Lord of the Flies is another classic that relies on a bad outcome in the story to get attention from readers. In a lot of schools it is required reading. I suppose that teachers think that stories with bad outcomes serve as warnings to other people, and the author probably had similar motives. However, there are two important questions to answer. First, does Lord of the Flies meet the criteria to be considered a "warning" to society? Second, does the content of the novel itself contradict its purpose?

Lord of the Flies is a novel about a group of boys who are stranded on an island with no adults present. The boys attempt to form a simple "government" among themselves. However, their weak sense of order starts out with childish, verbal conflict and eventually turns into violence. Given the novel's summary, one may deduce that the message of the novel is a warning to society of the dangers of anarchy.

I dislike the fact that almost all off the characters are boys within seven years of each other's age. Real world societies have a much wider variety of people. When writing a book designed as a warning to society, it is important to make sure that the whole society can relate to the book. In my opinion, the real art of writing a plot in a novel is to create a scenario in which people o many different ages and backgrounds get involved and contribute to the outcome. In Lord of the Flies, the consequence of the lack of diversity among the characterizations is that there are too many pages that rehash childish arguing. Therefore, the novel could have (and probably should have) been reduced to a novelette length.

As stated earlier in this review, many literature interpreters believe that the purpose of Lord of the Flies is to demonstrate the dangers of anarchy. A lot of interpreters of literary symbolism consider the "Lord of the Flies" to be an allegory for the devil. Therefore, the fact that the book is essentially titled "the devil" seems to indicate that the book focuses on evil acts and events. In my opinion, one major flaw in the novel is that the characters with good intentions fail to have a positive impact on the outcome of the plot or the development of other characters. With that in mind, the problem is that the author condemns anarchy, but fails to tell us what we should do about it, which seems to cause the book to lose its purpose.

Due to its monotony and "incomplete" philosophies, I do not recommend Lord of the Flies.

This book conveyed a great message, but the naive characters were often not satisfactory heroes.

although paid extra for expedite delivery, this school required book was delivered a month later!

This book begins a little fuzzy, but by the end of the first few pages the explanation for the boys' current situation is revealed: A plane carrying many British schoolboys crashed on a tropical island, and only some amount of them survive. There are no adults. Sounds like your typical survival-on-a-desert-island beginning, right?

In a way, it is. For the most part, this book details the boys' struggle to survive under the leadership of Ralph and his intelligent friend Piggy. Ralph attempts to lead the boys under a sort of democratic establishment, and it works, for a while. But the "model boy" of the school, Jack Merridrew, gains a crazed obsession with hunting. Soon his target becomes a "Beast" of the island and, aided by his fellow hunters, begins committing criminal acts such as beatings, robbery, and murder in an attempt to "kill the beast". The boys desert Ralph and Piggy and join Jack's society of madness, believing in the misguided leadership of Jack. However, all that's well ends well, as all the boys are eventually rescued. That's the end of the story, right?

Wrong. The true meaning of the book is much, much deeper than that. What you thought was an island adventure is revealed to be an insightful look into the reasons why men do what they do, why certain societies fail, how fear and darkness penetrates man, and what humans do when they are desperate. It also explores the boundary between human reason and animal instinct, all on the brutal playing field of adolescent competition.

This book will appeal to adventure-seekers and philosophers alike. It is gripping enough to hold your attention and fascinating enough that you will still recall it months later.

"Lord of the Flies" is Golding's fascinating novelistic expression of the theory that human beings are born violent savages, requiring adult supervision and training to moderate and tame. I find "Lord of the Flies" excellent both artistically and conceptually because, in part, because I am in agreement with Golding.

In the story, children marooned on an island, without adults, quickly revert to the savagery from which they sprang. One group even develops a crude religion to explain things they cannot see and to justify their use of brutal power. Some of the children are more 'civilized' and it is through their eyes that we regard the reversion of others with an equal measure of alarm and distaste. The young savages hunt, stage wild parties and make offerings of pig's heads to their newfound God. They finally murder. It is only with the arrival of adults that total chaos is prevented.

Ron Braithwaite--author of novels--"Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God"--on the Spanish Conquest of Mexico

This is a great book to read! Very interesting and intense. Great reading material.

OK now that I have the conch I have a few things I'd like to say about this book. First if you don't know what the conch is all about then you'd better pick up this book and read it. Secondly if you think you know who the Lord of Flies might be without reading this book your wrong. Third and lastly do yourself a favor anyway and pick up this book, it's a fun, quick read. I liked this story of young boys stranded on a island having to fend for themselves and at the same time trying to keep some sort of organization among themselves as they wait for a possible rescue. But therein lies the problem as their little world begins to turn up-side down as different personalities begin to clash. I felt as though I too was on the island with these kids as I read along. I've said enough now, who wants the conch now?

