no lyrical passages to speak of. This has the effect of amplifying the visceral impact of the narrative. There are however, some creepy surreal scenes involving a pig’s head on a stick. The ending of the novel is clearly telegraphed by the trajectory of the preceding chapters but it is still very effective for all that.

Symbols and motifs:

You will love the action-packed provocative tale of survival in Lord of the Flies by William Golding but also learn three very important characteristics of human nature. First: Human’s desire for social and political order through governments, legislatures and parliaments, depicted by the conch and platform. Second: Human’s natural tendency towards violence, savagery and every nation’s need for military and defense, depicted by the choir-boys-turned-hunters-turned-murderers. And third, our beliefs in the divine interventions and supernatural powers, depicted by the sacrifices and ceremonial dances to appease the “beast”.

Those who didn’t have the opportunity to read it before must not put it on hold any longer.

In search of book review services to help write your Lord of the Flies essays? Please visit https://writemypaperhub.com/book-review.html and get it written from scratch.

Readers also enjoyed

The september house by carissa orlando, sociopath – a memoir by patric gagne, the full moon coffee shop by mai mochizuki, voyage of the damned by frances white, how to end a love story by yulin kuang, popular stories, one day, life will change by saranya umakanthan, most famous fictional detectives from literature, the complete list of the booker prize winner books, book marketing and promotion services.

We provide genuine and custom-tailored book marketing services and promotion strategies. Our services include book reviews and social media promotion across all possible platforms, which will help you in showcasing the books, sample chapters, author interviews, posters, banners, and other promotional materials. In addition to book reviews and author interviews, we also provide social media campaigning in the form of contests, events, quizzes, and giveaways, as well as sharing graphics and book covers. Our book marketing services are very efficient, and we provide them at the most competitive price.

The Book Marketing and Promotion Plan that we provide covers a variety of different services. You have the option of either choosing the whole plan or customizing it by selecting and combining one or more of the services that we provide. The following is a list of the services that we provide for the marketing and promotion of books.

Book Reviews

Book Reviews have direct impact on readers while they are choosing their next book to read. When they are purchasing book, most readers prefer the books with good reviews. We’ll review your book and post reviews on Amazon, Flipkart, Goodreads and on our Blogs and social-media channels.

Author Interviews

We’ll interview the author and post those questions and answers on blogs and social medias so that readers get to know about author and his book. This will make author famous along with his book among the reading community.

Social Media Promotion

We have more than 170K followers on our social media channels who are interested in books and reading. We’ll create and publish different posts about book and author on our social media platforms.

Social Media Set up

Social Media is a significant tool to reaching out your readers and make them aware of your work. We’ll help you to setup and manage various social media profiles and fan pages for your book.

We’ll provide you our social media marketing guide, using which you may take advantage of these social media platforms to create and engage your fan base.

Website Creation

One of the most effective and long-term strategies to increase your book sales is to create your own website. Author website is must have tool for authors today and it doesn’t just help you to promote book but also helps you to engage with your potential readers. Our full featured author website, with blog, social media integration and other cool features, is the best marketing tool you can have. You can list each of your titles and link them to buy from various online stores.

Google / Facebook / Youtube Adverts

We can help you in creating ad on Google, Facebook and Youtube to reach your target audience using specific keywords and categories relevant to your book.

With our help you can narrow down your ads to the exact target audience for your book.

For more details mail us at [email protected]

The Bookish Elf is your single, trusted, daily source for all the news, ideas and richness of literary life. The Bookish Elf is a site you can rely on for book reviews, author interviews, book recommendations, and all things books. Contact us: [email protected]

Quick Links

Review: Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Lord of the Flies William Golding Penguin Books Published December 16, 2003 (Originally Published 1954)

Amazon | bookshop | goodreads, about lord of the flies.

Labeled a parable, an allegory, a myth, a morality tale, a parody, a political treatise, even a vision of the apocalypse, LORD OF THE FLIES is perhaps our most memorable novel about “the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart.”

LORD OF THE FLIES is one of those iconic books that gets referenced all the time in our culture, but I’d never read it before. My daughter had to read it for school last year, and she had some anxiety about the content. I decided to read it first so she’d be ready for anything that might be difficult for her.

I read the book last fall as things were heating up before the presidential election here in the US. At that time, I actually wrote an initial review. But because I kept pushing back the date for posting the review, I have updated the review and added some more stuff that I’ve thought about on reflection.

Before I started reading LORD OF THE FLIES, I felt really weird reading all these big name authors talking about how pivotal this book has been for their writing. I think it’s Suzanne Collins who says that she reads LORD OF THE FLIES every year. That seemed really weird to me for a book with such a dark reputation. Every year? I mean, no offense meant. When a book resonates with you like that, I get wanting to read it every year. For a long time I had a book that I read every year, too. I guess I just found myself surprised about people feeling that way about a book that’s often referenced to describe uncontrolled violence or mayhem.

Anyway. So I went into the book with both some dread (expecting violence, which can be hard for me to read), and some, I don’t know, fascination, I guess?

The thing that still stands out to me most about the book is how easily some boys began to think of others as not human, as animals to be hunted. There’s a moment, after one boy has been killed where two boys talk around what happened. One boy comes right out and says that it was murder. The other boy recoils and tries to defend what happened as something else. He tries to explain it away as something not evil and wrong. It doesn’t work, and for a moment they’re both confronted with the horrible truth.

Watching the vigilantism and the violent language increasingly used by elected officials and repeated online while reading LORD OF THE FLIES was really creepy, y’all. Like, it seriously marked me. I would read a scene and feel like, this is awfully close to the way people are talking to each other or about each other right now. Or I’d get to a scene and think, well, surely our leaders won’t sink this low. And then. Stuff happened.

I couldn’t stop– and still can’t stop– thinking about the way the story explores the power of fear. The collapse of reason that happens when people are afraid and respond with that fear and anger. The steady shift toward things that once seemed unimaginable. I knew what was coming because I’d heard enough about the book that I basically knew what to expect. And yet, the violence of it and the dehumanization of it still shocked and shook me.

Reading this book, I can see not only from the story why it endures, but also from the writing. Like, I felt genuinely pulled into the tale. Even when I wasn’t reading, I thought about it. I wanted to know what would happen. Even though I already pretty much knew what was coming, I couldn’t look away from what was happening. It gripped me and paralyzed me with horror. (Much the way I felt weeks later watching the coverage of the January 6 insurrection.)

Honestly, I won’t say I enjoyed it– not like, celebrated reading it. But it really moved me. I think I would read it again. I think I NEED to read it again.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Representation All the boys are British private school students.

Profanity/Crude Language Content Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content None.

Spiritual Content The boys fear a mysterious evil they call the Beast. They leave food sacrifices for it, hoping that this will keep the Beast away from them.

Violent Content At least one racist comment equating Indians with savages. Multiple violent descriptions of hunting and killing pigs. Boys beat another boy to death. A boy falls to his death after being hit with a rock.

Drug Content None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

About Kasey

2 responses to review: lord of the flies by william golding.

My interest is piqued to give the book another chance. I read it a while back, while I was I in middle school, and at that time I had little idea about what was happening (I lost my way about halfway through), and I hadn’t heard much about the story like you had before diving into the text, so I suspect that the full impact (philosophical, political, psychological, social) wasn’t felt.

Yay! Yeah, I have definitely had that experience with books that I read in school before and then again later. I hope that if you read it again, you are able to connect with it a lot more. 🙂 Thanks, Abigail!

Never Miss a Story

Get reviews and book recommendations in your email inbox!

your email here

Donate Your New or Used Books

Follow For More Stories

Search stories reviewed, stories coming soon.

My Book for Authors

Subscribe by Email

Get reviews and book recommendations in your inbox.

Email Address

Follow The Story Sanctuary

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox

Join other followers:

Discover more from The Story Sanctuary

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Supported by

Man as an Island

Share full article

By William Boyd

July 16, 2010

In the late 1960s, some 15 years after the publication of “Lord of the Flies,” William Golding confessed to a friend that he resented the novel because it meant that he owed his reputation to what he thought of as a minor book, a book that had made him a classic in his lifetime, which was “a joke,” and that the money he had gained from it was “Monopoly money” because he hadn’t really earned it. Golding was drinking heavily at the time (he had a lifelong struggle with alcoholism) and one may have to take his bitterness advisedly, but these remarks reveal an interesting artistic conundrum. What is it like to owe virtually your entire reputation as a writer to a single book? One thinks of J. D. Salinger, Ralph Ellison, Joseph Heller — to cite only the 20th-century American exemplars — but such one-book writers are legion in all literatures. John Carey seems to allude to the category in this biography’s subtitle (even though Carey eventually disputes the implication). However, if anyone thinks of William Golding today, it is almost certain that his name will be conjoined with his extraordinary first novel.

A blessing and then a curse of some sort — though by the time the book finally appeared in 1954, Golding wouldn’t have cared about any downside. He was a 42-year-old provincial schoolteacher, desperate merely to have a novel published (it was the fourth book he had written, incidentally); renown and wealth were not even remotely considered. In fact, even “Lord of the Flies” was rejected by many publishers before an alert junior editor at Faber & Faber, Charles Monteith, saw its potential and encouraged Golding to make changes. By 1980, sales in the United States alone had reached seven million.

Golding, to other writers, is a model of the late starter (along with Anthony Burgess and Muriel Spark). You don’t need to be young to make your name, so his career asserts, and once Golding had achieved that first success it never really left him. “Lord of the Flies” was swiftly followed by “The Inheritors” (1955) and “Pincher Martin” (1956), both published to great, if not universal, acclaim. A new and highly distinctive voice seemed to have arrived in contemporary British literature. The critical reception was not always so favorable for subsequent novels ( “Free Fall,” in 1959, suffered a near-unanimous pasting), but it is fair to say that Golding’s life as a writer was forever financially secure thanks to the rock-solid, never-ending sales of “Lord of the Flies.”

Golding was born in Cornwall in 1911. He was only eight years younger than Evelyn Waugh and is effectively part of that generation of English novelists (including Graham Greene, Anthony Powell and Aldous Huxley) who had reached their maturity by the time of World War II. But we never think of Golding in their company because his success as a writer was entirely postwar — he seems in some way more modern and contemporary.

Golding joined the navy a year after war broke out (he was already married with a child). At D-Day in 1944 and the Battle of Walcheren some months later, he was in command of a rocket-firing landing craft, a vessel designed to deliver a terrifying “shock and awe”-style blanket barrage of thousands of small deadly rockets. Golding, operating the firing mechanism on the bridge of his ship, clearly saw the indiscriminate, devastating effect of the wall of fire and destruction that was unleashed as his myriad rockets erupted on beachheads and coastal villages.

He survived the war unharmed and with some reluctance went back to the tedium of schoolmastering in Wiltshire. Carey makes the valid point that his war in the navy was profoundly destabilizing for him in various ways (both personally and artistically), and many of the key themes in his work can be traced to these formative and disturbing experiences.

Carey summarizes the abiding obsession in the novels as the collision of “the spiritual and the miraculous” with “science and rationality,” and it is this persistent hypersensitivity to the numinous and immaterial aspects of the world and the human condition that sets Golding apart from the broad river of social realism that so defines the 20th-century English novel. He was a kind of maverick in the way D. H. Lawrence was, or Lawrence Durrell, or John Fowles — to name but three — and I think this strangeness explains how throughout his life, after his initial success, the critical responses to his work were so violently divided. You either loved William Golding, it seemed, or you hated him.

