A critical history of "Lord of the Flies"

Transcription

1 A critical history of "Lord of the Flies" By Adam Burgess, ThoughtCo.com, adapted by Newsela staff on Word Count 978 Level 1140L William Golding's "Lord of the Flies," directed by Timothy Sheader, at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in London, England. Photo by Robbie Jack/Corbis via Getty Images William Golding's most famous novel, "Lord of the Flies," is about a group of schoolboys stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash. Since it was published in 1954, critics have been arguing about how to interpret the book. One critic who was an important and early voice in this debate was James Baker. In an essay written 10 years after "Lord of the Flies" was published, Baker argued that the book is more true to human nature than other stories about stranded castaways, such as "Robinson Crusoe" (1719) or "Swiss Family Robinson" (1812). Baker says that "Lord of the Flies" purposely contrasts itself with an older book set on a deserted island, R.M. Ballantyne s "The Coral Island" (1858). Ballantyne had used the genre to express his belief in the goodness of man. His story of survival showed that man could overcome hardships in a civilized way. Golding, in contrast, believed that men were inherently savage, and "Lord of the Flies" paints a much darker picture of human nature. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 1

2 Novel's Popularity Declined Rapidly According to Baker, "Lord of the Flies" is meant to be read as a fable, a story expressing a larger moral or idea. Baker notes that what happens on the island imitates "the larger tragedy" of the adult world. Golding wrote the novel shortly after World War II, at a time when nuclear war was a new and terrifying possibility. The way the boys treat each other in "Lord of the Flies" reflects the way humans were murdering and terrorizing each other in the real world. Golding's goal, he later said, was "to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature." This article is available at 5 reading levels at 2

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4 In less than two decades, "Lord of the Flies" became one of the most popular books on the market, a modern classic." According to Baker, though, it was already falling out of favor by In 1962, Time magazine called Golding Lord of the Campus because of how popular his book was at universities. Eight years later, readers and critics were moving on. Baker argues that the gradual loss of interest in "Lord of the Flies" can be explained, in part, by people's natural tendency to get tired of the familiar and move on to whatever is new. Boredom, however, may not be the main factor in the decline of Golding s novel. For Many, "Lord Of The Flies" Hit Too Close To Home In 1970, Baker says, the American public was distracted." It was a time of political change, when "protests, marches, strikes and riots," and all talk was about the Vietnam War and the possibility of nuclear war. According to Baker, the high level of anxiety in 1970 explained, in part, why people started losing interest in "Lord of the Flies." With destruction and terror ripping apart at their everyday lives, people were less interested in entertainment about destruction and terror. "Lord of the Flies" connected too closely with readers' anxieties. It forced them to think about the possibility of a war that would wipe out civilization as they knew it. Baker writes that people distanced themselves from "Lord of the Flies" in the same way that they distanced themselves from the true dangers they were exposed to. They preferred to believe that people would find a way to get along peacefully rather than descend into violence as the boys in "Lord of the Flies" do. Indeed, many school boards and libraries tried to keep readers away from Golding's book during the 1960s. Politicians on all sides raised objections to the book, and many accused Golding of being out-of-date. It was commonly believed at the time that evil came from disorganized societies, not from human nature. Golding's fable was too dark for many readers, who wanted to believe that anything was possible in the modern era. Renewed Interest In "Lord Of The Flies" Between 1972 and the early 2000s, there was not much written about "Lord of the Flies" by critics. However, in the late 1980s, the novelist Ian McEwan shared an interesting new reading. He notes how the extraordinary cruelty in "Lord of the Flies" reminded him of the ordinary cruelty that he experienced at school. He describes Golding's island as "a thinly disguised boarding school. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 4

5 McEwan's interpretation is disturbing yet entirely believable. He writes, I was uneasy when I came to the last chapters and read of the death of Piggy and the boys hunting Ralph down in a mindless pack. Only that year we had turned on two of our number in a [...] similar way. Thanks to readers like McEwan, "Lord of the Flies" started to become popular again in the late 1980s. Then, in 1993, it once again became a target for some readers who thought the book was anti-christian. Golding shows boys who were raised with a Christian education behaving viciously. He suggests that there is no hope, casting doubt, perhaps, on the idea that religion can save us. In 1997, E.M. Forster wrote an essay for a new edition of "Lord of the Flies." He describes the characters as representing human types from everyday life. Ralph represents the inexperienced believer and hopeful leader. Piggy represents the loyal right-hand man who has the brains but not the confidence. Jack is the outgoing, charismatic, powerful brute with little idea of how to be a leader but who thinks he should have the job anyway (Swisher 98). The popularity of "Lord of the Flies" has dipped at times, but more than 60 years later, it is still standing the test of time. Since its publication, each generation has had its own interpretations about the book's meaning. A main reason for its enduring popularity, of course, is that "Lord of the Flies" is simply a good story worth reading, or re-reading, for its entertainment value alone. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 5

6 Quiz 1 Which statement BEST reflects James Baker's opinion about why "Lord of the Flies" fell out of popularity? He thought that at the time people wanted to maintain a more positive view of humanity. He believed that people saw the book as an inaccurate reflection of true human nature. He believed that people, particularly academics, had grown bored with the book's fable-like style. He thought there was too much public unrest, so people did not have as much time to read. 2 Which piece of evidence appeals to the reader's sense of logic? Baker argues that the gradual loss of interest in "Lord of the Flies" can be explained, in part, by people's natural tendency to get tired of the familiar and move on to whatever is new. They preferred to believe that people would find a way to get along peacefully rather than descend into violence as the boys in "Lord of the Flies" do. He writes, I was uneasy when I came to the last chapters and read of the death of Piggy and the boys hunting Ralph down in a mindless pack. Only that year we had turned on two of our number in a [...] similar way. Then, in 1993, it once again became a target for some readers who thought the book was anti-christian. Golding shows boys who were raised with a Christian education behaving viciously. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 6

7 3 Which of the following is the STRONGEST evidence to support the author's central claim that "Lord of the Flies" fell out of popularity because it examined the dark side of human nature? Baker notes that what happens on the island imitates "the larger tragedy" of the adult world. Golding wrote the novel shortly after World War II, at a time when nuclear war was a new and terrifying possibility. Indeed, many school boards and libraries tried to keep readers away from Golding's book during the 1960s. Politicians on all sides raised objections to the book, and many accused Golding of being out-of-date. It was commonly believed at the time that evil came from disorganized societies, not from human nature. Golding's fable was too dark for many readers, who wanted to believe that anything was possible in the modern era. Golding shows boys who were raised with a Christian education behaving viciously. He suggests that there is no hope, casting doubt, perhaps, on the idea that religion can save us. 4 Which aspect of the author's argument is MOST important to the article as a whole? the way the climate of the time influenced the novel's popularity the way that religion affected the novel's popularity the way the novel reflects the environment of a boarding school the way the novel's characters represent different people in society This article is available at 5 reading levels at 7