What an incredible first novel, a story of civilization, how humans create it and how easily it can be destroyed. It deals with fear, and the atrocities it can make people commit. Golding wrote often about the connection between humanity and civilization. Does civilization make us human? This story can mean many things to many people, making it wonderful fodder for literature classes and idle pondering.

This is the worst book I ever read. From the first time I read it 40 years ago, I could not imagine why it had not been banned. The viewpoint of mankind presented is so degraded and ugly that it should be. There is NO REASON to expose our young people to such negativity. No wonder they have so many psychological problems! Please, teachers, read positive works with your young students. The world is not like that, and it is our job to give them positive views for their future and ours!

Ted Brautigan from Hearts In Atlantis called this book a rare good story written well (not a quote, but close enough). It must have been in the world from which Ted came. In this world the story is weak, predictable, laboriously plotted, written in rather lame language festering with pronouns and descriptions that paint no picture.

The innocence of the age in which the book was written shows through and through: things that the author intended to be shocking pale in comparison with daily news stories of today.

LORD OF THE FLIES, by William Golding, is one of the best books to come along in literature since Chaucer and his CANTERBURY TALES. Mr. Golding writes beautifully and poetically of this tragic commentary on humans and our society, making the story of these young boys all the more poignant and thought-provoking.

This book is not for the weak of mind, nor the faint of heart. Several high school peers of mine found it "boring and stupid," simply because they felt there was not enough adventurous action and "too many big words." They did not understand that Golding wrote as many of the time did, with detailed description of the small things, so as to give the reader a better vision of events and enthrall them further with the story. Truly, this may be his greatest strength: his ability to completely captivate the reader by way of giving descriptions so thorough our mind cannot blur it.

Many of my peers also would've liked "more blood and guts." It's a shame they did not realize that Golding did not write of gruesome things to revel in the macabre. He wrote of these to make stick in our hearts the tragedy that young boys, devoid of civilized society, had no ability to stop themselves from committing atrocities. For one to read this book looking to enjoy an unremarkable fairy tale, where things end as happily as they begin, I'm afraid one would be sorely disappointed.

I, however, was not disappointed in the least. I expected great things from this story and I received them: an enthralling plot, sincere characters, vivid descriptions, beautifully tragic writing, a deeply affecting social commentary and an ending that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

If anyone is bored with a simple movie, I'd suggest buying a copy of William Golding's LORD OF THE FLIES. This is one adventure that will never disappoint!

Well, most people in America have already read "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding, which is definitely a classic. So I'm not going to give a synopsis, just a general appraisal of the work.

The main characters (Ralph, Jack, Piggy, Roger, and many more) are very complex and very riveting. You can clearly observe their distinctive personalities with their actions and their dialogue. And you feel sorry for these characters when something goes horribly wrong.

There are many symbolisms in this book (the conch, the pigs, the flies, etc.), and they work very well here. Interpretations are open (except when it comes to the obvious ones). Tensions are high as we slowly move towards the climax. No Hollywood ending here.

Golding has created an influential work of art, as highlights in this book are many. This isn't an innocent story, and it's no cliché, either. Kudos to the author.

A+

William Golding's book of classic woe and hardship, the book tells of a group of young boys who are stranded on a deserted island. With no adults there with them they have to find the strength inside of them to survive on their own. The book starts off great with the boys getting along and learning how to work together, until they start to get power hungry. Ralph is voted to be chief of the group but you see the inner battle of how to rule, the side of hunting and playing and enjoying the stay at the island with out parents, or watching and tending the fire to get rescued. While Ralph is dealing with this another one of the boys wants to be chief and decides that hunting and playing is the way to go, he wants Ralph out of leadership and that is where the struggle begins. The fighting between the two boys brings out the evil in all the boys on the island. The book is the tale of the evil that mankind carries around, unknowingly, with them. It tells of the evil in all of us. Can society live and survive being good? Or does this inner evil take over? This book does a marvelous job telling of that.

Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, narrates a story of a group of boys trying to survive after their plane crashes on a deserted island. After the crash, a boy named Ralph and a boy named Piggy come together and use a conch shell to send out a noise to alert the other boys to come and meet them. A tribe of mixed ages is formed by their efforts, and the little ones of the tribe starts seeing a beast during the night. Shortly after the sighting of the beast, the tribe kills their first pig. While the tribe is busy killing the pig, however, the signal fire goes out and a ship passes by. Between the pig and the fire and the beast, the tribe has too many disagreements and splits into two clashing tribes.