Golding himself was abnormally thin-skinned when it came to criticism of his work. He simply could not read even the mildest reservation and on occasion left the country when his books were published. What is fascinating about “William Golding” is the portrait that emerges of a man of almost absurdly dramatic contrasts. He fought with commendable bravery at D-Day, yet in life was the most timid arachnophobe. He was married for more than 50 years, yet was probably a repressed homosexual. He was an accomplished classical musician and excellent chess player and an embarrassing, infantile drunk. He loathed and detested the stilted conventions of the British class system (particular scorn was directed at the Bloomsbury group), and yet when already a Nobel laureate and a member of the elite group to whom the queen grants the title Companion of Literature, he still frenetically lobbied his important friends to secure him a knighthood — successfully — and was a proud member of two of London’s stuffiest gentlemen’s clubs. Time and again the impression is of a man in a form of omnipresent torment of one kind or another: sometimes it would be mild and possibly amusing; at other moments, debilitating and damagingly neurotic.

John Carey has had unrestricted access to the Golding archive, and it is unlikely that this biography will ever be bettered or superseded. Moreover, Carey, an emeritus professor of English literature at Oxford and one of the most respected literary critics in Britain, writes with great wit and lucidity as well as authority and compassionate insight. Perhaps because he has had the opportunity of reading the mass of Golding’s unpublished intimate journals, he brings unusual understanding to the complex and deeply troubled man who lies behind the intriguing but undeniably idiosyncratic novels.

And the fiction is highly unusual and uneven, right up to the end of Golding’s energetic working life — his last novel, “Fire Down Below,” was published in 1989, only four years before his death at the age of 81 — emblematic of the warring forces in his imagination, of a writer (in Carey’s words) “interested in ideas rather than people, and in seeing mankind in a cosmic perspective rather than an everyday social setting.” Anthony Burgess described his talent as “deep and narrow,” and Golding’s own demons often drove him to analyze the extent and limits of his achievement. After the publication of “The Inheritors,” as the acclaim flowed in, Golding remarked that he saw himself “spiraling up towards being a . . . universally admired, but unread,” novelist. This was horribly prescient. With the exception of “Lord of the Flies,” Golding’s strange, haunting, difficult novels have few readers these days, and his posthumous reputation is neglected and in decline. At the very least, Carey’s superb biography should take us back to the work again and allow us to make up our own minds, anew.

WILLIAM GOLDING

The man who wrote “lord of the flies”: a life.

By John Carey

Illustrated. 573 pp. Free Press. $32.50

William Boyd’s most recent novel, “Ordinary Thunderstorms,” was published earlier this year.

A Summary and Analysis of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

Lord of the Flies was first published in 1954, although it very nearly wasn’t published at all. Its author, William Golding, was a struggling grammar-school teacher when he wrote it, having been given the germ of the idea by his wife, Ann.

The novel’s title is a reference to Beelzebub, a name for the Devil, which means literally ‘lord of the flies’ (at least in most translations ). Given the fact that power, devilry, and, yes, flies are all central aspects of Lord of the Flies , the title is especially apt.

Golding (nicknamed ‘Scruff’ by his pupils) struggled to get the novel accepted by numerous publishers before Faber and Faber took it on. However, even there it was initially rejected (the initial reader at Faber dismissed it as ‘absurd and uninteresting fantasy’ and ‘rubbish and dull’) until a young editor, Charles Monteith, saw potential in the manuscript and got it accepted. It still sells tens of thousands of copies every year.

But how should we interpret this tale of post-apocalyptic barbarism? Before we offer an analysis of Golding’s novel, here’s a brief reminder of the plot.

Lord of the Flies : plot summary

The novel begins with a plane carrying a group of British schoolboys being shot down; the boys land on a desert island. Two of them, Ralph and Piggy, find a conch shell on the beach, and they use it to signal to the rest of the schoolboys, who then start to form their own ‘society’, with a leader elected among them.

Ralph is named the leader while Jack is his sort of second-in-command, in charge of finding food on the island.

After they start a fire to try to signal for help, they accidentally burn down a large part of the nearby forest, killing one boy. When a ship does sail past, it doesn’t stop to rescue the boys because Jack’s band of hunters have carelessly allowed the signal-fire to go out.

Jack and his gang have managed to hunt and kill a pig for them to eat. Things start to get out of hand, and some of the younger boys in particular are terrified that some sea-monster will come and kill them.

When a parachutist – part of a team of fighter-pilots flying overhead – lands on the island, several of the boys think his flapping parachute is the wings of the mysterious island ‘beast’, and they run away, terrified, and spreading fear to the other boys, who organise a hunting trip to try to catch the beast.

Jack and Ralph fall out, with Jack trying to oust the more senior boy from the position of leader – a move that the rest of the boys resist. Jack stomps off with his hunting band, and many of the other boys subsequently desert Ralph’s ‘side’ for Jack.

Jack, emboldened by his new supporters, ritually sacrifices a pig, which is decapitated, its head placed on a stick. Simon sees it, and thinks it’s talking to him: some devil-like figure known as ‘Lord of the Flies’. When Simon returns to the others, they set upon him and kill him, not realising who he is. Jack and his hunters run off with Piggy’s glasses. Jack and Ralph fight, and Piggy is killed with a rock.

Jack and the others hunt Ralph, who flees, only to be rescued by a British sailor who was on board a ship that spotted the fire raging on the island and came ashore. The other boys turn up, and when the officer confronts them over their appearance, they all break down in tears.

Lord of the Flies : analysis

Golding conceived Lord of the Flies as a sort of dark counterpart, or response, to the classic Victorian boys’ adventure novel, The Coral Island by R. M. Ballantyne, in which three boys are marooned on a Pacific island.

But whereas in Ballantyne’s 1857 novel the stranded children encounter evil as an exterior force on the island, Golding inverted this: he shows us, unsettlingly, that evil is always lurking within ourselves, and is only ever just beneath the surface in so-called ‘ordinary’ or ‘civilised’ people.

Golding’s working title for his novel, Strangers from Within , makes it clear that the devil – that ‘Lord of the Flies’ – is within us, all of us, rather than outside, elsewhere.

But although Golding’s novel is often viewed as a dystopian tale about ‘human nature’ and how, in times of desperation and disaster, certain people will seize power and others will be the victims of their oppressive control, Lord of the Flies actually has its roots in something more specific than this: the British class system.

The three principal characters of the novel – Ralph, Piggy, and Jack – represent the three main classes in England, much as the famous class sketch from The Frost Report captured in a sketch just over a decade after Golding’s novel appeared.

As John Sutherland argues in his discussion of Lord of the Flies in How to be Well Read: A guide to 500 great novels and a handful of literary curiosities , Ralph is a grammar-school boy, Piggy the product of a working-class ‘tech’ school (a short-lived post-war phenomenon), and Jack the privileged public school boy.

Ralph, therefore, is riddled with self-doubt about his middling position in English society: the Jacks of the world are above him and the Piggies below him. Jack has all of the confidence of someone born into privilege and with an almost innate sense of their right to lord it over everyone else.

The message of Lord of the Flies , then, is that if you remove these schoolchildren from Britain, the British class system will still reassert itself as they construct their own stratified ‘society’. The island on which the boys are stranded becomes like the island of Great Britain which they left.

Piggy, however, is working-class. As Sutherland argues, his use of phrases like ‘the runs’ instead of, say, ‘an upset tummy’ are subtle ways in which Golding, without hammering home Piggy’s origins, reveal his status to the reader. He was always destined to be the scapegoat because the English class system dictated it. Coupled with his physical or evolutionary disadvantage (his extreme myopia and reliance on glasses) and he was doomed from the start.

The British class system, then, informs the novel, making it a peculiarly British dissection of power structures. According to Sutherland, Golding – himself a teacher at the sort of grammar school which produced the decent and honourable Ralph – once said that he would happily blow up every public school in England, and Lord of the Flies shows how it is the Jack Merridews produced by the English public school system which are the most capable of wreaking destructive power over others.

But it’s also true that Lord of the Flies bears the influence of another important experience in Golding’s life: his experience in the Second World War fighting in the Royal Navy, which showed him first-hand how ordinary men could become capable of performing acts of great evil.

Of course, the horrors of Nazi Germany were also an important source for Golding’s depiction of evil, especially the way the other boys merrily join Jack’s command.

Along with its searing commentary on the inherent evils of the British class system, Lord of the Flies is a powerful narrative about how fear is all it takes to persuade many ‘normal’, ‘decent’ people to behave horrifically.

Discover more from Interesting Literature

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Type your email…

2 thoughts on “A Summary and Analysis of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies”

We “did” this at school. I don’t know why they thought a book about badly-behaved boys would interest a class of girls!

Badly behaved boys always should interest girls

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

ADMIN AREA MY BOOKSHELF MY DASHBOARD MY PROFILE SIGN OUT SIGN IN

Awards & Accolades

Our Verdict

IndieBound Bestseller

LORD OF THE FLIES

by William Golding ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 1, 1954

Pub Date: Jan. 1, 1954

ISBN: 0399501487

Page Count: 212

Publisher: Coward-McCann

Review Posted Online: Nov. 2, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 1955

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT LITERARY FICTION | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT GENERAL TEEN

Share your opinion of this book

More by William Golding

BOOK REVIEW

by William Golding

More About This Book

PERSPECTIVES

Kirkus Reviews' Best Books Of 2017

New York Times Bestseller

by Kwame Alexander with Mary Rand Hess ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1, 2017

A contemporary hero’s journey, brilliantly told.

The 17-year-old son of a troubled rock star is determined to find his own way in life and love.

On the verge of adulthood, Blade Morrison wants to leave his father’s bad-boy reputation for drug-and-alcohol–induced antics and his sister’s edgy lifestyle behind. The death of his mother 10 years ago left them all without an anchor. Named for the black superhero, Blade shares his family’s connection to music but resents the paparazzi that prevent him from having an open relationship with the girl that he loves. However, there is one secret even Blade is unaware of, and when his sister reveals the truth of his heritage during a bitter fight, Blade is stunned. When he finally gains some measure of equilibrium, he decides to investigate, embarking on a search that will lead him to a small, remote village in Ghana. Along the way, he meets people with a sense of purpose, especially Joy, a young Ghanaian who helps him despite her suspicions of Americans. This rich novel in verse is full of the music that forms its core. In addition to Alexander and co-author Hess’ skilled use of language, references to classic rock songs abound. Secondary characters add texture to the story: does his girlfriend have real feelings for Blade? Is there more to his father than his inability to stay clean and sober? At the center is Blade, fully realized and achingly real in his pain and confusion.

Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017

ISBN: 978-0-310-76183-9

Page Count: 464

Publisher: Blink

Review Posted Online: April 30, 2017

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2017

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT LITERARY FICTION | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES

More by Kwame Alexander

by Kwame Alexander

by Kwame Alexander & Deanna Nikaido ; illustrated by Melissa Sweet

by Kwame Alexander ; illustrated by Dare Coulter

THE STOLEN THRONE

by Abigail Owen ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 2, 2023

A nonstop adventure with plenty of magic and romance to draw in avid YA fantasy fans.

In this second installment of Owen’s YA fantasy series, a young woman impersonates her twin sister, a queen, while fighting for her own life.

