What if …

While on a field trip with your class, the bus crashes in the wilderness.

All of the adults are dead. You are hundreds of miles from

civilization.No cell phone or GPS reception.No supplies (other than what you brought

to school). Your class is alone.You may never be rescued.

The Lord of the Flies

By William Golding

About the Author

William Golding (1911-1993) was a British author most famous for his 1953 novel Lord of the Flies.

Golding’s inspiration for Lord of the Flies was the horror he witnessed while fighting as a Naval Officer in World War II.

“ The theme is to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature … the whole book is symbolic …” – William Golding

Literary Terms

1. Symbolism – When a noun represents a more complex reality beyond itself.

2. Conflict – struggles a protagonist undergoes. 3. Characterization – How the writer reveals the

personality of characters to readers. 4. Personification – Figurative language that gives

inhuman things human-like qualities. 5. Irony – the opposite of what is expected. 6. Allegory – a metaphorical or symbolic story. 7. Allusion – an indirect reference to art, literature,

history, or other aspect of culture. 8. Archetype – a particular type of character who appears

in various stories across cultures. 9. Theme – the main idea(s) of a work.

Chapters 1-3 Vocabulary

1. Enmity (n.)2. Interposed (v.)3. Incredulous

(adj.)4. Furtive (adj.)5. Pallid (adj.)6. Mortification (n.)7. Communion (n.)8. Bastion (n.)

9. Induced (v.)10. Errant (adj.)11. Martyred (adj.)12. Tumult (n.)13. Avidly (adv.)14. Gesticulated

(v.)15. Tacit (adj.)

Chapters 1-3 Vocabulary

1. Enmity – Ill- will. 2. Interposed – To go

between. 3. Incredulous –

unbelieving; skeptical. 4. Furtive – Sly. 5. Pallid – Pale.6. Mortification – Shame;

humiliation. 7. Communion – Unity. 8. Bastion – Stronghold.

9. Induced – Persuaded. 10. Errant – Disobedient. 11. Martyred – Suffering. 12. Tumult – Uproar;

commotion. 13. Avidly – Eagerly. 14. Gesticulated –

Gesturing while speaking. 15. Tacit – Unstated but

understood; implied.

Symbolism

The Conch – Authority, government. Piggy – Civilization, science, reason. Piggy’s “Specs” – Scientific progress, tech.Sam and Eric – Conformity, ‘mindlessness’.The Signal Fire – Humanity’s negative effect on

nature. The Island – Paradise, Eden, etc. The “Beast”/”Snake-thing” – “Evil”, “The Others”,

etc. Simon Roger The “Lord of the Flies”

Conflict

Conflict – problems characters encounter in a story (Rising Action).

Internal: Man vs. SelfExternal:Man vs. ManMan vs. NatureMan vs. SocietyMan vs. Technology

Chapters 4-6 Vocabulary

1. Generic (adj.)2. Belligerence (n.)

3. Incursion (n.)4. Ravenously (adv.)

5. Elemental (adj.)

6. Apex (n.)7. Reverence (n.)

8. Effigy (n.)9. Lamentation (n.)

10. Incantation (n.)

Chapters 4-6 Vocabulary

1. Generic – Without distinction; general.

2. Belligerence – An aggressive, stubborn attitude.

3. Incursion – A breakthrough into enemy territory.

4. Ravenously – With greed.

5. Elemental – Fundamental;

resembling a great force of nature.

6. Apex – Summit. 7. Reverence –

Respect; honor. 8. Effigy –

Representation. 9. Lamentation –

Mourning aloud. 10. Incantation –

Power of a spell.

Irony

Irony – the opposite of what is expected. There are three types of Irony: 1. Situational Irony – a situation that is the opposite of what

is expected. In LOTF: In Chapter 5 the boys are looking for a hopeful

“sign” from the adults; instead it is the dead pilot. 2. Verbal Irony – When someone says one thing but means

the opposite. In LOTF: Jack tells Ralph: “We musn’t let anything happen

to Piggy, must we?” (Golding 117). 3. Dramatic Irony – When the audience is aware of

something that the characters are not. In LOTF: The boys think that there is a beast at the top of

the mountain (“the thing that bowed”), but we know that it is the dead pilot being pulled by his parachute.

Allegory

An allegory is a metaphorical story.“Extended metaphor”An entire story is symbolic.William Golding’s Lord of the Flies is

also an allegory in many different ways.

LOTF is an allegory of human personality and Freud’s ID, EGO, SUPEREGO.

Allegory

Sigmund Freud believed that human personality was made up of three parts: the ID, the EGO, and the SUPEREGO.

THE ID – Driven by the pleasure principle: Seeks gratification of desires, needs,

and wants. If not satisfied immediately, results in a

state of anxiety or tension. Which character in LOTF is the ID? Jack

Allegory

The EGO – Responsible for dealing with reality; the reality principle:

Tries to hold the ID in check by making the ID’s desires more realistic and socially appropriate.

Weighs the costs and benefits of a situation before acting or abandoning impulses.

