William Golding
William Golding’s Lord of the Flies is as haunting and as chilling today as it was when first published in 1954.
A group of English schoolboys are stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash during an unspecified war. There’s no shortage of food or drink as the island is plush, full of fresh fruit, wild pigs, and fresh water. The boys’ ages range from five-years-old to early teens. Initially, they organize and elect Ralph as their leader. He tries to run their meetings in an orderly manner by establishing rules and allocating various tasks, especially the all-important task of keeping the fire going for their rescue.
From the outset, Ralph’s leadership is challenged by Jack, the leader of the choir. Piggy, an overweight asthmatic with poor eyesight, tries to assert Ralph’s authority. Piggy is intelligent and logical, the voice of reason reminding them of the importance of keeping the fire going, of adhering to rules, and of behaving in a civilized manner. But his commonsense advice falls on deaf ears. He is ridiculed, bullied, and ignored.
Without the restraints of civilized society and dogged by fear and superstition, the boys rally around Jack, the leader who summons the heart of darkness within each child. The situation deteriorates until most of the boys are no longer recognizable as young boys. They paint their faces, run around naked, carry spears, dance around a ceremonial fire, chant, work themselves up into a frenzy, and leave sacrificial offerings to the “beast” to quell their fear of the unknown. Their savage-like behavior leads to horrific consequences.
With Ralph and Piggy on one side and Jack and his tribe on the other, the novel lends itself to an allegorical interpretation with each of the main characters representing a type. It is rich in symbolism. Through his skillful use of diction and imagery, Golding alerts the reader that this will not end well. The ominous tone, apparent at the outset, becomes increasingly pronounced as the situation deteriorates. We witness the tension escalating, the horror unfolding.
The novel suggests there is an innate human tendency toward savagery which must be kept in check by the laws governing society. Remove the social and legal restraints that bind a functioning society together, add to the mix a fear of the unknown and a leader who knows how to galvanize support by exploiting human weakness, and the result will be a regression to chaos, lawlessness, brutality, and violence. We become one with the savages performing the atavistic rites of our ancestors. As the introspective Simon suggests, “Maybe there is a beast . . . Maybe it’s only us.” The intimation we are one tenuous step away from barbarism is a chilling and sobering prospect.
A cautionary tale that is as relevant today as it was 60 years ago.
Highly recommended.