After the events of The Liars Crown (2022), Meren has successfully impersonated her twin sister, Tabra, as the queen of Aryd; her sibling is currently hiding in the desert. But her sister’s evil husband, King Eidolon, knows the truth and has magically bound Meren to him with a sand nymph’s curse. The secret of his apparent immortality is still a mystery, but he somehow sheds “shadows” (“fractured, evil pieces of the king’s soul”) to create younger versions of himself—and his queens are always sacrificed to make it possible. However, one of these shadows, Reven, has managed to fight off the evil that permeates his nature. He and Meren have fallen in love, although he’s forced to constantly fight the shadows still contained within himself: “Their screams are like ragged blades shredding my insides as they try to claw their way out,” he narrates at one point. “If I look down, I know I’ll see their faces bulging out of my skin, even under my clothing.” Reven mounts a daring mission to rescue Meren alongside Cain, a member of a nomadic tribe known as the Wanderers who also vies for her heart. The most engaging adventures begin as the main characters attempt to defeat Eidolon’s shadows once and for all; Meren has power over sand and Reven has power over shadows, but those abilities become unreliable, which effectively puts them all in danger. Fans of Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses series will find much to enjoy in Owen’s work, which features plenty of fast-paced action and sexy-but-forbidden romance. Meren’s tendency to deliver sassy quips also provides a feeling of lightness to the author’s well-drawn and immersive fantasy world, and a jaw-dropping cliffhanger ensures that there’s more story to be told.

Pub Date: May 2, 2023

ISBN: 9781649372819

Page Count: 460

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Review Posted Online: April 10, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2023

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FICTION | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT GENERAL TEEN

More by Abigail Owen

by Abigail Owen

Discover Books Fiction Thriller & Suspense Mystery & Detective Romance Science Fiction & Fantasy Nonfiction Biography & Memoir Teens & Young Adult Children's
News & Features Bestsellers Book Lists Profiles Perspectives Awards Seen & Heard Book to Screen Kirkus TV videos In the News
Kirkus Prize Winners & Finalists About the Kirkus Prize Kirkus Prize Judges
Magazine Current Issue All Issues Manage My Subscription Subscribe
Writers’ Center Hire a Professional Book Editor Get Your Book Reviewed Advertise Your Book Launch a Pro Connect Author Page Learn About The Book Industry
More Kirkus Diversity Collections Kirkus Pro Connect My Account/Login
About Kirkus History Our Team Contest FAQ Press Center Info For Publishers
Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
Reprints, Permission & Excerpting Policy

Popular in this Genre

Hey there, book lover.

We’re glad you found a book that interests you!

Please select an existing bookshelf

Create a new bookshelf.

We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!

Please sign up to continue.

It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!

Already have an account? Log in.

Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.

Almost there!

Industry Professional

Welcome Back!

Sign in using your Kirkus account

Don’t fret. We’ll find you.

Magazine Subscribers ( How to Find Your Reader Number )

If You’ve Purchased Author Services

Don’t have an account yet? Sign Up.

The Literary Edit

Review: Lord of the Flies – William Golding

When I was about fourteen, one of my best friends Sian and I gate crashed a year-ten drama trip to a near by theatre to watch Lord of the Flies. I remember little of the play itself other than the deeply unsettling feeling I was left with when the curtains closed. Thus upon discovering that William Golding’s Lord of the Flies was featured on the BBC’s Big Read, I was somewhat reluctant to read it. However, having been recommended it by my cousin Hal, and upon finding a battered copy in a book shop near my work, I decided to give it a go.

Published in 1954, Lord of the Flies is a dystopian novel by nobel-prize winning English author William Golding, about a group of boys stuck on an uninhabited island who try to govern themselves with disastrous results. When it was first published, Golding’s debut novel suffered from poor sales but when re-released in the 1960s it went on to be a best-seller, and soon became required reading in many schools and colleges.

The main protagonists are Ralph, Piggy, Roger, Jack and Simon all of whom are vividly portrayed throughout the novel. Ralph is chief of the group; Piggy, poor-sighted and overweight is his side-kick, Roger is one of the first to develop animalistic tendencies, Jack epitomises the worst aspects of human nature while Simon is a representation of peace and tranquility.

The novel follows the boys as they try to survive on the island by implementing a set of rules and regulations to follow. However, as the rules disintegrate, Jack forms his own tribe of terror, and events in the book progress from simple bullying to stylised animal rape and eventually murder. Golding effectively uses these episodes to explore the darkness of man’s heart, and the novel can show us what we are capable of in a similar situation.

A chilling yet compelling read with stunning imagery and great use of symbolism, Lord of the Flies is both a great piece of literature and a dire warning about humanity.

About Lord of the Flies

At the dawn of the next world war, a plane crashes on an uncharted island, stranding a group of schoolboys. At first, with no adult supervision, their freedom is something to celebrate; this far from civilization the boys can do anything they want. Anything. They attempt to forge their own society, failing, however, in the face of terror, sin and evil. And as order collapses, as strange howls echo in the night, as terror begins its reign, the hope of adventure seems as far from reality as the hope of being rescued. Labeled a parable, an allegory, a myth, a morality tale, a parody, a political treatise, even a vision of the apocalypse, Lord of the Flies is perhaps our most memorable tale about “the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart.”

About William Golding

Sir William Gerald Golding was a British novelist, poet, and playwright best known for his 1954 novel Lord of the Flies.

Golding spent two years in Oxford focusing on sciences; however, he changed his educational emphasis to English literature, especially Anglo-Saxon. During World War II, he was part of the Royal Navy which he left five years later. His bellic experience strongly influenced his future novels. Later, he became a teacher and focused on writing.

Some of his influences are classical Greek literature, such as Euripides, and The Battle of Maldon , an Anglo-Saxon oeuvre whose author is unknown. The attention given to Lord of the Flies , Golding’s first novel, by college students in the 1950s and 1960s drove literary critics’ attention to it.

He was awarded the Booker Prize for literature in 1980 for his novel Rites of Passage, the first book of the trilogy To the Ends of the Earth. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1983 and was knighted in 1988.

Love this post? Click here to subscribe.

2 comments on “Review: Lord of the Flies – William Golding”

the story shows us the Brutal Truth of life. Normally people blame the society, that because of the society they became evil. But the story tells us that There is evil inside us, sooner or later, we all have to face it.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Bibliotherapy Sessions
In the press
Disclaimer + privacy policy
Work with me
The BBC Big Read
The 1001 Books to Read Before You Die
Desert Island Books
Books by Destination
Beautiful Bookstores
Literary Travel
Stylish Stays
The Journal
The Bondi Literary Salon

Notice: All forms on this website are temporarily down for maintenance. You will not be able to complete a form to request information or a resource. We apologize for any inconvenience and will reactivate the forms as soon as possible.

Book Review

Lord of the flies.

William Golding
Coming-of-Age

Readability Age Range

Riverhead Books, a division of Penguin Group

Year Published

This coming-of-age book by William Golding is published by Riverhead Books, a division of Penguin Group and is written for ages 13 and up. The age range reflects readability and not necessarily content appropriateness.

Plot Summary

When a plane wreck strands a group of British boys on a tropical island without adults, the children initially revel in their freedom and try to develop a society by holding assemblies, appointing hunters, and tending a signal fire to alert passing ships. It isn’t long before their “savage natures” take over; they argue, paint their faces and hunt bloodthirstily, eventually even killing some of their own. They fear and stalk “the Beast,” whom they believe to be a dangerous creature on the island. In fact, there is no such animal — their anxiety about the Beast symbolizes their fear of the emerging monster within each of them. In the end, they are rescued and returned to the “civilized” world — a world in the throes of a war.

Christian Beliefs

Literary critics consider Simon a “Christ figure.” He demonstrates compassion for his fellow man and looks for goodness in a rapidly-declining civilization. His conversation with The Lord of the Flies (which is a rotting pig’s head the boys have left as an offering to the Beast) is likened to the temptation Christ experienced during his fasting in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). The loss of innocence the boys experience is sometimes compared to the fall of man (Genesis 3:1-21).

Other Belief Systems

Lord of the Flies contrasts democracy and anarchy.

Authority Roles

The boys initially elect Ralph as their chief; he chooses Jack and Simon to assist him. Ralph’s primary concern is to keep a signal fire going in case a ship passes; he tries to maintain order and structure within the group. As Jack’s lust for hunting and blood increases, he convinces most of the boys to join a new tribe under his leadership. He is dominating and brutal, rousing the boys to kill pigs and, eventually, other humans for sport.

Profanity & Violence

Ralph makes fun of Piggy’s asthma ( a—-mar ). Characters use God’s name in vain, and d–n you once or twice. Violence intensifies as the characters become less civilized: First they kill pigs with spears, enjoying the pigs’ squealing and blood. They often dance and chant, “Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood. Bash her in.” They even spear the head of one pig, leaving it as an offering for the Beast. By the end, boys are killing other boys by mobbing and hunting them, simply because they “get caught up” in the frenzy of their savage rituals.

Sexual Content

Discussion topics.

Get free discussion questions for this book and others, at ThrivingFamily.com/discuss-books .

Additional Comments

Golding was awarded the 1983 Nobel Prize in literature.

You can request a review of a title you can’t find at [email protected] .

Book reviews cover the content, themes and worldviews of fiction books, not their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children. The inclusion of a book’s review does not constitute an endorsement by Focus on the Family.

Latest Book Reviews

The Mystery of Locked Rooms

The Book of Bill

Lonely Castle in the Mirror

Grief in the Fourth Dimension

The First State of Being

Weekly reviews straight to your inbox.

Julia's books

Sharing my passion for books with views, news and reviews

Book review – “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding

When I announced that this book was May’s choice for my Facebook reading challenge (theme, a 20 th century classic), there were mixed feelings – it seems a few of our participants had studied it at school for their ‘O’ level English Literature (predecessor to the GCSE for anyone young enough not to know!). Some were delighted…others less so! I did not study this at school, but I read it at University (I did an English degree). My childhood home was not one filled with books, though I spent a great deal of time at my local library, so when I went to University I had a lot of catching up to do on many of the classics. Golding’s book is one of those and is widely considered to be one of the all-time great novels.

Lord of the Flies was Golding’s first novel, published in 1954. I doubt many people could name any of his other works (I couldn’t!), although he won the Booker Prize in 1980 for his novel Rites of Passage , and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1983. He died in 1993 at the age of 81. Lord of the Flies has been adapted three times for the big screen, and several times for stage and radio.

The basic plot is that a group of boys (thought to number about thirty, but it’s not entirely clear) are marooned on a Pacific island following a wartime evacuation attempt that ends in a plane crash. There are no adult survivors and the boys, ranging in age from perhaps nine to thirteen years, must learn quickly to survive. Three main characters emerge: Ralph and Jack are the two alpha-males of the group, but have very different instincts about the priorities, and Piggy, an overweight, severely near-sighted boy, probably of lower class than Ralph and Jack, who proves to be the most thoughtful, sensible and self-aware but who lacks the leadership skills to wield any power.

