William Golding

1911- 1993

Born in England 1911 to an average middle-class family

Went to school at Oxford University Started teaching English at an all boys

prep school in 1939 Joined the British Navy and entered WWII

in 1940 Fought in Royal Navy during WWII Participated in invasion of Normandy on D-

Day After war, went back to teaching until

1963 and wrote LOTF in 1954, winning Nobel Prize for Literature in 1983

Died in 1993.

Which events may have had the largest impact on his life? Which may have influenced LOTF the most?

WWII and teaching young men.

How did they have such influence?

While serving in WWII…He saw the atrocities of war first hand, including

torture, death, bloodshed, etc.He was shocked by the horrors of Hitler’s

Holocaust, torturing of p.o.w.’s by the Japanese, and by the U.S. dropping the atom bomb.

While teaching at an all boys school…He observed how boys and young men acted toward each other and learned some of the psychological tendencies of boys:

Boys have a need for competition Boys have a desire for games and play as opposed to work

Boys have a tendency to “act up” when adults are not around Boys tend to be cruel and physically aggressive toward others

AllegoricalAllusions to

Classical literatureMythologyChristian Symbolism

AllegoryA narrative in which the characters and their

actions, and sometimes the setting, are put together by the author to make literal meaning, but also to have a second, often symbolic, meaning.

Two types of allegories: fable- a short narrative that explains human behavior or morals (Aesop)parable- a narrative about human beings used by the author to teach his or her audience a lesson (Bible tales)

symbols – anything that stands for or represents something else. Symbols point to meaning beyond what they are.

Writers often use conventional symbols for

meanings. Others create their own symbols by emphasis or repetition. Each method intends to make a point, create a mood, or reinforce a theme.

What are the meaning of these conventional symbols?

The color green

“It was simply what seemed sensible for me to write after the war when everyone was thanking God they weren’t Nazi’s. I’d seen enough to realize that every single one of us could be Nazi’s.”William Golding on his novel Lord of the Flies

Set in mid 1940’s when Europe engulfed in war.

A plane carrying British school boys is mistaken for a military craft and shot down.

Only the boys survive the crash, and try to form a society and govern themselves.

Civilization vs. SavageryLoss of InnocenceOriginal SinFear that separates one from GodNature of Good and Evil Goodness is rare and fleeting

Biblical parallels (book criticized for re-telling episodes in the Bible)

Pristine places corrupted by evilBeel’zebub- Hebrew translation for Lord of

the flies

The Conch- Civilization and orderThe Beast- The fear that separates man from God

Piggy’s Glasses- Reason, science and insightLord of the Flies- Evil Fire Signal- Hope, salvation

John HobbesEnglish Philosopher: 1588- 1679Man is by nature selfishly individualisticMan constantly at war with other menFear of violent death is sole motivation to

create civilizationsMen need to be controlled by absolute

sovereignty to avoid brutish behavior

WWII 1939- 1945The fall of France to Nazi Germany

in1940Britain feared an invasion and

evacuated children to other countries1940- A German U-Boat torpedoed

British ship carrying children killing the boys, thus suspending the oversees evacuation program

1939- Britain joined France in war against Nazi Germany 1940- Fall of France 1940- Fascist Italy joins the Axis with Germany 1941- Japan attacks Pearl Harbor causing USA to declare war on

Japan and enter the world war 1944- D-Day Normandy Landings 1945- Bombing of Dresden 1945- European victory celebrated 1945- Atomic Bomb dropped in Hiroshima immediately killing 60-

80,000 people (final death toll 135,000 people)

Death and destruction abound!!!

Allusion- (n.) an indirect reference to something

There are many, many modern day allusions to Lord of the Flies in popular culture.

For example….

The Simpson’s episode titled Das Bus is a parody of Lord of the Flies.

MarK Burnett’s CBS island show is said to have been inspired by LOTF.

The episode Club Spongebob is a spoof of LOTF.

Bands such as Taking Back Sunday, Nine Inch Nails, AFI, Iron Maiden, and Pink Floyd have written songs about or have alluded to LOTF in their music.