This book is about a test of will and leadership of the boys because there is no guiding or advice for the boys to follow. This is a study of how some people might come together and bond while others will become enemies with no one to rely on for help or friendship. Somehow, against all odds, the boys survive for a period of time. This book is definitely worth reading and would be perfect for kids between the ages of ten and twelve who like adventure stories. The author is very descriptive and uses intimate details to describe the setting, but also writes in a classic style with some words or sentences that are added unnecessarily. The character's emotions and thoughts are described very well and it feels like they have realistic troubles and ideas. The book has a very interesting and exciting plot that incorporates the characters and the setting very well. The dialogue is also very realistic and interesting. This book is a great read that will never be forgotten.

Lord of the Flies is a really terrific book. A group of school boys land on a isolated island because of a plane crash. The boys are happy because they have no adult supervision. The boys quickly generate some rules and group leaders. As the days go on the boys lose their minds and start killing eacher other. This book has a good message because it tell how without any adults supervision, things can get out of hand. I would recommend this books to anybody who is entering the 9th grade.

A group of British private schoolboys ranging in age from six to twelve end up stranded on a deserted Pacific island after a storm-caused plane crash amidst an atomic war. Handsome, twelve-year-old Ralph; his on again, off again sidekick, brainy, bespectacled, asthmatic, husky "Piggy;" and tall, skinny redheaded hunter-extraordinaire Jack aka "Merridew," who has become the de facto leader of a group of choirboys, are among the major characters. They vote Ralph in as chief, apparently due only to his looks and ability to locate and sound a conch shell. The survivors survey the island, set rules for speaking during meetings, start a signal fire, and build shelters. Ralph makes a proclamation: they (p 35) "want to have fun" and "want to be rescued." Things rapidly spiral out of control after the children split into two groups: one aligned with Ralph, the other, with Merridew. The adversarial relationship between the tribes worsens as does the members' behavior. With a fire gone out of control, the presence of wild pigs, the appearance of a ship, an unwelcome guest, and rumors of a beast, the boys live in a constant state of unease, worry and fear. Eventually, they are forced to choose: hunt or be hunted. Their world becomes increasingly savage and chaotic up to its perfectly written, climactic ending. Lord of the Flies is a terrific, truculent, troubling tale. Also good: I am Legend by Richard Matheson.

My husband recently used portions of the movie in his history class, when I was looking for a good reference book this one popped up. It has good essay questions, mind mapping examples (using illustrations --not just words!) so he was able to use it to enhance the student learning process. Good Book.

Unlike most graduates of American primary and secondary schools, I managed to get through high school without reading William Golding's Lord of the Flies. I first read it to familiarize myself with the text in order to better assist a student I was tutoring. Since its publication in 1954 readers and scholars have found it to be a perfect subject for infinite speculation and theorizing as to its philosophical and allegorical underpinnings. But even apart from theory, Lord of the Flies is a marvelous novel for its attention to pure story. My recent re-reading of the text revealed Golding's real gift as a writer is in revealing tone, voice, emotion, and character.

The book Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding is a very well written book. The genre of the book is historical fiction. The setting of the book is on an uncharted island during the WorldWarII era. The book is mainly about a couple of schoolboys who crash-landed on an uncharted island that they are stranded on, without any adults. I think the theme of the book was to show that society cannot run correctly because of the natural, sinful nature of man. Some of the main characters are Piggy, Ralph, and Jack. Piggy and Ralph first meet when they when they wake up next to each other after the landing. Piggy is a chubby, little bossy kid, while Ralph on the other hand is a mellow and relaxed, cool kind of kid. They call together all of the kids that are on the island including a boy named Jack. Jack is a stuck up kid who is a prefect at his school and is the captain of his choir class. While the short lived bond of Piggy and Ralph's friendship becomes weaker, Jack and Ralph, who are both leaders seem to get along very well. Piggy and Ralph were friends, but when a person like Jack shows up a more strong, leader-like and Ralph-like kid is up to be Ralph's friend, Ralph quickly ignores Piggy to become Jack's friend. But as Jack and Ralph's friendship grows the contest for leadership of the tribe of kids grows even more. Even though the kids already voted for Ralph to be the chief, Jack is starting to show that he could be a better chief. I believe this because all Ralph has ever cared for is to keep the fire going, and keep the hope of being rescued alive. While Jack, a more ferocious boy, focuses on staying alive most of the time, and hunting for the hard to get meat. I think that this book is best recommended for older teenagers because most of the words in the book are very complex, and because of the violence that happens. The book, Lord of the Flies, is a very interesting book. Even though it has some very confusing words and hard to understand material, it should be given a try.

