Lord of the Flies (page 2)

Heaven

Didn't the God Ba'al become Lord of the Flies/Beelzebub?

hamsterbait

I agree with Mad Sweeney about the book.

I think youngsters are little cannibals, and need adult supervision. However there could be an evolutionary basis in the way children learn to interact.

they are the future leaders of the pack and the pecking order needs to be established. As with other creatures the weak or different who might impair survival chances in difficult times are marginalised.

Whatever you think of Christianity or any religion that teaches compassion for the weak and powerless, its message enables civilised humans to rise above their animalistic impulses, and see something good and beautiful in humanity.

One of Goldings other books explores the neanderthal vs homo sapiens rivalry. He is obviously interested in this evolutionary aspect of the human condition.

HB

Band on the Run

It is a true classic and almost everyone reads it in junior high school. Recently, I've been reading some young adult classics. They are wasted on kids. I feel Golding wasn't as focused on teenage behavior unsupervised as human conceit that we are not animals but elevated, civilzed creatures. We can all revert given the right circumstances. Last night I reread Jack London's Call of the Wild. He wasn't writing about dogs.

These classics are great. They can be read on many, different levels and each level is complete in itself. The writing is joyous use of English. We are so fortunate to have such a great, bastardized language with so many words. I would hate learning it as a second language.

snowbird

Last night I reread Jack London's Call of the Wild. He wasn't writing about dogs.

Sure he was - two-legged dogs.

Did an oral report on that book in 8th grade.

Mentioned how the dogs' actions mirrored those of some humans.

Received an A+.

Syl

FlyingHighNow

We read it in high school. Remember that the book is fiction. I think desperate circumstances and fear can bring out the worst in people, no matter how old.

Justitia Themis

Some folks here are missing the point of the novel, or only seeing half of it.

Like the fact that people in "civilized" societies (like the US) are only one catastrophe from devolving into tribal savages. Like the fact that emotionalism/pure power (waterboarding, Tea Party) triumphs over rationalism/intellecutalism.

I think youngsters are little cannibals, and need adult supervision

The "kids" represent us...

For those who don't get it...Cliff's Notes:

http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/LitNote/Lord-of-the-Flies.id-64.html

Lord of the Flies explores the dark side of humanity, the savagery that underlies even the most civilized human beings. Golding intended this novel as a tragic parody of children's adventure tales, illustrating humankind's intrinsic evil nature. He presents the reader with a chronology of events leading a group of young boys from hope to disaster as they attempt to survive their uncivilized, unsupervised, isolated environment until rescued.

sizemik

Yeah I've read it . . . at school and again later on.

Interesting also is the amorphous religious element and ritualisation that emerges.

I saw a reasonably good cinematic production of the story also . . . although Idon't know where you might find that these days

d

I think everybody should read this book.

Band on the Run

I feel it would be great if we reread all our classics from junior high and high school. My present stage of life allows me to see more patterns and deeper meanings than when you. As a teenager, I would London wrote about dogs. Being a JW made it difficult for me to make the creative leap. I was raised tobe literal. These classics are so well written and just as relevant as any contemporary novel. IMO>

EmptyInside

I read it in ninth grade. I understand the symbolism,but as far as literature goes,it was not my favorite.

Lord of the Flies

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