Initially, the boys attempt to organise, with Ralph at the helm. His primary concern is that they should get rescued and stay alive and safe until then. He meets resistance in the form of Jack, who is less keen on the rules and disciplines that Ralph wants to impose. His priorities are “fun” and hunting animals so that they can eat meat. As the days and weeks pass morale drops, particularly among the younger boys, many of whom are clearly terrified. They fear the darkness and the heavy forest on the island and what may be lurking within it – they imagine a terrible beast. Order begins to break down and powerful instincts surface. There is a terrible power struggle between Jack and Ralph which intensifies as the novel progresses. Factions form around the two leaders and the behaviours become increasingly reckless. Simon, one of the other older boys, and a sensitive soul, is killed in a case of mistaken identity, the now savage and adrenalin-fuelled group around Jack believing in his night-time approach to the camp, that he is in fact the much-feared “beast” they imagine stalks them.

Simon’s death at the hands of those who were once his schoolmates, unleashes further savagery, like the genie is out of the bottle. There is also, however, a kind of denial; it seems only Piggy recognises and is able to articulate the danger they are in – from themselves! It seems inevitable that Piggy should also die, brutally; Roger crashes a boulder onto him during a fight between Ralph and Jack in which Piggy is trying to intervene. Jack’s group would have killed Ralph too had it not been for the timely arrival of a rescue ship.

Although it was written in the early 1950s, this is very much a post-war book for me in which the author is reflecting on the base levels human beings can reach. If you simply scratch the surface of society you will find some instincts most of us would rather not admit to. A modern reading of the novel might also see the hazards of excessive masculinity and how lust for power can easily corrupt. You can also look at how easy it is for followers to forget their own moral codes and normal standards of behaviour when seduced by charismatic or persuasive leadership. The younger boys are unable to face the reality of their situation, stranded on a remote island, with an unknown chance of rescue, and the picture of excitement that Jack offers, playing at hunting, escapism from their problems, leads them to follow him down a dangerous path.

Whilst re-reading this book, I couldn’t help thinking about the current political turmoil we are in, both in the UK and globally. Some social norms seem to me to be breaking down. And when it came to the Jack/Ralph power struggle the Conservative party leadership contest came to mind! The only thing I couldn’t decide – who in our current crop of politicians is Piggy?!

A must-read for anyone wanting to gain a serious understanding of English literature.

Did you read Lord of the Flies as a teenager – can you remember what you thought of it?

If you have enjoyed this post, I would love for you to follow my blog. Let’s also connect on social media.

Author: Julia's books

Reader. Writer. Mother. Partner. Friend. Friendly. View all posts by Julia's books

6 thoughts on “Book review – “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding”

Wonderful review. I have my stack of Golding’s books (13, in total!) waiting for me. Your review reminded me that I must get to them soon.

Thank you. Yes, I’m ashamed not to have read any of Golding’s other work….

Like Liked by 1 person

Pingback: Facebook reading challenge – join us in June – Julia's books

This is one, as you say, everyone groaned over being assigned to read in school. But I’ve never known anyone who did read it that wasn’t completely captivated by it. It would be interesting to read again now, to see what I’d get from it now as an adult.

I agree. You also get a different perspective from being at a different stage in life.

Pingback: Audiobook review – “The New Wilderness” by Diane Cook – Julia's books

Themes and Analysis

Lord of the flies, by william golding.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a powerful novel. It's filled with interesting themes, thoughtful symbols, and a particular style of writing that has made it a classic of British literature.

Article written by Lee-James Bovey

P.G.C.E degree.

Several key themes are prevalent throughout the book. It is sometimes referred to as a “book of ideas” and these ideas are explored as the plot unfolds.

Lord of the Flies Themes

The impact of humankind on nature.

This is evident from the first chapter when the plane crashing leaves what Golding describes as a “scar” across the island. This idea is explored further in the early chapters the boys light a fire that escapes their control and yet further diminishes what might be considered an unspoiled island. Some interpret the island almost as a Garden of Eden with the children giving in to temptation by slaughtering the animals there. The final chapter furthers the destruction of nature by mankind as the whole island appears to have been ruined thanks to the effects of the boy’s presence on the island.

Civilization versus savagery

This can be seen throughout as the boys struggle with being removed from organized society. To begin with, they cope well. They construct a form of government represented by the conch that theoretically draws them together and gives them all a voice. As they break away from society this adherence to the rules they have constructed is evident. Golding’s ideas of what savagery is might be outdated and rooted in colonial stereotypes but they are evident for all to see as the boys use masks to dehumanize themselves and their increasing obsession with hunting leads to an increasingly animalistic nature.

Nature of humanity

Perhaps the biggest underlying theme is the idea of the true nature of mankind. Golding explores the idea that mankind is innately evil and that it is only the contrast between society and civilization that prevents that nature from being prevalent. Of course, this overlooks that civilization is a human construct and if all men’s biggest motivation were their inner evil, then that construct would never have existed. Golding’s views largely spring from his role in the navy where he was witness to the atrocities of war but are also informed by his work as a teacher.

Analysis of Key Moments in Lord of the Flies

There are many key moments in ‘ Lord of the Flies ‘ that highlight the boy’s descent into savagery.

Blowing the conch – this introduces us to the conch which acts as a symbol of society and civilization throughout the novel. It is both the device that brings the children together and in theory the object which allows them all to have a say and therefore run a democratic society.
The fire gets out of control – This shows the effects that the boys are already having on the island. It also demonstrates how lost the boys are without adults there to guide them as they lose one of the boys and nobody even knows his name.
Jack fails to kill the pig/Roger throws stones – both of these events show how the boys are currently constrained by the expectations of society. We see as time passes these restraints are lifted and that firstly, Jack can kill a pig and finally, and perhaps more dramatically, Roger is not only okay with hitting somebody with a stone but taking their life with one.
The hunters put on masks – By covering up their faces, they seem to become free from the constraints of society. It is if it liberates them from humanity and allows them to act on more primal, animalistic urges.
Sam and Eric find “the beast” – When Sam and Eric feel they have discovered the beast it sets a ripple of panic throughout. This fear sways the boys towards Jack’s leadership as he continues to manipulate the situation to his advantage. If not for this then Simon might never be murdered.
Creating of the Lord of the Flies – Successfully killing the pig is itself an iconic moment but then leaving a pigs head on a pole is both a gruesome image (one worthy of the book’s title) and also plays a pivotal role in Simon’s story arc.
Simon’s death – Simon is the one character who never seems to succumb to primal urges and therefore his death if looked at symbolically could be seen as the death of hope for boys.
Piggy’s death – Piggy’s character represents order and reason. With his death, any chance of resolving the issues between Jack and Ralph vanishes. The conch being smashed at the same time is also symbolic and represents the complete destruction of society.
The rescue – This is not the happy ending that one might expect with all the boys crying due to their loss of innocence. There is an irony as well as the boys will not be rescued and taken to a Utopia but rather to a civilization plagued by a war that mirrors the war zone they have just left.

Style, Literary Devices, and Tone in Lord of the Flies

Throughout this novel, Golding’s style is straightforward and easy to read. There are no lengthy passages nor does he choose particularly poetic words to describe the events. His writing is powerful without these stylistic devices. The same can be said for his use of literary devices. When used, they are direct. For example, the use of symbolism (see below) and metaphor is very thoughtful but not hard to interpret.

William Golding also employs an aloof or distant tone throughout the book. This reflects the way that the boys treat one another.

Symbols in Lord of the Flies

The conch shell.

The conch shell is one of the major symbols of this novel. It’s used from the beginning of the novel to call the boys together for meetings on the beach. It’s a symbol of civilization and government. But, as the boys lose touch with their civilized sides, the conch shell is discarded.

The Signal Fire

The signal fire is a very important symbol in the novel. It’s first lit on the mountain and then later on the beach with the intent of attracting the attention of passion ships. The fire is maintained diligently at first but as the book progresses and the boys slip farther from civilization, their concentration on the fire wanes. They eventually lose their desire to be rescued. Therefore, as one is making their way through the book, gauging the boys’ concentration on the fire is a great way to understand how “civilized” they are.

The beast is an imaginary creature who frightens the boys. It stands in for their savage instincts and is eventually revealed to be a personification of their dark impulses. It’s only through the boy’s behaviour that the beast exists at all.

What are three themes in Lord of the Flies ?

Three themes in ‘ Lord of the Flies ‘ are civilization vs. savagery, the impact of humankind on nature, and the nature of humanity.

What is the main message of the Lord of the Flies ?

The main message is that if left without rules, society devolves and loses its grasp on what is the morally right thing to do. this is even the case with kids.

How does Ralph lose his innocence in Lord of the Flies ?

He loses his innocence when he witnesses the deaths of Simon and Piggy. These losses in addition to the broader darkness of the island change him.

Lord of the Flies Book by William Golding Digital Art

Lord of the Flies Quiz

Test your understanding of human nature and survival with our " Lord of the Flies " Trivia Quiz! Do you have the insight and knowledge to navigate the complex dynamics and symbolism of William Golding's masterpiece? Accept the challenge now and prove your mastery over the gripping and thought-provoking world of " Lord of the Flies "!

1) What is Jack's main priority on the island?

2) What is the significance of the beast in the novel?

3) What event causes the boys to be stranded on the island?

4) What tragic event occurs when the boys reenact the hunt?

5) Who is responsible for maintaining the signal fire?

6) What is the "Lord of the Flies"?

7) What do the boys call the younger children on the island?

8) Which character represents the voice of reason and intelligence?

9) What does the face paint symbolize for Jack's tribe?

10) What do the boys chant during their tribal rituals?

11) How does the naval officer react when he sees the boys?

12) Who is elected leader of the boys at the beginning of the novel?

13) What do the boys use to start a fire?

14) What happens to the boy with the mulberry-colored birthmark?

15) What role does Roger play in the novel?

16) How does Piggy die?

17) What is the main source of conflict between Ralph and Jack?

18) Why do Jack and his hunters attack Ralph's camp?

19) What is Ralph's main concern throughout the novel?

20) What does Ralph cry for at the end of the novel?

21) How are the boys finally rescued?

22) What object is used to symbolize authority and order?

23) Who leads the boys in the brutal killing of Simon?

24) What happens to the conch shell?

25) What does the "Lord of the Flies" symbolize?

26) Who is the last boy to remain loyal to Ralph?

27) Who discovers the true nature of the "beast"?

28) Who is the first boy to suggest the existence of a "beast" on the island?

29) What theme does "Lord of the Flies" primarily explore?

30) Who is the author of "Lord of the Flies"?

Your score is

Restart quiz

Join Book Analysis for Free!

Exclusive to Members

Save Your Favorites

Free newsletter, comment with literary experts.

About Lee-James Bovey

Lee-James, a.k.a. LJ, has been a Book Analysis team member since it was first created. During the day, he's an English Teacher. During the night, he provides in-depth analysis and summary of books.

About the Book

Discover the secrets to learning and enjoying literature.

Join Book Analysis

Book Review: The Lord of the Flies by William Golding

By: Author Laura

Posted on Published: 27th April 2022 - Last updated: 12th April 2024

Categories Book Reviews , Books

Wondering whether Lord of the Flies by William Golding is worth your time? This Lord of the Flies book review explains why you should read this short classic!

Lord of the Flies Summary

William Golding’s Lord of the Flies is a dystopian classic. When a group of schoolboys are stranded on a desert island, what could go wrong?

A plane crashes on a desert island. The only survivors are a group of schoolboys. By day, they discover fantastic wildlife and dazzling beaches, learning to survive; at night, they are haunted by nightmares of a primitive beast.

Orphaned by society, it isn’t long before their innocent childhood games devolve into a savage, murderous hunt …

Lord of the Flies Book Review

Lord of the Flies is a book that had been on my TBR (to-be-read pile) forever. I first read this in my mid-twenties and wish I had studied this at school, which is where most readers encounter this.