The book Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding is a very well written book. The genre of the book is historical fiction. The setting of the book is on an uncharted island during the WorldWarII era. the book is mainly about a couple of schoolboys who crash landed on an uncharted island that they are stranded on without any adults. I think that the theme of the book was to show that society cannot run correctly because of the natural, sinful nature of man. Some of the main characters are Piggy, Ralph, and Jack. Piggy and Ralph first meet when they wake up next to each other after the landing. Piggy is a chubby, little bossy kid, while Ralph on the other hand is a mellow, relaxed cool kid. They call together all of the kids that are on the island and they meet a boy named Jack. Jack is a stuck up kind of kid, who is a prefect at his school and a captain of his choir class. While the short lived bond of Piggy and Ralph's friendship grows weaker. Jack and Ralph, who are both the leaders, seem to get along very well. Piggy and Ralph were the two friends, but when a person like Jack shows up, a more strong, leader-like and Ralph-like kid is up to be Ralph's friend, Ralph quickly ignores Piggy and makes Jack his new friend. But as Jack and Ralph's friendship grows the contest for leadership grows even more. Even though the kids voted Ralph as cheif, Jack is starting to show that he could be even a better cheif. I believe this because all Ralph has ever cared for is be keep a fire going and keep the hope of being rescued alive. While Jack, a more ferocious boy, focuses on staying alive most of the time and loves to hunt for the hard to get meat. I think that this book is best recommended for older teenagers because most of the words in this are very hard to understand and there are some violence in the book. The book, Lord of the Flies, is a very interesting book. Even though it has some very confusing words and hard to understand material, it should be given a try.

The book Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding is a very well written book. The genre of the book is historical fiction. The setting of the book is on an uncharted island during the WorldWarII era. the book is mainly about a couple of schoolboys who crash landed on an uncharted island that they are stranded on without any adults. I think that the theme of the book was to show that society cannot run correctly because of the natural, sinful nature of man. Some of the main characters are Piggy, Ralph, and Jack. Piggy and Ralph first meet when they wake up next to each other after the landing. Piggy is a chubby, little bossy kid, while Ralph on the other hand is a mellow, relaxed cool kid. They call together all of the kids that are on the island and they meet a boy named Jack. Jack is a stuck up kind of kid, who is a prefect at his school and a captain of his choir class. While the short lived bond of Piggy and Ralph's friendship grows weaker. Jack and Ralph, who are both the leaders, seem to get along very well. Piggy and Ralph were the two friends, but when a person like Jack shows up, a more strong, leader-like and Ralph-like kid is up to be Ralph's friend, Ralph quickly ignores Piggy and makes Jack his new friend. But as Jack and Ralph's friendship grows the contest for leadership grows even more. Even though the kids voted Ralph as cheif, Jack is starting to show that he could be even a better cheif. I believe this because all Ralph has ever cared for is be keep a fire going and keep the hope of being rescued alive. While Jack, a more ferocious boy, focuses on staying alive most of the time and loves to hunt for the hard to get meat. I think that this book is best recommended for older teenagers because most of the words in this are very hard to understand and there are some violence in the book. The book, Lord of the Flies, is a very interesting book. Even though it has some very confusing words and hard to understand material, it should be given a try.

This being a classic most of us had to read in school, I dared commenting on some plot points - so,
***** *** ** * WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD * ** *** *****

A number of phospholipids left alone in solution will self-organize into a double-layer membrane. A number of differentiated cells carry the inherent capability of self-organize into a semblance of tissue. Do humans carry a similar inherent tendency to self-organize into organized societies? And at what price?

From Stephen King's THE STAND to one of the best TV series ever, LOST, the idea of an isolated group of survivors forming a pristine human society and falling to avoid our dark proclivities has been explored again and again. This 1954 novel was the original telling of it. WILLIAM GOLDING being a Literature Nobelist, it comes to no surprise that his prose is mesmerizing, economic and direct at the same time.

Most societal archetypes and their interactive trajectories are elegantly represented: the benevolent yet eventually dethroned natural leader (Ralph) that is vindicated only after a deus ex machina intervention (the Naval officer); the militaristic idiot that manages to pass as a charismatic necessity (Jack); the technology-dependent intellectual weakling (Piggy) that eventually gets murdered by the brutal dictator (Roger) - who would come up running the show in the end if not stopped by their return to civilization. Reading LORD OF THE FLIES will bring up a great number of familiar societal types. Nevertheless, GOLDING presents a rather deterministic viewpoint.

One does not have to agree with GOLDING's pessimistic myth: we humans are not inherently bound to our societal shackles - and are perfectly capable of both doing the unexpected and surviving without a structured civilization. We existed a long time without it and we can learn again to do so if dictated by necessity. And, keep in mind, according to the Freudian approach, socialization is the root of most...psychosis.

It will keep you thinking long after the last page is turned.

RECOMMENDED!

