This review was inspired by a censorship write off I participated in (My write off -Family Secrets by Norma Klein). The idea of bringing attention to "banned, condemned, censored" works really go me thinking. So here is my second review of "controversial" material.

First published in 1954, Lord of the Flies is a story about a group of British schoolboys (ages 6-12 or so) who's plane crashes onto a desert island. We see what this group of boys have to do, and become to survive until their hoped for rescue.

The story begins when Piggy and Ralph find each other and begin to look for others and get some order to the group. Ralph finds a conch shell and blows it to call to any other boys on the island and they come to him. After they all meet it is voted that Ralph will be the leader of the group, since he has the conch. The choir (another set of 'Biguns') will be the hunters, lead by Jack. Ralph hoping that smoke from a fire will attract attention of passing boats, makes keeping a fire going the biggest job on the island. As they build the pile to burn they realize they have no matches. Soon the idea hits that sunlight through piggys glasses will do the trick and they get the fire going.

Everything is fine at first, the boys make a fire, build shelters and get water. After a while though the idea of swimming, playing and hunting is much more fun and the boys watching the fire let it go out, as a ship passes by. Ralph is very upset and wants to know why and Jack says he needed the boys to hunt for meat. Ralph's leadership deteriorates as does the civility and sanity of the boys.

Eventually Jack challenges Ralph's leadership and takes his band of hunters and other followers to another portion of the island. Once there they realize they cannot start a fire without the glasses, or stealing fire from the others. His band sneaks into the camp of Ralph's group in the night and attacks, stealing piggy's glasses. Now Jack seems to have the better group. He lures the other boys away from Ralph and Piggy with roasted meat from their hunts, painted faces and other things that seem like fun.

As time goes by Jack's group become more and more savage. Eventually more than just pig are hunted.


I first read this book in 6th grade and I really liked it, even though it was about all boys and adventure, it was very moving. There were some graphic parts that scared me a little (I still cannot shake some of the things I imagined as I read this the first time). The ending also really bugged me, I was left almost mad at the assumptions made. I was again required to read it in high school, which I gladly did, it got better. I have re-read this book many times and each time I still really like it. While this is listed as a young adult book at places such as Amazon, I would not classify it as that only. As an adult I see more of the symbolism in the book than I did when I was younger. The only thing that has never changed over the years is my feeling at the end.



Interesting Fact Lord of the Flies was one of the top 100 banned of challenged books in the 90's even after William Golding (1911-1993) won an Nobel prize for literature for works including this book in 1983.
(See: http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/top100bannedbooks.html)



Recommended: Yes