Reviews - Lord of the Flies: (International export edition)

15.5k reviews for:

Lord of the Flies: (International export edition)

William Golding

3.48 AVERAGE

myrthepeerthe's review against another edition

1.0

I may not be a twelve year old boy, but I would've made better decisions.

kathyg93's review against another edition

3.75

dark reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

lynniekate's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Quotes:

- He wanted to explain how people were never quite what you thought they were.

- He found himself understanding the wearisomeness of this life, where every path was an improvisation and a considerable part of one’s waking life was spent watching one’s feet. He stopped, facing the strip; and remembering that first enthusiastic exploration as though it were part of a brighter childhood, he smiled jeeringly.

- the darkness and desperate enterprise gave the night a kind of dentist’s chair unreality

- They worked therefore with great energy and cheerfulness, though as time crept by there was a suggestion of panic in the energy and hysteria in the cheerfulness.

- “Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill!”

deciem27's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This book shows how boys would deal with being stranded on an island without adults. It gets more and more dark as the story goes on.

go2005's review against another edition

4.25

challenging dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

iamother's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Although the book was predictable in its plotting, I still enjoyed the journey towards its conclusion. I think the book’s use of children to tackle real issues in society was strategic. Because although children are aware of the framework that keeps society afloat, they don’t necessarily appreciate all the work that is required to maintain it. We all lose sight of the importance of something until it is no longer there. Even in isolation on the island, the kids recognized the importance of leadership and order in reaching their main goal: getting rescued. But even in this small society, power dynamics, limited resources, and other factors can cause our priorities to become skewed. The main POV of this book, Ralph, is one of the few characters who tried to be consistent and to keep everyone on task. But even he lost sight of what was important once his authority was challenged. The use of characters like Simon and Piggy are crucial in the making of this story. Because although they are part of the group, they exist more as outsiders. Which is why they are able to speak truth to power and to point to flaws that otherwise escape notice. These kids mirror adults in a lot of ways. Showing the reader how we pass on these flaws to future generations which is why society continues to struggle with the same problems. People in power often start with the best of intentions, but sometimes things happen that can cause values to shift. The presence of the “beast” is an example of this. With Jack offering an outside force as the reason for the change when in reality he already had his own hidden ulterior motives. Power is often weak without those there offering it support. An argument could be made that although there were two sides of the divide fighting for control: Ralph (fire and escape) and Jack (hunting and nourishment), both had a right to exist. Each provided something that the group needed, although their leadership styles were different. People are often willing to excuse cruelty and oppression (of groups weaker than them) if it bears fruit. When Ralph started to feel isolated following the deaths of those closest to him and abandonment by others, he started to question if it was worth it to even continue. To give up leadership and instead fall in line behind a singular voice. The author was illustrating the value of having multiple voices at the table, and that just because you’re alone doesn’t mean your opinion doesn’t hold value. Ralph’s singular focus was fire and creating a means of escape. It represented a will in society to never give in to tyranny completely. That when that happens society will collapse. The fact that salvation came right when he was at his lowest, though never giving up, shows how powerful resiliency can be. But the sailor in “uniform” at the end also represents the futility of ideals. That they are weak unless they have individuals with the conviction to stand by them regardless of the peril they may face. And people with convictions that strong are only made manifest in those who have been shown the value of it in their own lives. For these kids, the author shows you how quickly they abandoned it once they were met with resistance. Even if it meant them possibly never being saved, they still chose the possibility of a full stomach over countless hours devoted to keeping a fire alive. Jack was hellbent on maintaining his authority that he was willing to sacrifice their future livelihood if it meant getting rid of Ralph. And what does it say about the kids following him that they were willing to go agains their own interests for the illusion of security? It’s why democracies in third world countries continue to fail. Because they don’t have the history with it like we do and we don’t have the commitment to see it through. Yet those in “uniform” stand by and watch and are shocked things turned out so disastrously. The book showed the reader how a lot of things in society are held on by a very thin thread. It is because of shared beliefs and ideals that governmental institutions are maintained. What would happen if half of society tomorrow decided to follow a leader like Jack and become “savages” or antithetical to established order? It’s why we have to continue to teach these values to those growing up now. To become examples of what they can aspire towards. Otherwise our own society will have to face its own “shadows” and “beasts”.