Have you ever watched Survivor? Well, life there is not easy. Now try to imagine those participants as kids: how tough would it be to survive? William Golding's Lord of the Flies is exactly that--and maybe even worse. There are no cameras, no doctors, no medicine, no boundaries, no requirements, no rules--no society. In this enticing novel, Golding illustrates the effects of society--or lack of it--on human nature. He argues, through the impetuous decisions of the characters, that, even though our nature is originally pure and chaste, its shape is greatly altered by the lack of collective guidelines.

Stranded on an island after a sudden airplane crash, the kids soon realize that creating their own society and set of rules would be essential for order and survival. As the days go by on the island, however, all the boys drift away from their childhood morals and beliefs. While Ralph focuses on being saved, the others solely worry being fed.

Many characters, including the commanding Ralph, start showing signs of loss and vacillation. Ralph, for example, regularly has to be reminded of his main goal on the island--namely to be rescued. Jack, who now has formulated his own "society," becomes a real savage. The pure and innocent Sam and Eric relinquish their loyalties to Ralph and establish new ties to Jack. The involvement of Piggy and Ralph in their friend's death is a clear example of disorder's exacerbation on moral values and character.

Symbolism is a great forte of Golding's writing style. Interestingly, each character or object represents an important concept that is needed for a society to function properly. Ralph, for example is the symbol of powerful leadership. Piggy is the symbol of sanity and intelligence. Jack is the symbol of strength. Sam and Eric symbolize purity and goodness. Simon is the scapegoat. The conch is the power and order that decides who "controls" the island, but one that proves a problem since all seek it.

Through the actions of the characters, Golding successfully asserts that a base, but also a boundary, for human reason is needed for a society to function properly.

A plane crashes and all the adults die, a very likely situation, leaving little boys to survive in an uninhabited island. Other than the fact that every single adult on the plane dies while all the children live, this is an exceptional novel that portrays how powerful society is and what would happen if it disappeared one day, like on an island in the middle of the ocean.

The newly stranded boys begin in a somewhat civilized society when they elect a chief and split up duties, but eventually this system is unraveled as one boy's desire to be chief threatens the survival of everyone. Ralph, Piggy, and Simon can be viewed as the protagonists because they are the ones who attempt to produce and imitation of society on the island; however, Jack persuades other to follow him and introduces the wonders of feasting and hunting instead of the arduous shelter building and signal keeping. Jack's desire to hold all the power eventually leads to the island being set on fire. This bold and rash move burns down the island and from that point on survival does not seem like an option.

The effects of an uncivilized government is illustrated as these boys, the oldest is twelve, have the capabilities of killing two of their own when they are power hungry. They lack of logic and reason portray that a society holds everyone together and prevents things like a burning island from occurring.

Overall this book is well written and its view on the power of society is a strong yet necessary message to express. Despite the young age of the savages, this can depict what irresponsibility and greed can create.

Thrilling and heart stopping, William Golding's The Lord of the Flies is wonderful book to read. The book is wonderfully written, filled with non-stop action, dynamic characters, and wonderful imagery.

About young boys who have crashed onto an uninhabited island, The Lord of the Flies is a story that describes how the boys react and live without the presence of an adult. What makes the book really exciting is that things are always happening. Golding does drag out the story with long narrative descriptions. Instead, he ensures that he keeps the reader's interest by always events occurring on the island. The island is always filled with activity whether it is hunting for food, building shelters or conflicts between the boys. As the conflict begins to escalate among the boys, the story further grasps onto the reader's interest.

The plot is not some basic storyline, but focuses on human nature and the structure of society. Golding emphasizes how the boys were content to set up some sort of governing structure. Unfortunately over time, the boys reverted back to primordial states- no longer abiding by the moral rules of conduct set by society. Golding reveals how structure and order are needed to live peacefully among other people.

The characters each have his or own identifying personality, which allows readers to connect with at least one character. The characters are interesting and dynamic, contributing to the exciting plot.

Golding also creates wonderful scenery through his imagery. The island is depicted as a wonderful paradise, but also a place of fear and disorder. Golding is able to make that great shift between paradise and a dangerous place.

If you want to read an exciting book filled with wonderful imagery and characters, The Lord of the Flies is the way to go.

Imagine yourself on an isolated island with a bunch of naked boys... no not like that, um... with a bit more clothes. Better. That is basically the environment of William Golding's novel. The entire story takes place on a stranded island, where a plane carrying a load of boys crash lands.

Starting off as a band of naïve schoolboys, the youths face reality and come to accept their fate on the island. Soon afterwards, they set up an organized system to follow, but before long, the boys' paranoia gets the best of them, fracturing the boys in half. As they begin to lose their civilized nature, the increasingly savage boys become both vicious and merciless. At the conclusion, the boys finally realize their innate barbarity.

