Lord of the Flies (Faber Firsts)
by William Golding
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Book Summary Information
Author: William GoldingEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-05-07
ISBN: 0571245897
Number of pages: 224
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Book Reviews of Lord of the Flies (Faber Firsts)
Book Review: How well would you take the news of being stranded....
Summary: 4 Stars
Book Review
Lord of the Flies
By: William Golding
Non-Illustrated 184 pages
Aeonian Press $6.99
(From ages 12- Death)
By Matt Smetana
4/19/2010
In the novel, the Lord of the Flies, William Golding attempted to inform readers of the problems of a stressed civilization as well as the problems of being a full-out savage. While Ralph has good intentions with forming a civilization and have everyone working together, but not everyone wants that perfect life. The civilians feel that while they're there, why don't they have fun. On the other spectrum, savagery is outright terrible for numerous reasons. First, there are no rules and anything goes, which could end in many mistakes or injuries. In addition, you could kill people by being erratic, and not actually assessing the situation first. Golding wants to stress the different concepts and viewpoints that many children have.
Golding was a teacher at Bishop Wordsworth's School until he got a few of his novels published. Such as Lord of the Flies, The Inheritors, Pincher Martin, and Free Fall. During World War II, Golding served in the Royal Navy, and played a key role in the take down of one of Germany's strongest ships.
In my opinion, William Golding not only accomplished his goal, but also brought a more extensive look as to what could really happen while stranded on a deserted island. Complete isolation transformed preppy English students into savages solely concerned with their own self-preservation. The different aspects and comparisons between the false sense of civilization and the complete negativity of savagery are displayed prominently between the complete juxtaposition of Ralph and Jack. An example of Ralph's stressed mentality of civilization was shown when the kids were out trying to have fun, he barked at them to "get back to work." On the other hand, Jack's savagery was shown when he and his gang ended up killing Piggy and Simon.
One of the book's strengths was that it demonstrated exactly how children act in real life. This is one of the book's greatest strengths because it brought all of the characters to life in a relatable way. The point of this book seemed to be the most personal to me, since I have seen those things in school. One of the book's biggest faults was that it fails to convey to the reader what repercussions Jack and his crew has to face for killing two innocent kids.
Summary of Lord of the Flies (Faber Firsts)
A plane crashes on a desert island and the only survivors, a group of schoolboys, assemble on the beach and wait to be rescued. By day they inhabit a land of bright fantastic birds and dark blue seas, but at night their dreams are haunted by the image of a terrifying beast. As the boys' delicate sense of order fades, so their childish dreams are transformed into something more primitive, and their behaviour starts to take on a murderous, savage significance. First published in 1954, "Lord of the Flies" is one of the most celebrated and widely read of modern classics.William Golding's classic tale about a group of English schoolboys who are plane-wrecked on a deserted island is just as chilling and relevant today as when it was first published in 1954. At first, the stranded boys cooperate, attempting to gather food, make shelters, and maintain signal fires. Overseeing their efforts are Ralph, "the boy with fair hair," and Piggy, Ralph's chubby, wisdom-dispensing sidekick whose thick spectacles come in handy for lighting fires. Although Ralph tries to impose order and delegate responsibility, there are many in their number who would rather swim, play, or hunt the island's wild pig population. Soon Ralph's rules are being ignored or challenged outright. His fiercest antagonist is Jack, the redheaded leader of the pig hunters, who manages to lure away many of the boys to join his band of painted savages. The situation deteriorates as the trappings of civilization continue to fall away, until Ralph discovers that instead of being hunters, he and Piggy have become the hunted: "He forgot his words, his hunger and thirst, and became fear; hopeless fear on flying feet." Golding's gripping novel explores the boundary between human reason and animal instinct, all on the brutal playing field of adolescent competition. --Jennifer Hubert
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