Lord of the Flies Author Biography Historical Context

Lord of the Flies Author Biography & Historical Context When you see this image on the page, you should take notes. Lord of the Flies. All Saints Catholic School. Web. 01 May 2017. allsaintskenosha. org

William Golding 1911 -1993 • Born in Cornwall, England • Previous Jobs • Theater actor and director • Poet • Schoolteacher • Member of Royal Navy during WWII • Commanded a rocketlauncher • Participated in invasion of Normandy

William Golding • After WWII, Golding realized humankind was capable of great evil • Returned to teaching and writing novels • Published Lord of the Flies in 1954

William Golding • LOTF was rejected by 20+ publishers. • It was very successful once published, so Golding retired from teaching and became a full-time writer. • Published many more novels and collections of poems and essays • Won Nobel Prize for Literature in 1983

Lord of the Flies • English schoolboys • (Golding was a schoolteacher) • Sent away on an airplane to escape a nuclear war • (Golding experienced nuclear war in WWII) • Marooned on an island with no adults…

“Beelzebub” a Hebrew word for LUCIFER However, the literal translation of “Beelzebub” into English is LORD OF THE FLIES

What happens if there were no grownups? • Allegory • A story with two levels of meaning, one literal (what’s it actually about) and one symbolic (what’s it all mean? ) • Lord of the Flies is an allegory • Literally about boys stranded on an island • Symbolically about what human society is like • Each boy represents an aspect of human society or of human nature … • Pay attention to who “wins” in the end to find Golding’s message

“All you need is love. . . ” Or NOT: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Philosophical Elements Rousseau Vs Hobbes • Jean Jacques • John Hobbes [1588 [1712 -78] -1679] believed Rousseau believed that people were in the “noble naturally prone to savage. ” The evil. They are closer a person ”short, ” “nasty, ” was to nature, the and “brutish. ” better he / she would be.

Golding’s belief as expressed in LOTF & Points to Ponder • People cannot escape their savage, violent tendencies, and without social order, we devolve into a state of chaos. • What does it mean to be civilized? • What role should government and community play in our lives?

Some Symbols Glasses = The last surviving evidence of the lawful, structured world Conch Shell = New democracy on the island Snake = Evil…reference to the serpent in the garden of Eden

Important Images • The Beast = The imaginary evil that is projected onto the island by the boys’ fear & paranoia • Lord of the Flies = A pig’s head on a stick that becomes the physical acceptance of evil on the island

Characterizations • Ralph: Main character described as “fair haired, ” having “broad shoulders…[like a] boxer’s, ” and has a face that “proclaims no devil” Committed to civilization and morality Translation = GOOD

Characterizations • Piggy: Described as “fat, ” “intellectual, ” asthmatic, and needs glasses Represents scientific, rational side of civilization, and social order

Characterizations • Jack: Described as having red hair, wears black with a snake clasp, ugly Cruel and manipulative Represents our savage instincts played out EVIL

Characterizations • Simon: Described as a skinny, vivid little boy, who “meditates; ” and he faints, which some cultures have believed is a sign of connecting with the spiritual world Seems to be connected with nature, and he has an innate, spiritual goodness

Characterizations • Roger: “Silent” and sadistic Targets the “littluns” The only one to premeditate murder Kills without conscience… Pure evil

Characterizations • Sam and Eric (Samneric) ~ Twins Described as barely having enough skin to cover both, bullet-headed, and they finish each other’s sentences The last to remain loyal to Ralph Represent the tug-of-war within us to remain good

Characterizations • “Littluns” The younger kids Represent the common folk, who easily follow the lead of others into savagery when there is no enforced structure in society