The cast of the story consists of a series of dynamic characters. Ralph, the protagonist, originally serves as the leader and catalyst for the boys, until the greedy and power hungry Jack attempts to usurp his power, which ultimately fails and leads to the creation of his own band of boys. The soft-spoken and moral Simon is the embodiment of Christ within the story, as he is the first and only to notice the growing savageness prevalent throughout the boys. Other characters include Piggy, the representation of rationalism, and Roger, the representation of sadism.

The microcosmic depiction of our world perfectly captures human brutality on a small scale and the futility of government. Not necessarily hard to understand, the novel creates a deeply suspenseful mood that remains over the course of the story.

If you want an easy read, but meaningful book, I greatly recommend this book. Not many other high school caliber books can provide such deep meaning, yet still produce an outstanding story with naked guys.

*Although I do not like Golding's theme of returning to a primeval evil when man is unbound by society, he makes for an effective argument which he establishes through vivid imagery.

The story begins with a group of kids that seemingly crashed onto an island isolated. Quickly, there are two leaders that seem to stand out and foil each other, Ralph and Jack. Each represent two different ideals, Ralph is the compassionate leader who is able to reason while Jack is the exact opposite, the two become friends and Jack assumes the position of chief hunter, because the group decided through a democratic vote that Ralph was to be leader. As the story progresses, the children's clothes become tattered and consequently their attitudes begin to change. They are slowly but surely reverting back to primeval instincts, where all they care for is to survive and to avoid the creature that dwells on the island...

This total reversion occurs when Simon dies, the Christ figure of the story and also the voice of reason. He is weak and has epilepsies, however, he realizes that the monster is only part of their imagination, but it is too late, when he tries to relay this message to others, the rest of the kids are far too immersed in their barbaric ways. They kill Simon in a frenzy.

Golding's barbaric portrayal of humans when unbound by the chains of society is truly cruel. He also assigns the death of Piggy who acts as another voice of reason by crushing him under a boulder, he describes in vivid detail his death. (it is nasty and revolting, the image of a human crushed like a pancake is not very pleasing, but this also attributes to Golding's portrayal of humans, that innately we are all bad and it is society that holds us civilized).

The story ends when Ralph is the only rational one left, and the rest of the kids set the island one fire and begin hunting Ralph down. Luckily, before they kill him, people in boats come aboard the island and rescue him. They view the kids as playing, immediately toning down the seriousness of what had just happened. Ralph cries for humanity and the book ends.

This book is entirely disturbing, but my morbid curiosity made me read on. I reluctantly turned page by page unable to stop, fueled by his grotesque images. I did not like the idea of humans being innately evil, but I have to admit that Golding is a good writer. He effectively uses our imaginations to get the best of us and figurative language to convey the desperateness of the situation.

Try reading this book, it has dark themes, but just because one does not like the idea does not mean that one cannot simply enjoy the book for the sake of enjoying it.

Read this as a kid in High School. Thought I'd get my son (High School age) to read one of the great classics in HUMAN NATURE. Disturbing as it ever was!! Better than any video game.

This book was terrible and a boring read. I feel that 50% of the book, William Golding is talking about the scenery detail of the island. It gets so boring that I have to skim through those to get to the point he is trying to convey. Golding just needs to get over how humans supposedly posses "innate savagery" . Ridicules.

I first read this book as a young teenager and I've revisited it twice since then. There many messages in this novel for those who seek them but for me the key message was how a group of children organise themselves in order to survive.

Resourceful, ruthless and inventive are some of the adjectives that first came to mind. The boys demonstrate the best and then, increasingly, the worst of human behaviour. Jack and Ralph each have strengths and weaknesses: there is no single leadership model which best addresses the situation the boys find themselves in.

Whether you read this as an allegory or as a black and bleak adventure story, 'Lord of the Flies' invites you to think about what you might do in similar circumstances.

