Lord of the Flies
While I enjoy theology books and need to and intend to read more, I really like to read for entertainment. I just finished a book that was really interesting. It was about a bunch of boys stranded on an island. I knew nothing about this book until I finished it. Then, in the back of the book, there were some notes on the book from an interview with the author, William Golding. Apparently, it was a parable of a book. Everything ... except something on the last page ... had symbolic meaning. I just love a book like that!For me, it was not so terribly obvious as I read the book that it was symbolic. That is what made it remarkable to me (or maybe it just shows how dense I am!) I started to get an idea that it was about human nature and human depravity, but I had no idea the complexity of the story and the symbolism.
I recommend this book. I want to read it again. I really liked it.
Wikpedia article about "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding
posted by Rose~ at 10:07 AM
12 Comments:
I vaguely remember having to read the book in school. I remember it being scary because of the evilness of one (maybe more, my memory fails me) of the boys.
By
Dawn, at 5/07/2007 2:59 PM
Yes, Dawn ... very frightening at times. Nightmarish, even.
But then, I admit, I like that sort of thing...
By
Rose~, at 5/07/2007 5:15 PM
Rose, I love this book! I'm a sucker for symbolism - read LOTF many times over to dig into only a fraction of the symbolism. But, like you said, even without the symbolism it is an incredible story. I'm glad you dug it. I'ts been a while, where did I put that book...
By
Missy, at 5/07/2007 8:03 PM
Hi Missy,
I really enjoyed it. The realization that it was a "parable" at the end of the book made me want to read it again.
By
Rose~, at 5/08/2007 3:07 PM
I saw the film. Not read the book.
That makes me look uncharacteristically unkultured.
By
Matthew Celestine, at 5/08/2007 3:58 PM
Maybe I will have to send you a copy of the book for Christmas if you don't read it by then. ;~)
It IS about young British boys. Was the film you saw an older film or the newer one? (I have not seen either ... yet)
By
Rose~, at 5/09/2007 9:11 AM
I think it was a fairly old film.
The boys in the film were Yanks.
By
Matthew Celestine, at 5/10/2007 4:42 AM
Would you recommend it for young teens?
By
Unknown, at 5/11/2007 2:40 PM
the book not the movie...
or the comic strip...
By
Unknown, at 5/11/2007 2:41 PM
Hi Matthew,
per the films... Well, I looked on Blockbuster.com and the newer film has the boys as "yanks" but there was a film from 1963 (I think) in which the boys were Brits and it says that it closely adheres to the book.
Hello Jodie!
It is nice to see you out and about. I would say that maybe it is OK for your girls. Let me tell you this - it is about how far these boys fall when no adult supervision is around. Some of them become like savages. There is some brutality. There is no sexuality. It says they are swimming nude. So - I don't know if that would make your girls blush. There is some murder.
Does that help? It is a fine, fine piece of literature and nothing distasteful about it. I would recommend it for teen girls, but I guess maybe some parents would shelter them from the ugliness of something like that. And ... while it is ugly at some points, let me say that it is not gross or distasteful. It is a bit sad.
By
Rose~, at 5/11/2007 3:32 PM
Rose, an interesting question to ask would be whether any groups of boys have been lost on islands in real life and whether they really did behave like that.
By
Matthew Celestine, at 5/11/2007 5:50 PM
Matthew,
Now you have me wondering - do you know of such a group of boys? Or are you just asking a question?
By
Rose~, at 5/19/2007 7:49 AM
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