Lord of the Flies, by
William Golding, takes place during World War II when a plane crashes on an island, stranding many British schoolboys. They rejoice that no adult is there to order them around and they do whatever they want. They elect Ralph, who blew on a conch shell to gather them, as chief and a few older children (or "bigguns" as Ralph calls them) are chosen as hunters. With help from each other and a bit more from the glasses of Piggy, the "smart" one of the boys, they manage to create a system of order. But alas, this fragile balance is broken by the talk of a beast on the island.
With no adults to seem strong and say that no such beast exists, everything collapses on itself. Jack, the leader of the hunters, creates his own tribe against Ralph. Many bigguns and "littluns" join Jack. Ralph is only left with Piggy, Sam, Eric, and a few littluns. The hope of being rescued is very far off as the "beast" starts a reign of terror. With perfect British Schoolboys turning into savages of a tribe, staying sane is difficult, let alone rescue. What will happen to the boys?
Lord of the Flies is one of those books where there is some, if not a lot, of violence. It is not recommended to anyone who can not stand much violence. I only think that people who are interested in reading about survival should try this book. Remember: this book might be too violent for you.
-Reviewed by JunHyung, grade 7.
Comments
Reviewed by Melody N, grade 9.
Central Library
Reviewed by Samantha, Grade 12.
William Golding was born in England. After his very traumatizing experience in the Royal Navy, Golding's view on human nature was drastically altered. This allegorical novel depicts how humans, without society, are savages and evil. The innocent boys turn into wild beasts that kill each other for fun, until a navy officer, who also happens to be involved in a bloody war of his own, comes to the rescue with his ship. For me, I disagree with many of Golding's philosophical aspects of human nature, and I did not enjoy the gruesome and rather ridiculous way the novel depicted human nature. However, I do agree that there is evil in human nature, although not to the extent of Golding's beliefs.
Reviewed by Jemma, grade 10
Glendale Central Library
I thought that this was a very enjoyable book. I liked reading about the dramatic situations that they boys were forced to endure and the tremendous challenges that they had to overcome. I think any person who enjoys thrilling books about survival in nature would like to read this book. It especially made me think about how I would behave if I were in a situation such as that faced by the boys in this book.
Reviewed by Alec S., Grade 10
Glendale Central Library
This book was very good. It started off normally, with little going on, but it ended explosively. The relationships between the boys had an interesting evolution, and the power struggle left me wondering about what would happen next. Jack was focused on being a leader and keeping everyone together using fear, while Ralph was focused on getting out of the island. The book got very dark and grim towards the end, and seeing the boys act so insanely was surprising.
Reviewed by Anonymous, Grade 8
Grandview Library
Lord of the Flies excellently mimics the evil and sadistic nature of humanity and society in a tale about young schoolboys. Although this novel is very easy to read and is fairly short, its plot strongly remains haunting, powerful and relevant. I enjoyed Golding’s idea of revealing the corruption of authority through innocent British boys who were highly expected to act civilized. All the Freudian concepts and symbolism also add to the strength of unmasking the savagery of our nature.
Reviewed by Anonymous, Grade 12
Glendale Central Library
I think this book not only tells a story, but one with a meaning behind it. The characters and conflicts can represent every-day societal challenges and really defines the thin fabric that holds society together. The book was rather difficult to read and I'm thus assuming it would appeal to an older audience, but is still a very good book. I really did enjoy how complex the narratives were and the small, untold details in the characters that give the overall story more depth and meaning. The author did a very good job at composing the characters in such a way that would create grudges and form hatred without implying any intention to do so, which pulls the story together seamlessly. You can tell how much thought was put into each character and how significant even the smallest roles are. Overall I would definitely recommend this book.
I think this book not only tells a story, but one with a meaning behind it. The characters and conflicts can represent every-day societal challenges and really defines the thin fabric that holds society together. The book was rather difficult to read and I'm thus assuming it would appeal to an older audience, but is still a very good book. I really did enjoy how complex the narratives were and the small, untold details in the characters that give the overall story more depth and meaning. The author did a very good job at composing the characters in such a way that would create grudges and form hatred without implying any intention to do so, which pulls the story together seamlessly. You can tell how much thought was put into each character and how significant even the smallest roles are. Overall I would definitely recommend this book.
Reviewed by Isabelle D., Grade 8
Pacific Park Library
This book made me think about how savage and ruthless mankind can be. This was also the reason why I liked this book. I believe that people who likes to think and be puzzled will like or eventually love this book. Another reason why I liked this book is because of how it made me feel. It made me feel the horror of what will happen if the humanity gets out of hand. It will just be horrifying and probably the most sinister thing that can happen.
Reviewed by Jonah, Grade 9
Glendale Central Library
This book was very interesting to me, and I think people looking to learn more about human nature should read this book. This book made me think of the inherent evil within humans, and how they might act just like primitive people, if placed in a similar situation as these boys. One of my favorite things in this book is the symbolism, From the characters themselves, to a imaginary Beast, to a conch.
Reviewed by Brian Y., Grade 10
Montrose Library
It was an okay book. I thought even though the story was detailed, it didn't really give a clear idea on what was happening. The details contained in it weren’t specific enough or crystal clear which meant that I couldn't understand it much and I started to get bored of it. This is a classic novel that was written years ago so classic lovers would like this story more than I would. Also, because this book contains violence due to the frustration these characters have, I suggest not using it as a bedtime story for your kids if you have some. Young adults and teens will find this tolerable. Even though I thought the book had so much detail, I liked that the details were jammed into 182 pages because I've read books before containing unnecessary detail in books around 300-400 pages long.
Reviewed by Hannah R., Grade 9
Downtown Central Library
This book has a good plot and I enjoyed the storytelling and detail behind it. Every character has a specific characteristic that later develops more as they start to become more mature. I liked how short the book was for me, however, I liked the amount of action that was occurring. When I was reading I did not get too bored of the plot and I enjoyed the amount of dialogue that occurred. If you are looking for a book that has a good plot and has some humor and shocking events this would be good.
Reviewed by Anashe B., Grade 10
Montrose Library
I read this book through my school's English honors class, and I found it very straightforward. The scenes contribute to the theme of civilization quickly transforming into savagery. I liked the deep exploration of human nature and the uncomfortable truths of darkness that can reside within all humans. I did not enjoy the intensity as much, since some of the scenes were quite unsettling with description. I think Lord of the Flies would appeal to readers who like darker aspects of human nature.
Reviewed by Ani H., Grade 10
Montrose Library