Highly recommended.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

In the book Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the true nature of human beings comes out. The book starts out with a group of innocent schoolboys that crash land on a mysterious island.. The boys begin playing and having excitement all the while loosening themselves from the morals that society has taught them. The choir leader Jack becomes obsessed with hunting and satisfying his immediate wants whereas the chief Ralph becomes focused on the long-term goals of the group. One night while all the boys were chanting to the beast, a boy named Simon stumbled out into the middle of them and was killed in a fit of fear and confusion. Soon afterwards the boys split into two groups, the savages and Ralph's group. The two groups get angry over a conflict involving fire and in the process another boy is killed. The savages embark on a hunt to kill Ralph soon afterwards. The island is set on fire and just when it looks like Ralph will be killed he stumbles into a naval officer.
There is one major theme throughout this story that Golding tries to show. It is the question of where the roots of our instinct come from. Throughout the book the question of whether civility, or savagery are more deeply rooted in humans. Golding implies that in certain situations, humans become cruel. They are violent and fearful of things like the beastie. The book points to the conclusion that humans are cruel but society shapes us into being more humane. The civilized Ralph, and the savage, dictator-like Jack represent the two sides of the conflict. They are both in a constant struggle and just like savagery, Jack beats out Ralph in control of the island. The killing of Simon shows the loss of almost all civility on the island.
In Lord of the Flies, Golding uses symbolism to show the influence of society and the breakdown of those ideals. Piggy's glasses show the intelligence in society, as seen when they start the fire, "His specs-use them as burning glasses!" When the glasses are broken, it shows the loss of intelligence and rational thinking among the boys. The fire that is used to attract ships represents what left of civilization that the boys have, for example, "Any day there might be a ship out there and if we have a signal they will come and take us off." As the book goes on the boys take less and less care of the fire. Eventually Ralph and Piggy decide not to keep a fire going, showing how even they no longer see society on the island. Finally, the beast represents the evil inside every human being as the Lord of the Flies explains, "You knew didn't you? I'm part of you?". The only person on the island to realize this is Simon. When he attempts to tell the other boys, he is savagely killed in a bloody dance, only furthering his idea about the cruelty in humans. That is how symbolism is used in Lord of the Flies.

The book Lord of the Flies was interesting and would be an excellent book for people to read who realize the problems of society or just want a good book to read.

The book "Lord of the flies" starts out with a group of Brittish boys that are stranded on an uninhabited island. Things start out great and the boys assign eachother jobs and responcibilities. The leader of the tribe is a boy named Ralph. But soon the boys become to interested in hunting and Jack (another boy in the tribe) decides to start his own tribe. Ralph is ok with this move because he thinks that Jack will come back to the group soon. But Jack doesn't ever come back to the group and ends up killing Simon (a member of Ralph's group). Jack's tribe is becoming violent and very savage- like. When Ralph confronts Jack's group about restoring peace and finding ways to get off the island, another member of Ralph's group gets killed (a boy named Piggy). Now Jack's group wants to get Ralph out of the picture and try to kill him, but right before they are going to do him in a Navel officer comes onto the island and stops the madness.
I belive that the theme of this novel is evilness in chidren. This is the main because it is stated throughout the entire story. Golding shows and belives that children are born with evil and society makes us nice and polite. Golding also symbolizes this concept in many ways. One of these major symbols is Jack. Jack is relitively nice at first but as the story progressives and more chaos and fear is developed he becomes more agressive and evil. Another symbol is Piggy. Piggy was the symbol of intellagence and knowledge. When he was killed, it was Golding's way of saying that without rules and guildlines evil will always conquere good. After reading the book I could say that I realy enjoyed the book and it got me thinking about what life is realy about.

Golding's book LOTF should be a "classic" for many things such as its left feeling of shock, and its questioning of mankind's existence or purpose. To begin, when Piggy is killed, it is heart-wrenching, "Piggy's arms and legs twitched a bit, like a pig's after it has been killed." (pg. 165) Roger unleashed a gigantic boulder that crushed Piggy. His blood washed away in the ocean. Next, Simon's death was very depressing, "The water rose further and dressed Simon's course hair with brightness. The line of his cheek silvered and the turn of his shoulder became sculptured marble." (pg. 140) Simon was gruesomely murdered. He was found at the bottom of the cliff, dead. Last, most of the boys became hunters, "Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!" (pg. 138) This shows that being a savage is part of mankind. The majority of the people are hunters that just want to cause harm. Therefore, Golding's book should be a "classic" for its shock, and questioning about mankind.

Second, Golding's book LOTF should be a "classic" because it shows insight into mature of human experience, makes a social impact that might change legislation, and the book has unique languages. To start, it is a dog eat dog world, "Which is better--to be a pack of painted Indians like you are, or to be sensible like Ralph is?" (pg. 164) Ralph won't fight to kill, but the savages have no problem killing Piggy. You either kill or get killed. Then, democracies are better than dictatorships, "...Which is better to have laws and agree, or to hunt and kill?" (pg. 164) Ancient civilizations with dictatorships never lasted as long as democracies like Greece and Rome. Jack and his savages run a dictatorship, while Ralph runs a democracy. Next, all the boys have a British accent, "We musn't let anything happen to Piggy, must we?" (pg. 106) Musn't is British jargon. Also works like asthma changed into "assmar" in the book. In all, Golding's book should be a "classic" for its insights, social impact, and unique language.

