English II: January 7th

Pick Up: Your journal

Do: In your journal

A. Write whether you agree or disagree with the statements.

B. Choose one of the statements that you feel strongly about and write a 2-paragraph response about why you feel that way. Include specific or hypothetical evidence to defend your opinion.

1. Agree/Disagree? All human beings are born with evil in them; evilness is part of human nature.

2. Agree/Disagree? Human beings are evil because the environment around them makes them behave that way.

3. Agree/Disagree? When it comes to survival, everyone becomes selfish and does what is in their own interest.

Lord of the Flies by: William Golding

An Introduction

Imagine.

You wake up one morning and go through the usual routine of getting ready for school. You get to school only to find that you and your classmates (in this class) are the only ones in the building. You roam around and find a note that says…

You and your classmates are the only ones left on Hightower Island. Learn to survive.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

What is the first thing you would do?

What are some items you would need?

What roles would have to be created?

What might end up happening?

Meet: William Golding He had an interest in writing by age 7. At 12 years, he had already written a multi-volume novel.

Became a school teacher (1935-1961)

He served in the Royal Navy during World War II.

Because of his new insight into evil and violence, he wrote this novel, Lord of the Flies.

His novels examine the “darkness of man’s heart.”

What Influenced Golding (Historical Events of 1954)

Cold War era (after WWII) The Cold War brought about fears of atomic destruction – this is what ends up as the cause for the boys’ escape from England.

Written partially in response to The Coral Island, a story of how people supposedly ascend in their goodness on an island.

What it’s all about…

Plot – A group of young boys is stranded on an island

and they must negotiate the social issues of cooperation and self-government

– The outside world is consumed with war

Main Characters – Ralph, Jack, Piggy, Simon, Roger, Sam and

Eric (AKA: Samneric)

Setting is BIG!

The Island and the real world

Vocabulary: Microcosm…

The island is a representation of what is happening in the outside world. Destruction and chaos are imitated within the “society” set up by the boys.

Vocabulary: Irony

Without realizing it, the boys have created the same society from which they were being protected.

Guiding Questions

– Does every human being have a dark side? Are humans inherently good or evil?

– What does it mean to be civilized?

– Rules of government – democracy vs. dictatorship? What type of government works best? Why?

– What are the outcomes when evil is an influence?

Very important literary devices

Theme

Identify the author’s message about…

-Human nature -Governments

-Good and evil in man -Society

-The affect of environment on who we become

Symbolism Conch shell, Island, Piggy’s glasses, fire, pigs, “beastie”

Allusions Names – Ralph and Jack (main characters in The Coral Island), Simon (an apostle of Jesus Christ), Lord of the Flies = Beelzebub (another name for Satan)

Many Christian allusions!

From the author…