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Lord of the Flies

Lord of the Flies. By William Golding. Lord of the Flies Food for thought. The setting is idyllic: An enchanting island with an endless beach, no vicious predators, no system of red-tape regulations—just innocent children.

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Lord of the Flies

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  1. Lord of the Flies By William Golding

  2. Lord of the FliesFood for thought • The setting is idyllic: An enchanting island with an endless beach, no vicious predators, no system of red-tape regulations—just innocent children. • The story contradicts, colorfully and completely, the utopian view of human nature and offers no promise of a better world.

  3. Lord of the FliesFood for thought-continued • Lord of the Flies is pessimism personified. • First rate adventure story • A parable of our times • An allegory and a complex web of symbolism.

  4. Background • Born Sept. 19, 1911 in Cornwall, England • Father was a schoolmaster • Mother was a suffragist • Parents wanted him to study science • Part way through college decided to study English literature at Oxford • Became an actor and play writer for short time

  5. Background cont. • Became English literature teacher at Wordsworth School and later the school master • Served in the Royal Navy during WWII • Involved in the sinking of the Bismarck • Involved in the invasion of Normandy

  6. Background cont. • Returned to Wordsworth school after WWII • Began writing career with the publication of Lord of the Flies in 1954 • Earned Nobel Peace Prize for Literature in 1983 • Died 1993

  7. Influences • Enjoyed adventure stories as a child • Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe • Edgar Rice Burroughs author of the Tarzan books • Jules Verne author of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea • Coral Island by R.M. Ballantyne

  8. Coral Island • By R.M. Ballantyne • Story about Ralph, Jack and Peterkin who are shipwrecked on an island. They bring civilization to the savages, have many adventures while living an idyllic life. They return home as heroes more mature and wiser. • Basis for Lord of the Flies

  9. Coral Island & Lord of the Flies • Set on tropical island • Group of English boys with no adults • Boys named Ralph and Jack

  10. Coral Island & Lord of the Flies • Coral Island is a sweet, innocent adventure story where the boys learn a lesson. The outlook is optimistic. • Lord of the Flies is a “realistic” look at what happens when a society loses it civilized aspects. The outlook is pessimistic.

  11. Lord of the Flies • Published in 1954 • Was rejected by 21 publishers before being accepted • Millions of copies in print • The success of this novel allowed him to quit teaching and focus on writing full time.

  12. Changes in society’s attitudes • Before WWII society believed that man was essentially good hearted and society was often evil. • After WWII society believed that man had a dark and evil side. • The first view is portrayed in Coral Island and the other in Lord of the Flies

  13. Literary Devices to Notate • Point of View: Shifts several times during the course of the novel. Often told from Ralph, Piggy or Simon’s view. • Irony: look for examples of dramatic, situational and verbal • Symbols

  14. Themes • According to Golding, “ The theme is an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature. The moral is that the shape of society must depend on the ethical nature of the individual and not on any political system however apparently logical or respectable.”

  15. Themes Cont’d • Society holds everyone together and without these conditions our ideals, values and the basics of right and wrong are lost. • Without society’s rigid rules, anarchy and savagery can come to light. • People will abuse power when it is not earned.

  16. Themes Con’t • Blindness and sight • Loss of innocence • Loss of identity • Power • Fear of the unknown

  17. Allegories • Moral: • Ralph represents common sense and the potential to do good. • Jack represents emotion • Piggy represents intellect • Simon represents the soul

  18. Allegories • Social • Ralph represents a fair, democratic government. • Jack represents power, a tyrant who puts self above others. • Piggy represents technology. • Simon represents humanism. He explores nature and discovers the evil in all of us.

  19. Allegories • Religious • Ralph represents the everyday man searching for hope and salvation. • Jack represents corruption within society. • Piggy represents intellect who does not understand the everyday man, corruption or spirituality. • Simon represents spirituality and faith.

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