Again the book LOTF should be a "classic" because it causes the reader to re-think their beliefs, and it questions conventional or standard ideas. First, the book questions evil in boys, "Shove a palm trunk under that and if an enemy come..." (pg. 96) The boys don't even have true enemies, yet they prepare for battle. Evil starts to grow in them. Next, if adults can stop the children's war, "I should have thought that a pack of British boys...would have been able to put up a better show then that..." (pg. 184) Who is supposed to stop the adults' wars? As soon as an adult showed up the boys ended their fighting. Finally the book questions standard ideas like boys getting along with each other when their lives are on the line, "Ralph showed his teeth at the wall of branches...snarled a little and waited." (pg. 177) Jack wanted more power and used it for evil. There are certain people who go against the standard ideas. All in all, Golding's book LOTF should be a "classic" because it makes you re-think your beliefs, and it questions conventional and standard ideas.

Lord of the Flies takes place on a deserted island during World War II. There is a plane carrying a group of school boys to safety from the war zone area. The plane is shot down. The boys find themselves on the island alone with no adult supervision.

The major characters in this book are Piggy, Ralph, Simon, Jack, Sam and Eric. The boys elect Ralph as their leader and develop their own form of government. Because Jack is power hungry, Ralph decides to let him and Jack's choir take the role of hunters. It is their job is to hunt and provide food for the rest of the tribe.

Now, one of the younger kids on the island thinks he sees a beast at night. The other boys laugh at him and say that there's no such thing as a beast. However, even the older boys become afraid at the possibilty of a beast. Eventually Jack and his hunters find hunting thrilling becoming obsessed with it. As stated in the novel, "The two savages raised their spears and spoke in time. The chief has spoken", said the savages.(p. 141). This leads to conflict between the two groups. Jack and his hunters value hunting more that Ralph and his tribe.

Ralph and his tribe value the signal fire which they decided was key to their survival before rescue. Ralph states, "We've got to keep the fire going. There was something good about a fire overwhelmingly good. How else are we going to be rescued?" (p. 163). Then one night while the twins are keeping the fire alight, they see a strange object. This object frightens them and tricks them into thinking the fire is the beast. In reality the "beast" is a dead man moving around in his parachute. They are fooled by the wind blowing the man, thinking it is the man moving on his own. One of the twins reports back to Ralph. Fear strikes the tribe. Jack and his hunters want to kill the beast. Ralph decides to go with them to investigte the beast. The trio of boys are scared off by the same thing that the twins saw.

As fear envelopes the tribe, Jack and his hunters break away from Ralph's group. A kind of war is started when Jack and his tribe control a part of the island and Ralph control the other side. While they are hunting, Jack and his hunters kill a pig and cut its head off as an offering for the beast. The pigs head symbolizes savagery. The boy's fear of the beast causes them to do savage acts.

Meanwhile, Simon decides to see if the beast is actually real. He climbs up onto the mountain and discovers the dead pilot. Simon realizes that he must tell the other boys about what he has seen. On his way back to the beach he sees the pig's head on the stick.

Upon seeing this Simon has a dream and faints. As he reaches the beach to tell the others what he has seen, he is killed by the boys. The other boys from Ralph and Jack's tribes are having a feast, dancing and celebrating their power over the beast.

Because all the boys have a type of mob mentality they mistake Simon for the beast and kill him. The next day Piggy and Ralph decide that they have to go and talk to Jack and try and get their fire back. Remember, Jack and his tribe stole Ralph's and Piggy's fire from them during the night. Piggy ends up being killed and Jack and his tribe chase Ralph all over the island. Jack and his tribe end up destroying the island because they lit it on fire.

Ralph finds a navel officer who rescues the boys. I think the point that Golding is trying to get across is that mankind is evil. He is letting us know that evil has always existed.

I enjoyed the novel . The symbolism made sense to me. Evil really is a fear that we all deal with. To use this language was creative.

William Golding's Lord of the Flies is one of the most intense and disturbing novels I've read. Golding truly shows the brutality of human kind in his main themes such as, there is no hope for mankind and, man is the beast. Simon, the Christ figure in this story, is shown the truth about mankind when it reads, "However Simon thought of the beast, there rose before his inward sight the picture of a human at once heroic and sick." Who or what brings our inner evil out? In the book Jack is the force that brings out the beast within the boys. This theme is restated to Simon when the Lord of the flies says "You knew, didn't you? I'm part of you?" If Simon is the only one who really knows the truth then, why is he killed? Perhaps the killing of Simon states that, mankind does not want to accept that we are indeed evil. Is there really any hope for us?
No hope for mankind is another theme that William Golding states. The naval captain judged the boys as innocent and harmless. The captain said to Ralph "Fun and Games," but Ralph informs the captain that two kids were killed. If the captain saved the boys from their supposedly harmless war, will God save mankind as well? Does he also think, that mankind is just having "fun and games"? Also the conch in this story represents civilization and power, but the conch is destroyed by Roger. The hope of civilization and mankind is crushed by a beast figure. Because we are the beast, there is no hope for mankind.