It’s all about a group of schoolboys who become stranded on a desert island. But don’t let the young ensemble lead you into thinking this is a children’s book. Lord of the Flies is a lot darker than I imagined and I was horrified at some of the events and scenes that took place.

At first, the young boys attempt to mimic an orderly adult society on the island. They group together to keep a fire lit so that any passing ships will see the smoke from the island.

But without any adults to supervise them, the boys begin to become violent, cruel and brutal in their bid to survive.

The small society they have attempted to build on this remote island eventually descends into chaos, prompting the reader to question the capacity for supposedly civilised humans to be savage.

And trust me when I say the ending really is just that – savage.

Although Lord of the Flies is a relatively simple tale, Golding’s writing is rich and the symbolism is clever. This story aims to show how savage humans can be when left to their own devices and there’s no order or morals.

Although Golding uses the island setting to demonstrate this point, this book leaves you feeling uncomfortable as you start to realise that man in a “civilised” society may not be any better.

Golding reminds us that we all have the capacity for darkness and cruelty. This story stays with readers long after they have turned the last page because it is so haunting. And it’s haunting because it’s clear that this could so easily happen in the society we live in today.

It also poses the interesting political question of democracy vs authoritarianism. Should we be forced to follow someone who is deemed to be a “rational” or “moral” leader, or be allowed to follow whoever presents a view that most aligns with our desires, whatever they may be.

Lord of the Flies is a classic for a reason. It’s well worth a read and really quite readable as classics go. If you’re looking for an short classic book to get yourself into reading classics then Lord of the Flies is a great book to start with.

Reading this book is also important so that you understand some Lord of the Flies references that get bandied about in conversation on occasion. Who are Ralph and Piggy? And what is a conch?

If you haven’t read this classic book yet then add this to your book wishlist ASAP. It’s chilling, but well-written and a good read.

Lord of the Flies Quotes

“Maybe there is a beast… maybe it’s only us.”

“The thing is – fear can’t hurt you any more than a dream.”

“We did everything adults would do. What went wrong?”

“The greatest ideas are the simplest.”

“What are we? Humans? Or animals? Or savages?”

“We’ve got to have rules and obey them. After all, we’re not savages. We’re English, and the English are best at everything.”

Buy Lord of the Flies now: Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells

If you liked this post, check out these: Books Like The Hunger Games Books Like The Handmaid’s Tale Young Adult Dystopian Books for Teens 15 Gothic Books to Read

Founder & Editor of What’s Hot?

FAVBOOKSHELF

Tuesday 30th of August 2022

absolutely adored the review! got convinced to pick it up by the end of the review and the quotes were definitely a cherry on top.

matthew atkinson

Tuesday 3rd of May 2022

What a great review...exactly what i was thinking but was unable to put that into writing! I didn't study this book at school either, i was i had, quite a strange and brutal read and setting.

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience.

Lord of the Flies Book Review

Nobel Prize winner William Golding's classic "Lord of the Flies" explores and exposes the darkest parts of human nature, and the childhood desire of independence. Shield your eyes if you must, as insanity and gore take hold.

When a group of British boys crash land on a desert island, their first reaction is "Yeah! No Adults!". But when it comes time to govern themselves, that's when they start to head down a slippery slope and the tension starts to rise.

Ralph, the main character, discovers a conch shell, and when he blows it, all the other boys that were on the island come to the sound of the shell. This earns him the spot as Chief, much to the other main character, Jack's, dismay.

Ralph's goal as chief was to keep a fire burning all the time, so that if a ship passed by, it would see the smoke and come rescue them. Jack, however, could've cared less about the fire, and more about hunting, and his role as head of the hunters.

As the chapters progress, the tension between the two rises, and is ultimately pushed over the edge when a ship passes by, but Jack and his hunters had let the fire go out so they could go hunting. A furious Ralph calls Jack out in front of all of the boys, and Jack leaves to form is own tribe.

But his new tribe didn't play by the rules. Each day, the members grew more and more savage in their hunting clan. Their only cares were the hunt, and trying to one up Ralph's group. They attacked them unprovoked, and stole from them. They were aggressive, and highly dangerous as more and more savagery was brought out in them.

The book also speaks of a "beast", whose existence is unjustified. The thought of it strikes terror in some, but challenge in others. The boys attempt to find it and kill it, but are never successful.

But the "beast" also strikes respect, especially from the "savages". During a fateful hunt in the heart of the climax, the savage tribe hunts down a pig for their feast and pyretic dance. As an offering of respect to the beast, they cut off the pig's head, and put the bloody thing on a stick, and jam it into the ground. This "Lord of the Flies" represents the craze and bloodthirst in these boys, but also the so called "beast" being the humans themselves.

This boiling conflict can definitely be described as people versus people; Jack versus Ralph and their building tension that is ultimately set over the edge. But also, Jack's lot of boys versus Ralph's lot. It can also be described as person versus self, with Jack and Ralph both unaware of what this island has birthed and planted in them. This fast paced, high intensity, inter webbing conflict is exciting and engaging throughout the entire book.

Another significant character, and my favorite, Piggy, is also a boy on the island. As his name implies, he's fat, but as Ralph realizes, he's very bright and is an excellent thinker. This earns Piggy Ralph's respect, and friendship. They use Piggy's glasses to light the fire. This is a symbol of how someone may seem useless-- fat and lazy, but are more valuable then perceived. Piggy is also a significant symbol in the book. He represents civility, as he keeps this while everyone else is being subconsciously changed by the island and the lack of rules and civilization. His appearance, paired with his intellectual capacities and ability to stay rational justifies this. Much would be different in the book without him and his mind.

As it seems every character and item is symbolic, there is much to take away from this masterful craft. The Pig Head represents the humans being the beast. The conch, I believe, represents order and something to go around or follow. Something sacred and divine, but fragile at the same time. Ralph represents order, and civility, while Jack represents savagery and primal instincts. This balance, or fight, between order and savagery is a main theme to take away, and how people's desire for power can bring out these primeval surges.

I think I, and many others can relate to this book and learn from this book. While I've never been stranded on a deserted island having to govern myself, I feel I can relate to Ralph. I have had many experiences where I have tried to keep everyone orderly but their "primal urges", or craze, was difficult to. Like Ralph, I got very frustrated by that, because when everyone is going nuts while your trying to keep things orderly, it's annoying.

I also feel that if some of my friends were in this position, they would be succumbed to the beckoning of the urges of savagery and human darkness, but in society, they're not. We never see what these boys were like before landing on the island, but we can get a pretty good idea from how they develop, evolve, and change when going through this.

Overall, I feel this craft of literature is stellar writing. From the deep symbolism, heart-racing conflict, and picture-painting detail, I loved the book despite the grossness of it, and despite the lunacy and bloodshed that took place.

The rich symbolism is a strong strength. So much can be learned and taken away from this story, from each character and item, and this quality is a distinct strength.

However, while I thoroughly enjoyed it and was thoroughly impressed, there were a few easy to spot weaknesses I would have changed. Golding uses the same words over and over, and it was slightly infuriating to read. There was too much word repetition, such as "savage" and "hunt" being way overused. In the same way, every time he said "Ralph's fair hair" was aggravating, like the word repitition. Also, I feel he included things that didn't matter or affect the plot. like four pages about a littlun crying.

Despite all this, I thought this was a phenomenal book. It's quick moving pace, deep symbolism, and powerful themes made it a keeper in my eyes. If you can get past the gore, the savagery, the killing, and the insanity, I would recommend this book because of all this. There is much that can be learned and interpreted from this book, and if you dare look past the present topics that make us nauseous, it will challenge your analytical capacity and leave an impact.

No comments have been posted yet.

You can also log in with your email address.

Review: Lord of The Flies by William Golding

By: thebookaholic
On: May 27, 2023

This post may contain affiliate links. I will make a small commission if you make a purchase through one of these links, at no extra cost to you. See full disclosure and disclaimer policy HERE .

Are you a fan of thought-provoking literature that explores the depths of human nature? If so, then William Golding’s classic novel, “Lord of The Flies,” is a must-read for you. This captivating tale takes readers on a journey of survival and savagery, delving into the darkest corners of the human psyche. In this article, we will explore the key themes, characters, and lessons that make this book a timeless masterpiece.

Table of contents, plot summary | spoiler alert |, civilization vs. savagery, power and control, inherent evil and the loss of innocence, fear of the unknown, social order and the breakdown of civilization, human nature and the duality of humanity, loss of identity and conformity, the duality of human nature, lessons and reflections.

In Lord of The Flies , Golding transports us to a deserted island, where a group of British boys find themselves stranded after a plane crash during a wartime evacuation. The absence of adult supervision and the struggle for survival quickly reveal the raw and uncivilized nature that resides within each of them.

Lord of The Flies Central Themes

The novel explores several key themes that shed light on the human condition and the fragile nature of civilization. Here are some of the prominent themes found in the book:

Lord of the Flies book review

Posted November 7, 2020 by Jordann @thebookbloglife in 3 star , book reviews / 4 Comments

At the dawn of the next world war, a plane crashes on an uncharted island, stranding a group of schoolboys. At first, with no adult supervision, their freedom is something to celebrate; this far from civilization the boys can do anything they want. Anything. They attempt to forge their own society, failing, however, in the face of terror, sin and evil. And as order collapses, as strange howls echo in the night, as terror begins its reign, the hope of adventure seems as far from reality as the hope of being rescued. Labeled a parable, an allegory, a myth, a morality tale, a parody, a political treatise, even a vision of the apocalypse, Lord of the Flies is perhaps our most memorable novel about “the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart.”

Lord of the Flies was a reread for me and one that I haven’t revisited since my school days. I knew I had enjoyed the concept of the story back then and wanted to see if I could get anything new from the story. I do have to say I really liked certain aspects of this book and I think it has a really good commentary on human nature when left to their own devices. However, there were some parts of this book that left me wondering what the heck was going on and I think there was some potential missed when I think about what could actually have been achieved if it had been seen all the way through. I really hope they continue to teach this book in schools because I think there are definitely lessons to be learnt. I won’t even talk about how unrealistic this book was in terms of how they were able to survive because that was beside the point.

The characters in Lord of the Flies are all based around young children who have crashed landed on a deserted island on their way to be evacuated in WWII. There are two separate groups, one which want to have a series of rules and laws to help them stay safe and the other who want to give in to the more savage and free-spirited side of the children. I really loved the juxtaposition between the two and how even at moments they ended up relying on one another to keep the peace. I also really liked the descent into savagery and the complete lack of foresight, it was as though they had turned into the most extreme version of the children they were. One thing I wish that had been explored a little more was Simon and his experience on the island and what actually happened to him, I think there was something really great started there it just felt a little unfinished. I also forgot how whiny Piggy actually was and actually how much of annoying character he could be at times.

I think the best bits of Lord of the Flies was definitely the commentary and the way the two groups are pitted against each other. I think reading this really puts into perspective how easy it would be for our society to slip into savagery with the justifications to go alongside it.

The worst bit of Lord of the Flies for me was most definitely how underdeveloped some of this book felt. There were moments that I thought needed to have more time spent on them to really drive the point home.

I don’t think this one will be on my list of favourites but there is definitely

Have you read this one? What did you think? Let me know!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Lucy A. Snyder

Author • editor • writing instructor, book review: lord of the flies by william golding.

