The Lord of the Flies - by William Golding

8/15/20152 Essential Questions: What is the nature of man? What are the qualities of effective leadership? How do you effectively govern? Upon what, primarily, does survival most depend?

More Essential Questions… How are our human flaws revealed? What do our flaws reveal about us? How does Golding use setting and characters in Lord of the Flies to express his ideas about people?

““Beelzebub” is a Hebrew word for Lucifer TThe literal translation of “Beelzebub” into English is “Lord of the Flies” The Lord of the Flies – Title Significance

REVIEWS OF THE NOVEL  "beautifully written, tragic and provocative...  “vivid and enthralling”  “completely convincing and often very frightening”  “like a fragment of nightmare”  “a dizzy climax of terror”  "It is not only a first-rate adventure but a parable of our times "

What should you come to understand by the end of this unit? People’s baser instincts are often stronger than their nobler ones in creating human societies. The defects in society are related to the defects in human nature. Novelists often use their fiction to make statements about their personal or political beliefs.

Draw two columns in your notes Words associated with instinct Words associated with the mind ?????? ??????

8/15/20158 The Noble Savage In his early writing, Rousseau contended that man is essentially good, a "noble savage" when in the "state of nature" (the state of all the other animals, and the condition man was in before the creation of civilization and society), and that good people are made unhappy and corrupted by their experiences in society.

8/15/20159 “Noble Savage” He viewed society as "artificial" and "corrupt" and that the furthering of society results in the continuing unhappiness of man.

8/15/ Philosophical Background: Rousseau Contrary to his earlier work, Rousseau (Jean-Jacques Rousseau, born in Geneva in 1712) claimed that the state of nature is brutish condition without law or morality, and that there are good men only as a result of society's presence.

8/15/ “The Social Contract” Because he can be more successful facing threats by joining with other men, he has the impetus to do so. He joins together with his fellow men to form the collective human presence known as "society." "The Social Contract" is the "compact" agreed to among men that sets the conditions for membership in society.

8/15/ Nature vs. Nurture The nature versus nurture debates concern the relative importance of an individual's innate qualities ("nature“), versus personal experiences ("nurture") in determining or causing individual differences in physical and behavioral traits.

8/15/ “Tabula Rasa” The view that humans acquire all or almost all their behavioral traits from "nurture" is known as tabula rasa ("blank slate").

SIR WILLIAM GOLDING 1 BBorn in Britain WWas employed as a schoolteacher SServed five years in the Royal Navy during WWII LLord of the Flies published in 1954

 As a child, Golding had witnessed WWI, “the war to end all wars”  In the decade before Lord of the Flies was published, Britain had been involved in two more wars: World War II (which Golding served) and the Korean War Sir William Golding’s Influences

IMAGES FROM WWII

PLOT OF LORD OF THE FLIES Set at a time when Europe is in the midst of nuclear destruction. A group of British school boys, being evacuated from England, crash lands on a tropical island. No adults survive the crash, and the novel is the story of the boys' descent into chaos, disorder, and evil.

In Golding’s day a popular boys adventure story was…

The Coral Island

All of Golding’s novel takes place on the remote tropical island.

Microcosm A small community including human beings, humanity, society, etc. that is viewed as the epitome or miniature of the world or universe Golding uses English boys to represent the calculated makeup of society

Allegory An extended metaphor Objects, persons, and actions in a narrative are equated with meanings that lie outside the narrative Moral, social, religious, and political significance

Allegory Characters are often personifications of abstract ideas such as charity, greed, or envy. Two meanings: a literal meaning and a symbolic meaning

In preparation for reading the novel, look over your Anticipation Guide:

Character Analysis 1) Ralph- Main character described as “fair haired,” having “broad shoulders…[like a] boxer’s,” and has a face that “proclaims no devil” Committed to civilization and morality 2) Piggy - Described as “fat,” “intellectual,” asthmatic, and needs glasses Represents scientific, rational side of civilization, and social order

Character Analysis Simon - Described as a skinny, vivid little boy, who “meditates;” and he faints at different times in the novel, which some cultures have believed is a sign of connecting with the spiritual world Seems to be connected with nature, and he has an innate, spiritual goodness

Character Analysis Sam and Eric (Samneric) ~ Twins Described as barely having enough skin to cover both, bullet-headed, and they finish each other’s sentences The last to remain loyal to Ralph Represent the tug-of-war within us to remain good

Character Analysis Jack - Described as having red hair, malevolent, aggressive, wears black with a snake clasp Cruel and manipulative Represents our savage instincts played out

Roger - “Silent” and sadistic Targets the “littluns” The only one to premeditate murder Kills without conscience Pure evil

Character Analysis “Littluns” ~ The younger kids Represent the common folk, who easily follow the lead of others into savagery when there is no enforced structure in society

 Golding believes that we cannot escape our savage, violent tendencies… and without social order, society dissolves into chaos and savagery. THEMES IN LORD OF THE FLIES

1) Piggy’s glasses – the last surviving evidence of the lawful, structured, rational world 2) conch shell – order and democracy on the island 3) The fire 4) The Island 5) The Beast 6) Jack’s mask SYMBOLS

TERMS to REMEMBER MMicrocosm - A small world that represents the world at large EEdenic – Eden-like, paradise like, a setting that has not yet been spoiled by man

FILM CLIP