Download - Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Fliesby William Golding
Historical Background Published in 1954; takes place during WWII British boys being sent to the countryside because of
threat of atomic bomb being dropped on cities Their plane crashes on a deserted island; no adults
survive, so they have to establish a “society” on their own
As you read, ask yourself: Why is the setting so important?
Golding said after WWII: “It was simply what seemed sensible for me to write after the war when everyone was thanking God they weren’t Nazis. I’d seen enough to realize that every single one of us could be Nazis.”
Psychological Background
Sigmund Freud = psychoanalyst, published during Golding’s lifetime
Developed a theory of human nature that influenced Golding’s writing
Defined “id,” “ego,” and “superego” (all parts of our inner natures)
ID
Impulsive instinctsNo thought of “the best way” or “the right
way”Wants instant gratification, no concern for
consequencesA newborn only has id; as we get older, it’s
still there, but (hopefully!) we learn to control it
E.g. I want that candy, so I’ll just take it from the store.
EGODecision-making aspectBalances desires (id) with realistic
expectations of the worldMay delay gratification if that’s the most
realistic way to achieve the ultimate goalNot concerned with morals, just wants to find
the best way to achieve the goalE.g. I want this candy, but society will punish
me if I just take it, and then I won’t get it in the end. The best way to get it is to pay for it.
SUPEREGO
Conscience; concerned with moral right vs. wrong
Whereas the ego is concerned with setting realistic goals, the superego sets moralistic goals
Allows you to feel pride when you make the “right” decision and guilt when you do something “wrong”
E.g. I want this candy, but it’s not morally right to steal. The right thing to do is to pay for it.
Psyche in LotF
As you read, pay attention to which characters rely on their superego (moral decisions), which only consider their ego (reasonable decisions), and which act on their id (instincts)
Golding said: “The theme is an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature. The moral is that the shape of a society must depend on the ethical nature of the individual and not on any political system however apparently logical or respectable.”
Literary Devices
Allegory
An allegory is a genre of writing in which the people, objects, and events in the story hold a specific symbolic meaning
In other words, the novel as a whole represents something else
Focus is not on literal plot or characters but on what they represent in the real world
LotF as an Allegory
Literal interpretation:Plane full of boys crashes on an island; as
they try to survive, many conflicts arise
Allegorical interpretation:The boys represent humankind; the struggles
they go through represent universal religious, political, and social issues
Religious Allegory
As you read, ask yourself:
How does Simon represent a Christ figure?How does Jack represent the devil?How does Ralph represent the average man,
struggling between good and evil?
Political Allegory
As you read, ask yourself:
What countries and/or leaders from WWII do Jack, Ralph, and Piggy represent?
How can you tell?
Social Allegory
As you read, ask yourself:
If the boys represent all of mankind, what is Golding saying about society and/or human nature?
(Hint: It’s a very pessimistic view!)
Symbolism
Pay attention to the following symbols and figure out what they represent as the novel progresses:
The conch shellPiggy’s glassesThe beastFireThe lord of the flies
What’s in a name? Hebrew word, “baal-zevuv” (Greek translation =
“Beelzeboub”) means “chief devil” (Satan) English meaning: “lord of the flies” (promotes decay and
destruction, like the devil) “Ralph” means “counsel” “Jack” means “one who deceives” or “one who takes
over” “Piggy” is a nickname, but we think of pigs, who are very
intelligent “Simon” means “listener” “Roger” means “spear”
ScarBathing
Hole Pig Fire
Castle
Rock
Mountain
Simon’s Hideaway
*Lord of the
Flies*