October 27, 2005 Lucy A. Snyder book review , Uncategorized 0

In the beginning of the novel, the reader is presented with a group of British boys who have been stranded on a tropical island. The boys are all young, the oldest ones not more than twelve, and the island is seemingly serene and gorgeous. The stage seems set for the boys to have a wonderful romp in paradise, but as disagreement breaks out amongst them, their life on the island becomes increasingly violent and hellish.

On a symbolic level, the novel deals with the effects of war on the human race and the ways in which it can turn Earth, our own used-to-be-Paradise, into a living hell.

Selected Characters (spoilers follow)

Ralph is in many ways the personification of a good-intentioned world leader who must struggle with himself between upholding the law and giving in to his baser instincts.

Ralph realizes the necessity for a structured environment for the boys who look up to him, even if they don’t think it’s necessary, but at the same time he wants to give in to his own selfish desires. Ralph does not have the inborn charisma of a “natural” leader, but he is the most capable leader amongst the boys. He has the conch, which Golding uses as a symbol of leadership and just government. He is not perfect, but he has the sense to ask advice from boys (such as Piggy) who know more than he does.

Unfortunately, he is not able to maintain control when the boys start to fight. Once he is deposed, he symbolizes the spirit of resistance and the struggle for justice in oppressed people.

In the end, he is shown to be the true leader of the boys, but only after the adult world intervenes in the form of the naval officer arriving to end the chaos.

Piggy represents weakend intelligentsia. His obesity and asthma prevent him from playing and working with the other boys. His isolation and alienation due to his physical problems and his sheltered life with his aunt mirror the separation and alienation of the scientific/academic community from mainstream world affairs.

Piggy’s dependence on his glasses — without which he is nearly helpless — represents the intellectual elites’ dependence on technology and knowledge for their power and survival.

In the end, Piggy is murdered by Roger, much as Pol Pot and other dictators destroyed intellectuals in their own countries to keep their people ignorant and obedient.

Roger represents the senselessly violent factions who are suppressed by the laws of a stable society but who rise to bloodthirsty heights in times of war.

When the boys first arrive on the island, Roger is shy and furtive. When war breaks out between the boys, he comes to the forefront as the main enforcer for Jack, the boy tyrant. Roger’s methods of terror and uses of torture mirror the actions of groups such as the Nazis in wartime Germany and the Kmer Rouge in wartime Cambodia. Roger vents his sadism on his fellow classmates, representing genocide within a country.

The only thing that stops Roger is the arrival of the naval officer.

Jack Merridew

Jack represents both tyranny and the destructive, reckless side of human nature. He has a great deal of charisma but very little foresight; his view of the world is centered on satisfying his own desires for power and pleasure.

His insistence on being called by his last name in the beginning of the book shows that he has a military mindset and a distorted view of himself and his classmates. He doesn’t really see anyone, including himself, as being a real person with a heart and soul and feelings.

However, most of the other boys can only see his charisma, and his military bravado makes him seem like the natural leader to follow. But in reality, Jack is a very poor leader, providing only quick, superficial answers to their problems.

When his answers fail, he maintains his hold on the boys with terror and a cult of bloodlust that refocuses the energy of their fears into wild dances and pig hunts.

Jack starts up the war against Ralph and his boys; this mirrors the use of war in dictatorships to distract the public from their real problems and to maintain power. Jack’s setting the devastating fire on the island is like the act of a mad dictator starting a nuclear war.

Jack denies his own fears and humanity, hiding behind a mask of war paint. His facade is finally broken down when the naval officer arrives and imposes the order of the adult world.

The Naval Officer

The naval officer who arrives at the end of the novel to put a stop to the boys’ madness and take them back to civilization could represent a higher power such as God. But perhaps he’s just a wishful deus ex machina employed so that readers aren’t completely depressed by having to read about Ralph and his friends being murdered after Piggy.

Regardless of one’s interpretation of the officer’s symbolism, the ultimate irony of the book is that he “rescues” the boys only to take them back to a world torn by war where none of them have any authority or power over their own lives. And, unlike the officer’s stopping the boys’ violence, there’s not likely to be any higher power to save humanity from the disaster of its own creation.

Be the first to comment

Book Review: Lord of the Flies by William Golding

A group of boys find themselves adrift on an island. They wake up with no idea where they are. They must make rules to survive. These rules will be the breaking of them. Lord of the Flies by William Golding explores an incredibly realistic “simulation” if you will, of what would happen if the aforementioned were to happen.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding book review

A group of boys (notably no women) of different ages, all pre-adult, land on an island after a crash. What begins as a jolly holiday with the boys enjoying their time begins to become a bit more serious when they realise they need to survive. A leader needs to be chosen, that leader needs to make rules and everyone else needs to agree that this leader and these rules are the way things should be on the island. What ensues is a wonderful exploration in the psyche of a group of young men. Who’s the alpha male? Who decided he should be the leader? These questions start to get asked and things begin to slip between the group.

It’s a book that isn’t overly easy to read. There is some bullying involved, there are some moments that some may even deem a little disturbing. However, I felt these added to the realism of the interactions between the boys. This, as a result, built up a more realistic set of circumstances.

Characters – 4.5/5

There are a fair few characters to get your head around in this book. Without giving away spoilers, the main two are Ralf and Piggy who you meet early on and then other boys are slowly introduced who become big figures within the group. There’s fantastic chemistry between the different characters and Golding had to write different characters so that they brought different ideas and suggestions to the story. In doing this, he created bonds, he created characters you love and some you are forced to dislike.

There’s not a vast amount more to say about the characters. None of them stands out as my favourite, however, I understand all of their roles within the novel. You’ve got the butt of the joke, the smart one, the erratic one, the emotional one. They’re all there and Golding integrates them all very intelligently into the storyline.

Lord of the Flies summary – 4/5

Lord of the Flies is a fascinating read that if you don’t look too deeply into it is a gripping story in its own right. But when you then start to think of what Golding has done in giving us a very respectable tale of the likely actions and turmoil that the same situation would bring in real life.

I was deciding between three or four stars for this review as it wasn’t a book I found myself instantly buzzed about after reading it as I do with a lot of my five stars. However, I can respect the diverse character personalities and the fact Golding tackles some of the darker aspects that would arise from such a situation.

Read more of my Classic book reviews here.

2 thoughts on “ Book Review: Lord of the Flies by William Golding ”

I read this in high school so it’s been awhile. I remember liking it okay, but maybe I should re- read it again.

[…] Read my full Lord of the Flies review here. […]

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, e-mail, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Book Review: Lord of the Flies

Article in brief: A review about “Lord of the Flies” that was written by Sir William Golding.

"Lord of the Flies" Book Cover by Sir William Golding, published by Turtleback books on 1999

“Kill the beast. Cut his throat. Spill his blood.” – Sir William Golding

In the absence of rules and culture, would you lose your humanity and allow yourself to be consumed by the law of the jungle? Would you allow violence to be your only chance of survival? Sir William Golding, author of the Lord of the Flies teases us with this possibility. The novel is probably one of the most underrated literary pieces in the modern literature. A book that had not done well in the first decade after its publication, but became so well acclaimed later on that it became a text book in the 60’s, a mythology of survival.

This book is a perfect recipe for adventure; a parody of children adventures’ stories. The book explores the savagery that underlies the most civilized human beings and explores the dark side of humanity. The book’s storyline takes place in the middle of an unknown nuclear war with a predictable storyline where schoolboys are shipwrecked and stranded on a deserted island without the supervision of adults.

In order to set the rules and boundaries of what is fun, the boys elect a leader. Golding had not sugarcoated his novel and instead turned it into a horrifying saga of survival and loss of innocence. The two faces of humanity (savage and civilized) are represented by Jack and Ralph who both fought for the leadership position. The voice of reason was represented by Piggy who was bullied and tormented by everyone.

Piggy and Ralph find a conch on the beach and as the leader, Ralph decides to call for a meeting through blowing the conch that resonates across the island. The conch is a representation of power and leadership. The conch is not meaningful on its own, but it is a tool of power nonetheless, not because of what it is, but because of what they made it to be.

Though the writing style is poetic and beautiful, the goriness below the surface is ominous. If we look closely at the title itself, “Lord” is a synonym of power. The “flies” are a manifestation of death and decay, an obvious representation of the innocence the boys lose throughout the novel. However, put the two words together and the thirst for power and corruption walk hand in hand.

“Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of a true, wise friend called Piggy.” -Sir William Golding

The novel is gory, dark and depressing, but is it worth reading? I say yes! The book is rich with symbolism about leadership, corruption and how savagery is somehow a part of our humanity. It’s gripping, brutal and pessimistic. Rainbows and butterflies may not be our daily cup of tea. Sometimes we understand when society is lost; we all show our fangs and fight for our survival. Personally, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Sign up to Sail Newsletter

Never miss another article!

Thank you for subscribing.

Something went wrong.

The form collects name and email so that we can add you to our weekly newsletter list for our newest articles.

What You Need To Know About the #FNC

Pingback: Here We Start - Issue #55 - Sail eMagazine

Leave a feedback, spark a discussion.. Cancel reply

5 Things You Didn’t Know About the #FNC

Sail weekly newsletter.

Stay up to date with our insightful reads on all the topics that matter to you!

The form collects name and email so that we can add you to our weekly newsletter of new articles.

Can BBC’s Lord of the Flies Recapture the Dark Magic of the Book?

By: Author Thomas Godwin

X (Twitter)

With all the reboots, remakes, adaptations, and resurrections out there, it was just a matter of time before Lord of the Flies made its way to the forefront. William Golding’s 1954 classic is no stranger to film adaptations , with versions in 1963 and 1990 that remained more or less faithful to the source material.

However, Lord of the Flies is both simple in its thematic depictions and complicated, especially at a time of bloated budgets, intense fan scrutiny, and political messaging.

For every movie or TV show that honors the source material, often resulting in fan and critical praise, there are ten that take a chainsaw to the original classics before curb-stomping them for good measure.

On the bright side, Lord of the Flies is staying home. BBC commissioned it with Sony’s backing, and it will release on BBC iPlayer, BBC One, and Stan.

Adaptations are never easy, and it will be interesting to see whether BBC can pull off something that transcends the 1960s and 1990s film efforts.

Are You Ready to Return to Salem’s Lot? Premiere Date and Trailer Just Dropped! by Tyler Johnson
Can BBC’s Lord of the Flies Recapture the Dark Magic of the Book? by Thomas Godwin
Amazon’s Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power Season 02 Continues Middle Earth’s Fall From Grace by Thomas Godwin

Lord of the Flies’ Themes are Difficult for Kids to Act

There’s a darkness in every human being, whether we like to think so or not. Looking at ourselves in the mirror while brushing our teeth or shaving, there’s the makings of an aberration in there — something our closest loved ones wouldn’t recognize.

For the lion’s share of us, that inky, rotting obscurity remains chained and impotent, walled away behind societal norms, personal expectations, empathy, love, and an instinctive revulsion for violations of nature.

Most of us never have to experience that small step from safety and civilization to survival and desperation. Starvation, deprivation, and fear are capable of turning even the kindest among us into raving savages, abstracted from benevolence and integrity.

Reason versus savagery, order versus chaos — simple in concept, much harder in reality. This is especially true for a cast of young boys, some of whom have little to zero acting experience to fall back on.

