Lord of the Flies William Golding

List all the rules in your life that you object to or reject

Total freedom? Advantages and disadvantages Advantages and disadvantages Does it exist? Does it exist?

Sir William Golding

William Golding Born in Cornwall, England Born in Cornwall, England Educated at Oxford Educated at Oxford His father, Alec Golding was a Science Master and a socialist His father, Alec Golding was a Science Master and a socialist His mother, Mildred, supported the campaigns for female suffrage His mother, Mildred, supported the campaigns for female suffrage

William Golding Listed his hobbies as Listed his hobbies as thinkingthinking Classical GreekClassical Greek sailingsailing ArcheologyArcheology Married Bilinda Pluck (1939) and was the father of two Married Bilinda Pluck (1939) and was the father of two English and philosophy teacher English and philosophy teacher

Golding: War Service Served in the Royal Navy in WWII Served in the Royal Navy in WWII Involved in the pursuit and sinking of German battleship, Bismarck Involved in the pursuit and sinking of German battleship, Bismarck Participated in the Normandy D-Day invasion, commanded a battleship/destroyer Participated in the Normandy D-Day invasion, commanded a battleship/destroyer “I began to see what people are capable of doing…Anyone who moved through those years without understanding that man produces evil as a bee produces honey must have been blind or wrong in the head.” ~ Golding “I began to see what people are capable of doing…Anyone who moved through those years without understanding that man produces evil as a bee produces honey must have been blind or wrong in the head.” ~ Golding

Golding’s Literary Contributions Lord of the Flies ~ 1954 Lord of the Flies ~ 1954 previously rejected by 21 publisherspreviously rejected by 21 publishers The Inheritors ~ 1955 The Inheritors ~ 1955 Pincher Martin ~ 1956 Pincher Martin ~ 1956 Free Fall ~ 1959 Free Fall ~ 1959 Awarded Nobel Prize for Literature in 1983 Awarded Nobel Prize for Literature in 1983 “his books illuminate the human condition”“his books illuminate the human condition” Knighted by the Queen in 1988 Knighted by the Queen in 1988 Accepting Nobel from His Majesty Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden in 1983

Notes on Golding Often writes in allegorical fiction Often writes in allegorical fiction Allegory: characters and settings represent moral concepts, symbolize human existence Allegory: characters and settings represent moral concepts, symbolize human existence The novel is an ironic response to Ballantyne’s Coral Island The novel is an ironic response to Ballantyne’s Coral Island Boys also stranded, optimistic view of mid-19 th century EnglandBoys also stranded, optimistic view of mid-19 th century England

Others on Golding “Golding’s view is pessimistic: human nature is inherently violent, which reflects the post-war and post-Hitler years.” “Golding’s view is pessimistic: human nature is inherently violent, which reflects the post-war and post-Hitler years.” “In this book, as in few others at the present time, are findings of psychoanalysts of all schools, anthropologists, social psychologists and philosophical historians mobilized into an attack upon the central problem of modern thought: the nature of the human personality and the reflection of the personality on society.” (Epstein) “In this book, as in few others at the present time, are findings of psychoanalysts of all schools, anthropologists, social psychologists and philosophical historians mobilized into an attack upon the central problem of modern thought: the nature of the human personality and the reflection of the personality on society.” (Epstein)

Nature of Man With Lord of the Flies, “the theme is an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature “ (Golding) With Lord of the Flies, “the theme is an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature “ (Golding) Hobbes Hobbes “…continual fear, and danger of violent death;and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short…”“…continual fear, and danger of violent death;and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short…” Men need a common power, “reduce… by plurality of voices unto one will…”Men need a common power, “reduce… by plurality of voices unto one will…” Locke Locke …all men are naturally in a state of total freedom…”…all men are naturally in a state of total freedom…” Civil society, people place power into legislative hands for “lives, liberties and estates…”Civil society, people place power into legislative hands for “lives, liberties and estates…” Rossueau Rossueau The Social Contract: …”each individual surrenders all his rights without reservation…”The Social Contract: …”each individual surrenders all his rights without reservation…” “freedom…is obedience to the will of all.”“freedom…is obedience to the will of all.”