Lord of the Flies

1
Lord of the Flies

• Written By William Golding

2
About Golding

• Born 1911
• Grew up in the years before WWI
• Literature of his time man is basically good
• Decided to become a writer
• Served in WWII
• Influenced his thinking
• Man as having a dark and evil side
• LOF based on his experiences teaching at a
  boys school
• didnt become famous until 1960s

3
LOF A Brief, Brief Summary

• WWII
• Group of boys on plane
• Leaving to escape nuclear bomb
• Planes crashes
• Stranded on island with no adults
• Struggle for survival
• Essential Questions
• -Are humans inherently evil?
• -What does it take to bring out the evil in good
  people?

4
Ralph vs. Jack

• 12
• Groups leader (at 1st)
• Tries to keep order
• Conflict with Jack
• Ralph and Jack
• Represent conflict of order vs. democracy

• About same age as Ralph
• Seems to be angry and savage
• Leader of choir group (at 1st) become hunters
  as book goes along
• Eventually takes over as chief
• Not concerned with order
• Conflict with Ralph

5
Piggy and Simon

• Short and overweight
• Order and democracy
• Smartest
• Tries to keep peace on island
• Lacks social skills
• Glasses
• Key to plot
• Symbolize clear-thinking and want of civilization

• Oldest of the littluns
• Positive attitude
• Peaceful spot in jungle to be alone
• Finds pig head on a stick (Lord of the Flies)

6
Roger Sam Eric

• Pure evil
• No mercy
• Tortures pig
• One of Jacks helpers

• Twins
• Always together
• Represent reliance and unity
• Loyal to Ralph at 1st eventually follow Jack
• Give Ralphs hiding spot away

7
Symbolism (what were looking for)

• Piggy (and glasses)
• Ralph, the conch (seashell)
• Simon
• Roger

• Jack
• The Island
• The Scar
• The Beast
• Lord of the Flies

8
Themes

• Society holds us together
• Power
• Fear of unknown
• Nature as unaware of mankind
• Blindness and sight
• Inner evil may be hiding but will always come
  out

9
Writers Notebook

• Do you think people are inherently good or
  inherently evil? What makes some people good and
  others evil? What causes people to go from good
  to evil? Consider these questions and any others
  you have in a half-page journal response.
• Info from Lord of the Flies Project Site by Andy
  Ong