About William Golding  British novelist  Born on September 19, 1911, died 1993  Studied Science and English at Oxford  Fought in Royal Navy during WWII  Participated in invasion of Normandy on D-Day  At war’s end, returned to teaching and writing  Earned the Nobel Prize in Literature

The World Golding Knew  WWII  The fall of France to Nazi Germany in 1940  Britain feared an invasion and evacuated children to other countries  A German U-Boat torpedoed a British ship carrying children, killing the boys, thus suspending the oversees evacuation program

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

Philosophical Influence  John 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 by absolute sovereignty to avoid brutish behavior

Facts About the Novel  It was his first novel- published in 1954  It was written during the Cold War  Based during WW II  On the American Library Association’s list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of

Time Period:  Lord of the Flies was written during the Cold War ; but it was based during WW II.  The Cold War was a “ political conflict ” where the U.S. the spread of communism and nuclear attack from the Soviet Union.  WWII was a “ global war,” where the allied powers (Britain, France, U.S., and Russia) fought the axis powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan) in their attempt for world domination.  In 1938, Britain tried to avoid another war with Germany/Central Powers by signing a treaty with Germany. But when Hitler defied the agreement a few months later, it was clear they had to go to war.  Soon, aerial attacks of cities began. In order to save the future generations from death, civilians (particularly children ) were moved to rural areas.  Prior to the battle of Britain, 3.5 million people were relocated.

British Society:  The British are very punctual. Showing up late is viewed as very impolite.  The British culture is influenced by their idea of social etiquette. One would never pass someone on the street without saying hello.  The British are also very particular about the way that they dress. Blazers, coats, dresses/suits are worn on special occasions.  The British pride themselves on their civilized existence.  The British live in an extremely historical society. Ancient churches, buildings, and castles reflect their heritage.  The monarchy exists in conjunction with the Parliament. British royalty represents the national pride of the country.

Story Synopsis  Set in mid 1940’s when Europe was 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.

Golding’s Message “The theme is an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature.” --William Golding

Themes SSurvival PPower/leadership styles CCivilization vs. Savagery LLoss of Innocence HHuman nature DDuality of man NNature Vs. Nurture GGood Vs. Evil

Golding’s Literary Technique  Heavy use of symbolism  Irony  Abundant imagery and sensory detail  Figurative Language Simile Metaphor Personification