Lord of the Flies By William Golding

Make a Prediction

William Golding 1911-1993 - grew up in England Was aware of social and political systems and their influence on people from and early age, his father and mother were politically active During WWII, he joined the Royal Navy

William Golding Golding published Lord of the Flies, his first novel, in 1954. Did not become popular until the early 1960s Has become a required book in many schools and colleges It was adapted to film in 1963 and again in 1990. It is #70 on the American Library Association’s list of 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000 due to its controversial content.

Possible Influence? In Golding's time, a popular adventure story was The Coral Island, which was written in 1858. A group of boys get stranded on a deserted tropical island Major characters are Jack, Ralph, and Peterkin. It’s an adventure story with a happy ending Is Lord of the Flies like The Coral Island? We’ll see. 

The Setting Time: Place: 1950s, after some sort of warfare has taken place Place: A tiny, previously uninhabited coral island in the South Pacific. The children have crash- landed here after their plane was shot down while they were on some sort of trip with their schools.

Major Characters Ralph Simon Piggy Sam and Eric Jack Roger

Symbols to Watch For The Conch The Signal Fire Piggy’s Glasses The Beastie Jack’s Knife The Lord of the Flies

Subjects Civility/Savagery Power Innocence Fear Rules & Order Evil

Essential Questions Are humans naturally evil? How does individual power change relationships with others? Are laws necessary to maintain order? How do fear and desire for acceptance influence human behavior? What is Golding’s purpose in writing this story?

The Island

Conch Shell

Lagoon

Creepers

Wild Boar/Pig

Jungle Trail

Enjoy! This book is filled with adventure, unforgettable characters, suspense, and valuable lessons. Before we get to the good stuff, take a look at the chapter titles. Can you predict what will happen? 