Which character in LOTF is the EGO?Ralph

Allegory

The SUPEREGO – Develops moral standards or ideals; the ideal/morality principle:

Develops at the age of 5 Sense of right and wrong Acts to perfect and civilize behavior. Struggles to make EGO idealistic rather

than realistic. Which character(s) in LOTF represent the

SUPEREGO?Simon and Piggy

Archetypes

Greek: “Arch-” meaning “First”; “-type” meaning model.

Archetype: “The perfect example of something”.

An Archetype is a reoccurring image, symbol, character, or plot that expresses a universal aspect of human life or nature.

Archetypes are universal, across varying cultures.

Examples: The Hero, The Mentor, The Shadow, The Trickster, The Tree, The Star-Crossed Lovers, The Damsel in Distress, The Anti-Hero, The Great Mother (Earth)

The Martyr

One Archetype present in LOTF is The Martyr or The “Christ” Figure:

A character whose life or experience parallels that of Jesus Christ. This character is seen as a savior for others in the story. Parallels between Jesus and Simon in Lord of the Flies: -- Carpentry – Simon helps build the shelters. -- Kindness towards the weak – Simon helps the “little-uns”, Piggy. -- Without Sin – Simon is the only innocent character; in harmony with

nature, doesn’t take the meat. -- Prophetic – Simon tells Ralph that he will go home. -- The Devil tempts in the Desert – Simon meets the Lord of the Flies

in the wilderness. -- Killed for bringing ‘truth’ to his people – Simon killed by the boys. -- Resurrected – Simon’s body is carried out to see by luminous

creatures, creating a halo.

Chapters 7-9 Vocabulary

1. Brandishing (v.)2. Impervious (adj.) 3. Bravado (n.)4. Sanctity (n.)5. Demure (adj.)6. Fervor (n.) 7. Taboo (n.)8. Derision (v.) 9. Succulent (adj.)10. Demented (adj.)

Chapters 7-9 Vocabulary

1. Brandishing (v.) – waving something in a threatening manner.

2. Impervious (adj.) – without feeling or response (invincible).

3. Bravado (n.) – foolhardiness. 4. Sanctity (n.) – holiness; inviolability. 5. Demure (adj.) – modest. 6. Fervor (n.) – intensity.7. Taboo (n.) – something forbidden. 8. Derision (v.) – ridicule. 9. Succulent (adj.) –juicy. 10. Demented (adj.) – insane.

Personification

Personification – Figurative Language used to give inhuman things human-like qualities.

The Island -- The “Scar” -- The “roar” when the boys push down the rock. The BEAST or EVIL -- The Snake Thing -- The Leviathan -- The Dead Pilot The Lord of the Flies -- A pig’s head on a spear, rotting. -- The “BEAST” speaks to Simon. -- What does he tell Simon?

Chapters 10-12 Vocabulary

1. Assimilating (v.)2. Composite (n.)3. Purged (v.)4. Luminous (adj.)5. Myopia (n.)6. Impenetrable (n.)7. Ludicrous (adj.)8. Cessation (adj.)9. Ululation (n.)10. Ensconce (v.)

Chapters 10-12 Vocabulary

1. Assimilating (v.) – taking in and integrating. 2. Composite (n.) – made up of distinct parts. 3. Purged (v.) – cleaned, freed. 4. Luminous (adj.) – glowing. 5. Myopia (n.) – near-sightedness. 6. Impenetrable (n.) – unable to be entered. 7. Ludicrous (adj.) – ridiculous.8. Cessation (n.) – stoppage. 9. Ululation (n.) – a howling. 10. Ensconce (v.) – to conceal.

Allusions

Reference to ‘Castaway stories’ in Chapter 1: “Treasure Island”, “Swallows and Amazons”, and “Coral Island”.

Reference to GENESIS and “The Fall of Mankind” – a “good island” (Eden), the “snakelike” beastie (Satan), the boy with the birthmark (story of Cain and Abel).

Reference to “Beelzebub” – “The Lord of the Flies”.

Reference to the Gospel – “Simon” and Jesus; “Simon” and the Apostle Peter.

Reference to The Cold War – “The Reds”, Nuclear War, Culture of Fear and Paranoia.

Good vs. Evil

In groups of 3-4 students, research and present at least four different cultural perspectives regarding “good” and “evil”. These cultures can be from any period of human history.

You will be graded based on:- Content- Visual Aid- Presentation - Teamwork

Content

Presentation must:1. Introduce the culture.2. Explain the culture’s definition of

“good” and “evil”. 3. Offer the culture’s explanation of the

origin of “good” and “evil”. 4. Explain the culture’s rewards and

punishments for “good” and “evil”. 5.

Visual Aid and Presentation

Individual Projects

1. Write an alternate ending to Lord of the Flies – write at least one page, complete with narrative and dialogue.

2. Create a one-page graphic novel version of a scene from Lord of the Flies. Must include color and be at least four panels.

3. Create a collage of (at least) four important quotes from the novel with illustration(s). Include color.

4. Draw and color a book cover of Lord of the Flies. Include what you believe to be the three most important quotes from the novel.

5. Create a “Found Poem” of at least 20 lines using words and phrases from Lord of the Flies that conveys an important theme (or themes) from the novel.