Lord of the Flies is a fictional book by William Golding. The book’s plot revolves around the young boys—stranded on an island as their plane crashes during the world war. After that, they hear an explosive similar to a nuclear bomb. Now, their quest begins for survival where some boys are willing to set things in order while some are using the situation to express their inner savagery.
The protagonist of the story is a young man who is willing to lead and other children also choose him. However, his rival is a straight-up sociopath who uses fear of children against the rationality of the hero to take his position. As a result, things took a brutal turn and the decent boys did the things that no one saw coming.
Key Takeaways From Lord Of The Flies
Lord of the Flies is a great book which showcases the importance of adults in children’s lives. It’s because society keeps them sane and suppresses the inner savagery of the sociopaths. We all know that society does consist of serial killers who were children at some point. However, in the story there were no adults, thus the inner savagery of the children was at full display.
The Savagery of Human Nature
Human beings have a primitive nature which is suppressed from the very beginning of our lives. There are many different aspects of society and elders which prevent such behaviours in children. However, the disappearance of any sort of authority will lead to anarchy and chaos. Similar to what we saw in the book.
Attaining Order Through Chaos
Order and chaos are the two defining aspects of human nature. Some seek order which can be done through rational thinking as we see from the protagonist of Lord of the Flies. However, some use chaos to inflict order—both ways work but in the latter one, people suffer a lot.
Using Fear to Attain Power
Fear is a great way to attain power. Most politicians and authoritarians use fear for their benefit. It’s because fear can make people do things which they don’t do when everything is normal. Moreover, the quest for power by instilling fear is an old tactic which is still being used by malicious people.
Allegory of WW II In Lord of the Flies
During the end of Lord of the Flies, there is a great allegorical scene which depicts the reality of human beings. During World War II, the savagery of human civilisation was at full display as thousands of people were killed and it was done by adults.
Final Thoughts on Lord of The Flies
Lord of the Flies, is a great read as it explores the morality, tribalism and savagery of human nature. On top of that, it uses a fictional tale of young boys whose inner nature showcases the reality of people at the time of World War II.
Frequently Ask Questions (FAQs)
What is Lord of the Flies story about?
Lord of the Flies is about a group of children stranded on an island and their quest for order leads to barbarism and brutality.
What is the point of Lord of the Flies?
Lord of the Flies points out the hidden problems of human nature and its tracing through a fictional story. According to the book, people tend to be savage and brutal regardless of their background.
Who banned Lord of the Flies?
After being rejected by different publishers, Lord of the Flies was finally published in 1954. Despite the faced during the publishing process, the book was never banned after it became a major success.
Why is the Lord of the Flies Rated R?
The film Lord of the Flies is a rated R for children since it has some brutal themes and is among the most disturbing novels of the 20th century.
