Hello readers! This blog is a part of my Bachelors syllabus which deals with William Goldings one of the famous novel i.e 'Lord of the Flies'. So, let's begin.
About the Author:
Sir William Gerald Golding CBE FRSL (1911 – 1993) was a British novelist, playwright, and poet. Best known for his debut novel Lord of the Flies (1954), he published another twelve volumes of fiction in his lifetime. In 1980, he was awarded the Booker Prize for Rites of Passage, the first novel in what became his sea trilogy, To the Ends of the Earth. He was awarded the 1983 Nobel Prize in Literature. As a result of his contributions to literature, Golding was knighted in 1988. He was a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature In 2008, The Times ranked Golding third on its list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945"
Summary of Lord of the Flies:
Lord of the Flies by William Golding is about a group of English schoolboys who get stranded on a deserted island after their plane crashes during a war. Ralph and Piggy find a conch shell and use it to gather the other boys. Ralph is chosen as the leader, while Jack is put in charge of hunting. At first, they try to stay organized by making rules and lighting a signal fire using Piggy’s glasses. However, they accidentally set part of the forest on fire, and a small boy who had earlier mentioned a "beastie" disappears.
Over time, the boys start losing interest in rules. Ralph tries to keep things under control by building shelters and keeping the fire burning for rescue, but most of the boys prefer to play and hunt. Jack becomes obsessed with hunting and keeps insulting Piggy. Their rivalry worsens when Jack’s group lets the signal fire go out, causing them to miss a rescue opportunity when a ship passes by. Fear of the “beast” increases when a dead parachutist lands on the island, and the boys mistake it for a monster. Ralph and Jack search for the beast, but their conflicts grow stronger. Jack eventually leaves the group and starts his own tribe, where he becomes a cruel leader. Most of the older boys join him. They paint their faces, hunt, and offer a pig’s head as a sacrifice to the beast. Meanwhile, Simon, a kind and thoughtful boy, discovers that the "beast" is actually just a dead man. But when he tries to share the truth, the boys mistake him for the beast in their wild excitement and kill him.
Jack's tribe becomes even more violent. They steal Piggy’s glasses to make fire, leaving Ralph and his few allies helpless. When Ralph confronts Jack, they capture the twins, Sam and Eric, and Roger kills Piggy by rolling a boulder on him, also destroying the conch shell. With no rules left, Jack’s tribe hunts Ralph, setting the jungle on fire to trap him. Just as they are about to kill him, a British naval officer arrives, having seen the fire. The boys, realizing what they have done, break down in tears.
Themes of the Novel:
Human Nature – The story shows that when people are left without rules and laws, they tend to become selfish, violent, and power-hungry. Golding suggests that deep inside, humans have a savage side that comes out when civilization disappears.
Civilization vs. Savagery – At first, the boys try to create a society with rules and order, but as time passes, they abandon these rules and give in to their wild instincts. Golding argues that civilization only hides human cruelty but does not remove it completely.
The "Beast" and Fear – The boys believe the beast is a real creature, but in reality, it represents their own fears and savage instincts. Simon realizes that the real beast is inside them, but he is killed before he can share this truth.
Spirituality and Religion – Simon is a symbol of spiritual figures like Jesus or Buddha. He understands the truth about the beast and tries to help the others, but they reject him and kill him in their fear and madness.
Power and Weakness – The story shows how some people use power to dominate others. Jack and his tribe gain power through fear and violence, while weaker characters like Piggy suffer because of their differences.
Through this story, Golding explores the dark side of human nature, showing that without rules, people can become cruel and destructive.
I hope this would be helpful,
Thank you.
No comments:
Post a Comment