How do I demonstrate responsibility in my community and the world? At the core are humans civilized or savage? Are defects in society the result of defects in human nature? How do novelists use fiction to make statements about their personal or political beliefs? Lord of the Flies by William Golding Critical Questions for the unit:

Essential Questions Continued… What is our true human nature? How are human flaws revealed? How does Goldman use symbolism, setting, and characters to express his ideas about human nature?

William Golding was born in Cornwall, Great Britain in At the age of seven he decided to be a writer. HE went to Oxford university where he studied first natural science and then English Literature. After graduation in 1934 he worked at small theater companies as a writer, actor, and producer. During WWII he served in the navy. For a year or two before the WWII and 15 years after, he worked as teacher. His experiences with working with students influenced him to write Lord of the Flies which was published in In 1983 he received the Nobel Prize in literature. He died in William Golding Biography

The author’s experiences as a teacher helped inform the novel that made his career. He once allowed a class of boys to debate with complete freedom, and the classroom quickly devolved into such disorder that it inspired Golding to write Lord of the Flies.

In his introduction to the centenary edition of Golding’s novel, Stephen King writes, “It was, so far as I can remember, the first book with hands – strong ones that reached out of the pages and seized me by the throat. It said to me, ‘ This is not just entertainment; it’s life-or-death.’ Horror novelist, Steven King lists Lord of the Flies in his list of top 10 favorite books.

The novel takes place during a fictional nuclear war. A group of British boys are flown out of their country to protect them from the horrors of war. After being attacked, the plan crash lands on a tropical island, with no adult survivors. The boys are stranded and must fend for themselves. The Setting and the Setup:

What are some stories, shows, or movies that you know that involve people on tropical islands? What kinds of things happen to those people?

Tropical Island Settings:

In Golding’s day, a popular boys’ adventure story was The Coral Island by R.M.Ballantyne; a story that would be familiar to most boys and adults in England.

The Coral Island Written in A group of boys get stranded on a deserted, tropical island. The major characters are Jack, Ralph, and Peterkin. It’s an adventure story with a happy ending. William Golding’s take on this premise is much darker.

Beelzebub, Lord of the Flies Beelzebub, according to some beliefs, is another name for the devil, or in other stories, is the chief helper of Satan. The word “Beelzebub” comes from a Greek word that means “Lord of the Flies.”

What will happen when there are… No homes, No schools, No adults, No rules??????