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LORD OF THE FLIES. Introduction to. By William Golding. Author: William Golding. Born in England in 1911. Was pushed to be a scientist, but also studied English at Oxford. Won the Nobel Prize in 1983. Lost innocence through WWI/WWII. Lived through World War I.
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LORD OF THE FLIES Introduction to By William Golding
Author: William Golding • Born in England in 1911. • Was pushed to be a scientist, but also studied English at Oxford. • Won the Nobel Prize in 1983. • Lost innocence through WWI/WWII. • Lived through World War I. • Joined the Royal Navy and fought in World War II. • Participated in D-Day.
Golding’s view changed • Before the war, many believed that man was essentially good and society was inherently evil.Golding was one of them, but then… • During the war, he experienced fear, death, and destruction on a massive scale. • He saw the chaos and destructive power of man outside restrictions. (“All’s fair in love and war”) • He examines this inLord of the Flies.
World War II • Global war from 1939-1945 between the Axis and Allied powers. • Nazi Germany wanted a pure race (Holocaust) and world domination. • Near the end, the USA dropped the atomic bomb on Japan, who surrendered. • The Allied power won. • Estimated lives lost: 50-70 million people.
The Book • Golding’s first novel - rejected 21 times before it was published. • Finally published in 1954. • Many consider this book a classic of our time. • Became more successful later on. • Setting: During WWII, Britain feared invasion by Germany, and evacuated their children to other countries. This is where the story begins. • Fun fact: On American Library Association’s list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000.
Why is it interesting? • Great depth of the characters – causes debate of the merits/defects of each. • Lots of symbolic and allegorical meaning. • Classic themes of good and evil. • Deals with the nature of man. • Debates over the ending of the story, and question of who the hero actually is.
Literary Techniques • Heavy use of symbolism • Irony • Abundant imagery and sensory detail • Figurative language • Simile – compares two ideas using “like” or “as” • Metaphor – compares two ideas without using “like” or “as” • Personification – giving an object human qualities
Terms to Remember • Microcosm = A small world that represents the entire world at large. • Edenic = Eden-like, (or like a paradise), a setting that has not yet been spoiled by man.