Lord of the Flies Introduction Notes (adapted from a presentation created by Ms. Danielle Mier, Westlake High School, Westlake Village, Califiornia)

William Golding…  British novelist  Winner of the Nobel Prize in literature  Fought in Royal Navy during WWII  Participated in invasion of Normandy on D-Day  At war’s end, returned to teaching and writing

William Golding...  Golding’s first and most successful novel, Lord of the Flies, was published in England in 1954 but its popularity was not established until five years later when it appeared in paperback.

William Golding...  This book was followed by a series of other novels, each concerned in one way or another with the theme of man’s capacity for evil (The Inheritors, Free Fall and The Brass Butterfly).

About the Novel  Set in mid 1940’s when Europe engulfed in war.  A plane carrying British school boys is mistaken for a military craft and shot down.  Only the boys survive the crash, and try to form a society and govern themselves.

The World Golding Knew  WWII  The fall of France to Nazi Germany in1940  Britain feared an invasion and evacuated children to other countries  A German U-Boat torpedoed British ship carrying children killing the boys, thus suspending the oversees evacuation program

William Golding on his novel 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 Nazi’s. I’d seen enough to realize that every single one of us could be Nazi’s.”

Philosophical Influence  Thomas Hobbes –English Philosopher: –Man is by nature selfishly individualistic –Man constantly at war with other men –Fear of violent death is sole motivation to create civilizations –Men need to be controlled to avoid savage behavior

Theme of Lord of the Flies….  A main theme of Lord of the Flies is that man is inherently evil and needs the structure of civilization (laws and order) to control him.  The capacity for human nature to be both good and evil.

Defects in society can be traced to defects in human nature. 2. Civilized society keeps human beings from reverting to a more primitive, savage state. 3. All individuals have the natural capacity for brutality. 4. A society can often be judged by the way it treats its most vulnerable citizens. Themes Continued…

Symbols in the Novel  The Conch- Civilization and order  The Beast- The fear that separates man from God  Piggy’s Glasses- Reason, science, and insight  Lord of the Flies- Evil  Fire Signal- Hope, salvation

Motifs (Patterns) in the Novel  Biblical parallels (book criticized for re- telling episodes in the Bible)  Pristine/innocent places corrupted by evil  Beel’zebub- Hebrew translation for Lord of the flies

Modern Day allusions  Allusion- (n.) an indirect reference to something There are many, many modern day allusions to Lord of the Flies in popular culture. For example….

 The Simpson’s episode titled Das Bus is a parody of Lord of the Flies.

 Mark Burnett’s CBS island show is said to have been inspired by LOTF.

 The episode Club Spongebob is a spoof of LOTF.

 Bands such as Taking Back Sunday, Nine Inch Nails, AFI, and Pink Floyd have written songs about or have alluded to LOTF in their music.

The Television Series Lost  The survivors of a plane crash struggle with some of the classic dilemmas of society (science vs. faith, fear vs. love as way of control, knowledge vs. ignorance).

Extra Credit Opportunity!  Until we are finished with the novel you may turn in an article, song (with lyrics or link), TV show, etc. that may be seen as alluding to Lord of the Flies and its themes.  Complete a 5 sentence write-up about the piece and its connection to LOTF.  Worth 3 points on Homework/Participation.

Enjoy reading it!

A not too brief synopsis...  British schoolboys are stranded on an uninhabited island during a nuclear war. Ralph meets Piggy, a fat, bespectacled boy, and together they find a conch shell which Ralph uses as a trumpet.

A not too brief synopsis...  In response to the sound, other boys appear, some very small, none older than twelve, and finally a group dressed in choir robes and led by jack Merridew.

A not too brief synopsis...  Realizing that there are not adults, the boys attempt to organize their own society. Ralph is elected chief and Jack is given control of the choir who become his “hunters.”

A not too brief synopsis...  The division of labor is agreed upon: Jack and his group will become hunters; Ralph, aided by Simon, Piggy and the twins Samneric, will build huts and carry water

A not too brief synopsis...  Ralph and Piggy criticize Jack who responds by breaking Piggy’s glasses with a blow, then boasts about the pig his hunters have slain.

A not too brief synopsis...  As the novel progress, fear becomes a part of island life for the boys.  One of the fears is that there is an unexplained “beast” on the island.

A not too brief synopsis...  Laced with such fears, the power struggle between the two boys grows.  The boys become more and more fascinated with their savage side.

A not too brief synopsis...  By the end of the novel, the boys are offering sacrifices to the beast, Piggy and Simon are killed, and Ralph is being hunted by the group he once lead.