Golding also makes it clear, through his many allegories, that he believes the savage, brutal side of humankind is a default setting, only repressed through force of will or conformation with societal norms.

Of course, that’s Golding’s opinion, and whether or not the upcoming show takes things that deep is anyone’s guess.

To a lesser degree, groupthink, war, loss of innocence, and desire for idol worship are concepts dealt with in Golding’s book. Some of these things are conveyable with little more than visual storytelling, while others will be a challenge for the young actors.

The Showrunners

Marc Muden will direct Lord of the Flies. He’s an eight-time BAFTA nominee, winning three. However, success in the eyes of the British Academy of Film doesn’t always translate to stellar fan and critic approval.

His last five projects include The Sympathizer , Help, The Third Day: Autumn, The Third Day, and Secret Autumn. Only two of those reached a 7.6 IMDB score, with the remaining three receiving a 6.8, 6.4, and 5.6.

Those same shows did better with average critics and fans on Rotten Tomatoes, with some exceptions. Jack Thorne wrote the screenplay for Lord of the Flies and is a relatively well-received scriptwriter in Britain and the United States.

How Drew Carey Benefited From Ryan Seacrest’s Wheel of Fortune Debut by Tyler Johnson
Chloe Troast Departure Raises Concerns About SNL’s Landmark 50th Season by Tyler Johnson

However, if you’ve watched any shows based on his screenplays, such as His Dark Materials and Shameless, you’ll notice the characters do a lot of talking, much of which amounts to very little in value.

He actively shares his political opinions outside of his work, and despite his previously excellent working relationship with J.K. Rowling, the two have recently had a falling out over their political and personal opinions.

Fortunately, Jack is known for not explicitly inserting his politics into his screenplays.

It’s nearly impossible not to layer your written works with some level of personal opinion. Still, the divisive nature of the world today simply won’t tolerate much, regardless of which side of the aisle fans stand on.

The Success of Yellowjackets Bodes Well for Lord of the Flies

The Society of Snow, Alive, and Yellowjackets are all popular renditions of the survival theme, but Lord of the Flies precedes them all.

Of course, Alive and Society of Snow are based on a true story, but there’s little doubt that Yellowjackets took the best of Lord of the Flies and Alive, merged them, and manufactured a highly popular series.

Long before a group of cheerleaders crash-landed somewhere in the Alaskan wilderness, a group of preadolescent boys fleeing the ravages of war crash-landed on a lone, abandoned island.

In some ways, Yellowjackets goes darker than its predecessor, but the savage brutality of Lord of the Flies is no laughing matter.

William Golding’s story doesn’t deserve the delicate sensibilities of a PG or PG-13 rating.

Yellowjackets ‘ existence, despite its place on the timeline of creative events, paves the way for a brutal and aggressive tale that’s true to Golding’s vision.

After all, this is not a tale of happiness. There is no ending where everyone sails into the sunset with smiles on their faces. Blood, beatings, murder, terror, rage, and savagery are par for the course.

In the end, the book leaves us to our own creative devices, imagining the thunderstruck thoughts and feelings of the naval officer who finally discovers them, along with a horrific sense of irony.

Only then does the savagery of their ordeal and choices find their revitalized consciences.

Four Episodes Versus 256-Pages

This is actually perfect. Four episodes should be more than enough to cover a fairly short book of only 256 pages.

A 10-episode or even a 6-episode season is too much, ultimately requiring a lot of filler content to keep it rolling.

Since Jack Thorne is known for senseless, long-winded dialogue at times, a 4-episode stretch should keep things snappy and the plot moving along at a steady pace.

Pluto TV is The Best FAST Service for ’80s Film Buffs by Sara Trimble
Little House on the Prairie Turns 50: Episodes We’ll Never Forget by Laura Nowak
Eight FAST Services — Ranked! by Sara Trimble

At the same time, it’s not too short, allowing the showrunners time to cover even the more subtle nuances of the darkening nature that threatens to rise up in each of the characters.

Each episode focuses on the viewpoint of one of the four primary characters in the book : Ralph, Jack, Piggy, and Simon.

Hans Zimmer is also on board, teaming up with Kara Talve. If anyone can bring a sense of dread, terror, and violence to a show, it’s Zimmer.

It’s rare that a four-episode season attracts much joy and excitement in fans, but this is one of those exceptions to the rule.

Full Support from Golding’s Family

Another thing The Lord of the Flies and BBC have going for them is the full backing and support of William Golding’s family.

Sure, this isn’t always indicative that a show will be a runaway success. But it’s highly doubtful that Golding’s family would let someone like Tommy Wiseau (The Room) run off to tell the classic tale concocted by William Golding.

The fact that they are fully supportive and behind the project bodes well for the series’ future and quality. Hopefully, Jack Thorne and Marc Muden will justify their support and make William Golding proud.

Ultimately, it’s a story worth telling again and again, for it is applicable in every way. If there were only three people left on the entire planet, two would ostracize the third.

Is it in our nature, or is it a choice predicated on survival? Let us know in the comments whether or not you’re excited for Lord of the Flies to return to the screen!

Sharing is Caring

Help spread the word. You're awesome for doing it!

Politics & Social Sciences
Politics & Government

Print List Price:	$12.00
Kindle Price:	$10.99 Save $1.01 (8%)
Penguin Group (USA) LLC Price set by seller.

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Audiobook Price: $11.81 $11.81

Save: $4.32 $4.32 (37%)

Buy for others

Buying and sending ebooks to others.

Select quantity
Buy and send eBooks
Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.

Sorry, there was a problem.

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Image Unavailable

To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the authors

Lord of the Flies Kindle Edition

Print length 189 pages
Language English
Lexile measure 770L
Publisher Penguin Books
Publication date July 27, 1959
Page Flip Enabled
Word Wise Enabled
Enhanced typesetting Enabled
Sticky notes On Kindle Scribe
See all details

Customers who bought this item also bought

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

From the inside flap, about the author, from audiofile, product details.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000OCXIRG
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Books; Reissue edition (July 27, 1959)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 27, 1959
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 2248 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 189 pages
#7 in Classic Coming of Age Fiction
#25 in Classic Literary Fiction
#31 in Censorship & Politics

About the authors

William golding.

Born in Cornwall, England, William Golding started writing at the age of seven. Though he studied natural sciences at Oxford to please his parents, he also studied English and published his first book, a collection of poems, before finishing college. He served in the Royal Navy during World War II, participating in the Normandy invasion. Golding's other novels include Lord of the Flies, The Inheritors, The Free Fall, Pincher Martin, The Double Tongue, and Rites of Passage, which won the Booker Prize.

Photo by See page for author [CC BY-SA 3.0 nl (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/nl/deed.en)], via Wikimedia Commons.

Jennifer Buehler

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Products related to this item

Customer reviews

5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 71% 17% 7% 2% 3% 71%
5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 71% 17% 7% 2% 3% 17%
5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 71% 17% 7% 2% 3% 7%
5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 71% 17% 7% 2% 3% 2%
5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 71% 17% 7% 2% 3% 3%

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers find the story compelling, interesting, and epic. They also say the book is thought-provoking, invoking deep thoughts about human nature. Readers say the value for money is great, and the book has a great texture for the price. They find the characters well-developed and true to the nature of humans. They describe the book as entertaining and a wonderful way to spend alone time. However, some find the book boring and pointless. Opinions are mixed on readability, with some finding it masterful and vivid, while others find it less than satisfying.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the story compelling, epic, and suspenseful. They also describe the book as well-written and a dark allegory of humankind. Readers also mention the ending is wonderful and the morality and savagery are expertly woven throughout the story.

"...The novel is a classic story that bleeds over into our world today and details how fear can be used as a weapon when needed to achieve a desired..." Read more

"...Lord of the Flies is an extremely well-written tale with intriguing plots and ideas ...." Read more

" Wonderful ending , tough in between. A sad (but real) picture of the worst of human instincts projected in a group of boys (which makes it even worse)" Read more

"SPOILERS! Lord of the Flies is a fairly interesting and fast-paced book...." Read more

Customers find the book thought-provoking, saying it invokes deep thoughts about human nature. They say it's a rich exploration of difficult themes. Readers also mention the book is an allegory or mythological story that has plenty of obvious symbolism and literary devices. They also say it gives readers an insight on human behavior.

"...The second character is Piggy, who is smart and insightful ...." Read more

"...Even today, this is a book that, in my opinion, tells a highly valuable story --not only for young adults, but old adults as well...." Read more

"...I found that this book was more meaningful and enjoyable the second time I read it...." Read more

"...Young teenagers should read the book because it teaches about human nature , and because censoring literature that teaches morals in an intense way..." Read more

Customers find the book worth the small price. They mention it's well worth it, in great condition, and shipped promptly. Readers also mention the book is valuable for a lot of reasons.

"...British slang and keep pushing yourself, the book's second half is well worth it , especially Simon's experience with the "Lord of the Flies."" Read more

"...This copy is standard paperback quality at very reasonable price ." Read more

" Great price , compact size book easy tocarry for commute or travel, but print is really small." Read more

"...A classic book, perfect for student reading at an affordable price . Buy this!" Read more

Customers find the characters well-developed and solid. They say the book is true to the nature of humans. Readers also mention the vocabulary is super SAT-ACT and the central themes are applicable.

"...anything else, what was refreshing was Golding's ability to create well-rounded characters ...." Read more

"...The characters are all unique and have different effects on each other throughout the plot...." Read more

"...for my son in 7th grade and he said that it was a pretty good book with plenty of characters . But they crammed a lot of small words onto one page...." Read more

"...For one, his characters repeat dialogue over and over again ...." Read more

Customers find the book entertaining, compelling, and interesting. They say it's a wonderful way to spend alone time and share the experience together. Readers also mention the story is life-like and makes for good dinner conversation.

"...the dangers of mob mentality are all explored in a way that is both engaging and thought-provoking...." Read more

"...or taking instruction from the older kids was pretty true and hilarious ...." Read more

"This book is enjoyable and readable. It has a ton of deep layers, some that are apparent and some that take a little digging to get to...." Read more

Customers have mixed opinions about the readability of the book. Some mention the writing is masterful and creates a vivid and believable world. However, others say it's not an easy read, the dialogue is difficult to follow, and the writing seems vague or overly descriptive.

"...characters (Piggy, Ralph, Simon, Jack, Samneric, Roger) are depicted effectively both from the dialogue and writing style...." Read more

"...At times, the dialogue was a little difficult to follow , but I just had to figure out who was talking when...." Read more

"...Lord of the Flies is a novel of profound messages, themes , and morals, and censoring is not worth missing out on learning from the book...." Read more

"...But they crammed a lot of small words onto one page. So if you have bad eyesight you might want to see if you can find the book with larger letters." Read more

Customers have mixed opinions about the print size of the book. Some mention it's the smallest they've ever held, while others say the print is really small.

"...carry for commute or travel, but print is really small ." Read more

"...I also liked the rough-edged pages and the font sized for comfortable reading ...." Read more

"...The font was small and spidery , and the contrast to the darkish paper was reduced...." Read more

"if you enjoy annotating your books, this one has a VERY small margin and tiny font as well...." Read more

Customers find the book boring, less than satisfying, and a pointless exercise as a novel. They say it's a slow read and difficult to stay interested. Readers also mention the narrative details are repetitive and the tone is monotonous.

