Lord of the Flies is a young adult book I read in middle school, yet it remains a classic and a stark story, which is why I included it on my list. Turns out, 30 years later, I still appreciate it.
The book was published in 1954, at the height of the Cold War, which seems to be the time period when many classics were written. The Cold War context comes into play as the book hints at the start of a new world war.
The premise of the book is that a plane carrying schoolboys is shot down, and a dozen or so children survive the wreck on a deserted island, likely in the uninhabited tropics. Many details are never made clear, such as what shot down the plane, where the plane was headed, or why only the boys (children) survived. Even the exact number of survivors is vague. I think these things were left ambiguous to allow the reader’s mind to imagine.
All the boys are British and under 14 years old. There is a core group of older boys who stick together, some younger ones (around five years old), and a few isolated boys who form a separate group.
Upon first landing, Ralph finds a conch shell and meets a fat boy named Piggy. They use the shell to call and gather the survivors. Ralph is voted as chief, and the conch shell becomes a symbol of order and the right to speak at meetings.
Things go downhill in a matter of weeks, although no specific timeframe is ever mentioned. The older boys become obsessed with hunting wild boar instead of keeping their primary job of maintaining the signal fire going. The group begins to splinter into factions. The leader of the “hunters” challenges Ralph, and their fragile society begins to fall apart. After that, most of the boys succumb to their basic, animalistic instincts. They become wild and warring tribes. It gets very dark, involving hunting children, dead animals, and even murder.
This book has been interpreted by scholars for years about the commentary it makes about society and man’s most basic desires.
No matter your age, I recommend you read or re-read this story. It is very entertaining and a quick read. 5 out of 5 stars.
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