I’m sure most people are familiar with this book from high school reading lists but I think it deserves to have a review written.
Lord of the Flies is about a group of British boys who find themselves stranded on an island when the plane that was supposed to transport them to safety is shot down. Alone and with no adults around, they are forced to survive on the island together until help can arrive to save them. At first, they maintain their civility – they appoint a leader and the leader creates a team of hunters, a team of signallers (whose job it is to create and maintain a smoke/fire signal so that they can be rescued), and a team of boys to set up camp. However, things begin to sour as the boys begin to lose sight of their humanity and descend into savagery.
A lot of people do not like this book because it was forced down their throat in high school and they had to write numerous analytical essays over it. But if you take the time to really read it, you will be able to see the complexity that makes this book so great. It describes something innate in all humans (and all living things, for that matter) and how thin the line is between civility and savagery. It’s a scary thought to think of and it begs the question: what events could reduce us to such a state? It is quite gory and it is sharply written; you won’t find any mincing of words or flowery language here! But give it a go. I guarantee it will make you think of society from a different perspective!
Happy reading ~