"It's not a fun book, persay - the subject is bleak , children are murdered, and the tone alternates between wonder and despair with astounding..." Read more

"...but it was a bit of a struggle to finish as I felt it got a little boring toward the end . And I felt like it left out so much information...." Read more

"...Please, please, please get this book! It is such a timeless tale of a broken society and broken people." Read more

"...but that's just it... most of the time it's actually kinda dull and boring .. the story never tells how how everything happened with the plane with..." Read more

Reviews with images

My new old favorite!

Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

Top reviews from other countries

Report an issue

About Amazon
Investor Relations
Amazon Devices
Amazon Science
Sell products on Amazon
Sell on Amazon Business
Sell apps on Amazon
Become an Affiliate
Advertise Your Products
Self-Publish with Us
Host an Amazon Hub
› See More Make Money with Us
Amazon Business Card
Shop with Points
Reload Your Balance
Amazon Currency Converter
Amazon and COVID-19
Your Account
Your Orders
Shipping Rates & Policies
Returns & Replacements
Manage Your Content and Devices

Conditions of Use
Privacy Notice
Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
Your Ads Privacy Choices

IMAGES

Book Review: Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Book Review: Lord of the Flies
Lord Of The Flies
Lord of the Flies Book Review: A Short But Punchy Classic
Lord of the Flies Book Review!
E-books, Tips and, Reviews: Book review of Lord of the Flies

VIDEO

👨‍💼Benjamin 📍🇪🇨 Lord Of The Flies Book Review
Lord of the Flies book replacement
Lord of the Flies Full Movie Fact & Review In English / Robbers Cave
Lord of the Flies review
Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Flies Audio Book Summary

COMMENTS

Lord of the Flies Book Review
Our review: Parents say (12 ): Kids say (111 ): This novel has been a perennial favorite since its first publication in 1954, and when he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, William Golding was lauded for his deep concern for humanity. Today, Lord of the Flies remains a staple of school reading lists, although some of its dated views ...
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Book Review: Lord of the Flies by William Golding. In 1954, William Golding wrote Lord of the Flies, when the world was in the middle of the silent yet terrifying Cold War soon after the World War II. It is not only a tale of boys surviving after their plane crashed on a deserted island; it is an allegorical novel about the conflicts between ...
Review: Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Lord of the Flies William Golding Penguin Books Published December 16, 2003 (Originally Published 1954) Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads About Lord of the Flies. At the dawn of the next world war, a plane crashes on an uncharted island, stranding a group of schoolboys.
Their Inner Beasts: 'Lord of the Flies' Six Decades Later
Oct. 27, 2016. "Lord of the Flies" was published in 1954, the year that I turned 17, and I read it not long after. I was in the habit then (as I still am today) of finding, in each book I read ...
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
(Book 508 from 1001 books) . Lord of the flies, William Golding 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.
Book Review
The Man Who Wrote "Lord of the Flies": A Life. By John Carey. Illustrated. 573 pp. Free Press. $32.50. William Boyd's most recent novel, "Ordinary Thunderstorms," was published earlier ...
Lord of the Flies Review: Golding's Inner Savage
3.4. Lord of the Flies Review. 'Lord of the Flies' is an interesting novel, despite the fact that in today's world it may be considered problematic. In some areas, the dialogue appears forced and stilted. The plot may feel stilted at some points but, most of the descriptions are wonderful. Pros.
A Summary and Analysis of William Golding's Lord of the Flies
Before we offer an analysis of Golding's novel, here's a brief reminder of the plot. Lord of the Flies: plot summary. The novel begins with a plane carrying a group of British schoolboys being shot down; the boys land on a desert island. Two of them, Ralph and Piggy, find a conch shell on the beach, and they use it to signal to the rest of ...
LORD OF THE FLIES
New York Times Bestseller. The 17-year-old son of a troubled rock star is determined to find his own way in life and love. On the verge of adulthood, Blade Morrison wants to leave his father's bad-boy reputation for drug-and-alcohol-induced antics and his sister's edgy lifestyle behind. The death of his mother 10 years ago left them all ...
Review: Lord of the Flies
Published in 1954, Lord of the Flies is a dystopian novel by nobel-prize winning English author William Golding, about a group of boys stuck on an uninhabited island who try to govern themselves with disastrous results. When it was first published, Golding's debut novel suffered from poor sales but when re-released in the 1960s it went on to ...
Lord of the Flies
His conversation with The Lord of the Flies (which is a rotting pig's head the boys have left as an offering to the Beast) is likened to the temptation Christ experienced during his fasting in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). ... Book reviews cover the content, themes and worldviews of fiction books, not their literary merit, and equip ...
Book review
Golding's book is one of those and is widely considered to be one of the all-time great novels. My lovely 1965 edition of Lord of the Flies is older than me and has a cover price of three shillings and sixpence! Lord of the Flies was Golding's first novel, published in 1954.
Lord of the Flies Themes and Analysis
By William Golding. Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a powerful novel. It's filled with interesting themes, thoughtful symbols, and a particular style of writing that has made it a classic of British literature. Article written by Lee-James Bovey. P.G.C.E degree.
Lord of the Flies Book Review: A Short But Punchy Classic
Lord of the Flies Book Review. Lord of the Flies is a book that had been on my TBR (to-be-read pile) forever. I first read this in my mid-twenties and wish I had studied this at school, which is where most readers encounter this. It's all about a group of schoolboys who become stranded on a desert island. But don't let the young ensemble ...
Lord of the Flies
47677622. Lord of the Flies is the 1954 debut novel of British author William Golding. The plot concerns a group of British boys who are stranded on an uninhabited island and their disastrous attempts to govern themselves. The novel's themes include morality, leadership, and the tension between civility and chaos.
Review: "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding
Naturally, conflict ensues. Written in 1954, "Lord of the Flies" serves as a warning of humankind's suppressed instincts. Golding purports that human nature and personal welfare will ultimately trump the common good. He illustrates that when left to the elements, away from civilization, with no authority to rely on for guidance, all of which ...
Lord of the Flies Book Review
Lord of the Flies Book Review. Nobel Prize winner William Golding's classic "Lord of the Flies" explores and exposes the darkest parts of human nature, and the childhood desire of independence. Shield your eyes if you must, as insanity and gore take hold. When a group of British boys crash land on a desert island, their first reaction is "Yeah!
Review: Lord of The Flies by William Golding
Golding explores the concept of inherent evil and the loss of innocence in Lord of the Flies. The boys, initially innocent and well-behaved, gradually succumb to their primal instincts and engage in violent and savage behaviour. This loss of innocence suggests that beneath the surface, all individuals possess the capacity for darkness and cruelty.
Lord of the Flies book review
The characters in Lord of the Flies are all based around young children who have crashed landed on a deserted island on their way to be evacuated in WWII. There are two separate groups, one which want to have a series of rules and laws to help them stay safe and the other who want to give in to the more savage and free-spirited side of the ...
Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Flies, novel by William Golding, published in 1954.The book explores the dark side of human nature and stresses the importance of reason and intelligence as tools for dealing with the chaos of existence.. In the novel, children are evacuated from Britain because of a nuclear war. One airplane, with adults and prep-school boys as passengers, crashes on an uninhabited island, and all ...
Book Review: Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Lord of the Flies by William Golding is one of my favorite novels, not necessarily from a "I'm going to read this every year!" standpoint but more from a "Damn, I wish I could write like that!" perspective. This allegorical book was originally published in 1954; it is one of the most carefully structured novels I've read; each chapter has a wonderful internal rise and fall, and the ...
Book Review: Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Characters - 4.5/5. There are a fair few characters to get your head around in this book. Without giving away spoilers, the main two are Ralf and Piggy who you meet early on and then other boys are slowly introduced who become big figures within the group. There's fantastic chemistry between the different characters and Golding had to write ...
Book Review: Lord of the Flies
The book is rich with symbolism about leadership, corruption and how savagery is somehow a part of our humanity. It's gripping, brutal and pessimistic. Rainbows and butterflies may not be our daily cup of tea. Sometimes we understand when society is lost; we all show our fangs and fight for our survival. Personally, I give this book 4 out of ...
10 Things BBC's Lord Of The Flies TV Show Must Get Right About The
This article contains spoilers for the Lord of the Flies book and TV show. The Lord of the Flies BBC drama must honor its source material and do right by the book's key moments. Fans of 1963's Lord of the Flies movie can celebrate - the four-part BBC drama will provide a brand-new adaptation of William Golding's timeless story. With news of the adaptation shared last year, the recent filming ...
Can BBC's Lord of the Flies Recapture the Dark Magic of the Book?
With all the reboots, remakes, adaptations, and resurrections out there, it was just a matter of time before Lord of the Flies made its way to the forefront. William Golding's 1954 classic is no ...
Lord of the Flies Kindle Edition
Lord of the Flies - Kindle edition by Golding, William, E. L. Epstein, Buehler, Jennifer. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Lord of the Flies. ... — Joyce Carol Oates, New York Review of Books. From the Inside Flap. Read by the ...
'Eden' Review: Ron Howard's Darkly Funny Adult 'Lord of the Flies'
TIFF: Based on a true story, Jude Law, Vanessa Kirby, Ana de Armas, Sydney Sweeney, and Daniel Bruhl amusingly affirm that hell is other people. Dr. Friedrich Ritter (Jude Law) is loathe to repeat ...

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Book Summary : Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Character List: Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Book Review: Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Symbols and motifs:

More on this topic

LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply

Readers also enjoyed

Book Reviews

Author Interviews

Social Media Promotion

Social Media Set up

Website Creation

Google / Facebook / Youtube Adverts

For more details mail us at [email protected]

Quick Links

Recent Posts

Review: Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Lord of the Flies William Golding Penguin Books Published December 16, 2003 (Originally Published 1954)

Content Notes

Share this:

About Kasey

Never Miss a Story

Donate Your New or Used Books

Follow For More Stories

My Book for Authors

Subscribe by Email

Follow The Story Sanctuary

Discover more from The Story Sanctuary

Man as an Island

WILLIAM GOLDING

A Summary and Analysis of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies

Discover more from Interesting Literature

2 thoughts on “A Summary and Analysis of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies”

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

LORD OF THE FLIES

THE STOLEN THRONE

Please select an existing bookshelf

Please sign up to continue.

Almost there!

Sign in using your Kirkus account

Review: Lord of the Flies – William Golding

About Lord of the Flies

About William Golding

2 comments on “Review: Lord of the Flies – William Golding”

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Notice: All forms on this website are temporarily down for maintenance. You will not be able to complete a form to request information or a resource. We apologize for any inconvenience and will reactivate the forms as soon as possible.

Book Review

Readability Age Range

Year Published

Plot Summary

Christian Beliefs

Other Belief Systems

Authority Roles

Profanity & Violence

Sexual Content

Additional Comments

Latest Book Reviews

The Mystery of Locked Rooms

The Book of Bill

Lonely Castle in the Mirror

Grief in the Fourth Dimension

The First State of Being

Book review – “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding

Share this:

Author: Julia's books

6 thoughts on “Book review – “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding”

Leave a comment Cancel reply

Themes and Analysis

Lord of the Flies Themes

Civilization versus savagery

Nature of humanity

Analysis of Key Moments in Lord of the Flies

Style, Literary Devices, and Tone in Lord of the Flies

Symbols in Lord of the Flies

The Signal Fire

What are three themes in Lord of the Flies ?

What is the main message of the Lord of the Flies ?

How does Ralph lose his innocence in Lord of the Flies ?

Save Your Favorites