On Writing Lord of the Flies

“It was simply what seemed sensible for me

to write after the war when everyone was
thanking God they weren’t Nazis. I’d seen
enough to realize that every single one of us
could be Nazis.”
--William Golding
 Golding’s Message

“The theme is an attempt to trace the defects of

society back to the defects of human nature.”
--William Golding
 Themes for Annotation:good vs. evil
(inherent)loss of innocencemob mentality
nature vs. nurtureidentitysurvival of the
fittest“inner” beastsociety as civilizing
factorThings fall apartFear of the unknown
(The Beast Within)
 Allusions
Use of the names Ralph and Jack as the main
characters from The Coral Island.
Simon from the Bible “Simon called Peter”,
Peter was the other boy’s name in The Coral
Island
Mention of Coral Island and Treasure
Island
Numerous biblical allusions throughout
In Golding’s day a popular boys
adventure story was…

The Coral Island

A story most boys
and adults in England
would be familiar
with.
 The Coral Island
Written in 1858
A group of boys gets stranded on a
deserted, tropical island
The major characters are Jack,
Ralph, and Peterkin
It’s an adventure story with a happy
ending
Other examples of children ruling
without adults?
 Golding’s Literary Technique
Heavy use of symbolism
Irony
Realism
Abundant imagery and sensory detail
Figurative Language

Simile
Metaphor
Personification
 Symbols
Scar
Conch
Specs
Snake
Pig
Fire
Huts
The Beast (imaginary?)
Lord of the Flies
Littleuns
 Notes on Lord of the Flies
The Characters

1. Ralph – civilization
Good-natured, fair, uses common sense
2. Jack – savagery
Uses fear and threats to control the boys
3. Simon – spirituality
Most spiritual character, not afraid to go
alone into the jungle, understands the
reality of the “beast”
Notes on Lord of the Flies
The Characters

4. Piggy – wisdom; order; technology; vision

The most intelligent on the island, outcast, outsider,
target

5. Roger – “Spear”
the cruelest character, uses brute force at
whim, represents the worst in people when
there is no society to keep people in check
Notes on Lord of the Flies
For Consideration:

Simon as a “Christ figure”:

Simon goes alone into the jungle
and confronts evil. Simon feeds,
prophesizes, withdraws, fasts, is
tormented
Notes on Lord of the Flies
For Consideration:

“Lord of the Flies” – A literal

translation of “Beelzebub,” a Hebrew
name for the devil. The “Lord of the
Flies” represents the incarnation of
evil itself.
Notes on Lord of the Flies
For Consideration:

Natural Goodness of Man Theory:

Left to themselves, humans would
live good lives, and it is the influence
of civilization that corrupts people.
Notes on Lord of the Flies
For Consideration:

Golding has said that Lord of the

Flies is “an attempt to trace the
defects of society back to the defects
of human nature.” He acknowledges
evil as a force that lurks within every
person.
Days One and TwoGroup Work: Study
guides and Secondary SourcesClass
discussion on findings:* Golding’s
inspirations?* Group discussion Qs
*Vocab* Articles
 Chapter 1: The Sound of the Shell
Symbolism of shedding clothes? Namelessness?ScarRalph
“…stood on his head” (10)Page 11-realistic?How are they
still children?A lot of talk of shadowsMade up words Sam
and Eric (18)Jack and the Choir (19, 22)Kids are horrible
(20, 23)Ralph as leader. Why? (21)Simon and fainting (22,
23)Why no girls? Why only 12 and under?
Chapter 1 Quotes“No grownups” (Ralph 8)“As he
received the assurance of something purposeful
being done…” (3P 17)“There’s no man with a
trumpet. Only me” (Ralph 19)“He hovered
between the two courses of apology or further
insult” (3P 23)“Ralph, faced by the task of
translating ll this into an explanation, stood on
his head…”(3P 23-24)“This belongs to us” (Ralph
27)“…peacock water…”(3P 27)“The pause was
only long enough…” (3P 29)
All of Golding’s novel takes place on
the remote tropical island.
Chapter 2: Fire on the MountainDemocracyThe
Beastie in the DarkWould you want to be
rescued?Fire and inability to light it, keep it lit
SimonWhat’s up with the conch already?Trying
to maintain time and order (40)Thoughts on
Piggy?How many little ‘uns are there?Mulberry
kid?
 Chapter Two Quotes“But I tell you there isn’t a beast!”
(Ralph 34)“After all, we’re not savages. We’re English…”
(Jack 40)“One patch touched a tree trunk and
scrambled up like a bright squirrel” (3P 41).“Piggy
glanced nervously into hell and cradled the conch” (3P
41)“Snakes! Snakes! Look at the snakes!” (Boys 43)
 Chapter 3: Huts on the BeachTime has
gone byTension buildsSimon as Jesus?
Hunters or hunted?Is this chapter realistic?
The FireCandle buds
 C3 Quotes“-the promise of meat.” (O3 45)“They talk and
scream. The littleuns. Even some of the others. As if-” (R
47) As if what?“But we want meat!” (J 49)“He wanted to
explain how people were never quite what you thought
they were” (O3 50)“They walked along, two continents of
experience and feeling, unable to communicate” (O3 50)
“…beef sounds…” (O3 52)
Chapter 4: Painted Faces and Long HairPercival,
Johnny, Henry, and the littleunsRoger and
Maurice Sadism (schadenfreude) MasksPiggy is
a tacit outsider (59)Piggy’s specsThe fire and the
huntWhere is the Beast?Savagery vs. Civilization
C4 Quotes“There were creatures that lived in this last
fling of the sea, tiny transparencies that came questing
in…” (O3 55)“Roger’s arm was conditioned by a
civilization that knew nothing of him and was in ruins”
(O3 56)“The fire was dead” (O3 60)“There was a ship”
(R 64)“Kill the Pig. Cut her throat. Spill her
blood” (Hunters 62)“You should have seen the blood!”
(J 64)“Passions beat about Simon on the mountain top
with broken wings” (O3 65)
 Chapter 5: Beast from WaterLoss of
InnocenceSpringy logs (70)Politics (71)
DirtyThings fall apartRalph sadly wiser
(83)No beast “Cos things wouldn’t
make sense” Houses an’…” (P 83)Irony
of the kids’ faith in grownups
 C5 Quotes“He found himself understanding the wearisomeness
of this life…waking life was spent watching one’s feet” (O3P 69)“-
what was a face” (O3P 70)“Things are breaking up” (R 74)“There
aren’t any beasts to be afraid of on this island” (J 75)“Percival
Wemys Madison would not shut up” (O3P 78)The sea an “…
unknown indigo of infinite possibility” (O3P 79)“…Jack says you
can be frightened because people are frightened anyway… (M
79)“Simon became inarticulate in his effort to express mankind’s
essential illness” (O3P 80)“Bollocks to the rules” (J 83)“Fat lot of
good we are. Three blind mice.” (R 84)
Chapter 6: Beast from AirThe sign from the
world of grown ups?True unadulterated
fear? Samneric. Are they “lying”?Fear +
hunting spears (or _____)Things fall apart
Piggy!Who can relate to Simon? (bottom of
93)
 C6 Quotes“Soon the darkness was full of claws,
full of the awful and unknown menace” (O3P 89)
“The beast followed us-” (SE 90)One of my
faves: “However Simon thought of the beast,
there rose before his inward sight the picture of
a human at once heroic and sick” (O3P 93)And:
“Soon, in a matter of centuries…” (O3P 95)
Halfway Pernt
 On board:Individual: You’re
stranded on a beautiful island. No
adults. Will you make it? What
have you got to bring to the table?
Is this going to be paradise? How
are your flaws revealed?
 On board:Group: You’re stranded
together on a beautiful island. No
adults. Who will make it? Who will
not? Will this be paradise? How are
your flaws revealed?
 Chapter 7: Shadows and Tall Treeshttps://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gbmRSDTU0c Ralph matures. Is
self conscious ☹SimonRalph
reminisces (beautiful realism 102)Ralph
likes huntingBerengariaSadism and
BacchanaliaSavagery and
Civilization(ish) and the male ego
C7 Quotes“Not one of them was an obvious suspect for a
shower, and yet-” (O3P 99)“You’ll get back alright” (S
101)“…there were droppings that steamed. Jack bent
down to them as though he loved them” (O3P 101)“Use a
littleun” (J 104)“Ralph looked back at Jack, seeing him,
infuriatingly, for the first time” (O3P 107)“Why do you
hate me?” (R 107)“A stain in the darkness, a stain that
was Jack…” (O3P 109)“…the darkness and desperate
enterprise gave the night a kind of dentist's chair
unreality” (O3P 111)
Chapter 8: Gift for the Darkness
Chapter 9: A View to a DeathThe
Bacchaeid, ego, superego
Chapter 10: The Shell and the Glasses
Chapter 11: Castle Rock
Chapter 12: Cry of the Hunters
Notes on Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Flies in Pop Culture

In Hook, Robin Williams compares Lost Boys to

savages in LOTF
The Simpsons episode “Das Bus” is a parody
Inspiration for the anime series Infinite Ryvius
Mel Gibson’s 2006 movie Apocalypto has a similar
ending.
T.V. shows Survivor and Lost are said to have been
inspired from LOTF
2006 movie Unaccompanied Minors makes
reference to LOTF
 Popular Culture Cont.

Stephen King uses the name “Castle Rock” (from the

novel) as the name of a town in his books. He also
makes reference to LOTF in the novels The Girl
Who Loved Tom Gordon, Cujo and Hearts in
Atlantis
Orson Scott Card makes reference in his novel,
Ender’s Shadow.
Hook
 The Offspring“You’re Gonna Go Far,
Kid”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjW4_OlhKfo
Clever alibisLord of the fliesHit ‘em right between the
eyesHit ‘em right between the eyesWhen you walk
awayNothing more to saySee the lightning in your
eyesSee ‘em running for their lives
What
 Seinfeld
In the Seinfeld stand-up comedy session prior to a
show, Jerry makes the observation: "Any day you had
gym class was a weird school day. It started off
normal. You had English, Social Studies, Geometry,
then suddenly you’re in Lord of the Flies for 40
minutes. You’re hanging from a rope, you have hardly
any clothes on, teachers are yelling at you, kids are
throwing dodge balls at you and snapping towels -
you're trying to survive. And then it's Science,
Language, and History. Now that is a weird day."
 Group Work: Philosophy1.
Rousseau’s Social Contract and
Noble Savage2. Hobbes’ Inherent
EvilnessDebate
Source of Inspiration to Musicians
Musicians Iron Maiden, Gatsby’s American
Dream, Nine Inch Nails, Tori Amos, A.F.I., and
Danielle Dax have all recorded songs about the
novel.

Titles such as:

“Where the Flies Are”
“Touch Piggy’s Eyes”
“Lord of the Flies”
“Piggy
“Fable”
 The End

“Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the

darkness of man's heart, and the fall through the air
of the true, wise friend called Piggy."
- William Golding, Lord of the Flies, Chapter
12
 FILM CLIP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvmi3oZ_vH
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