Lord of the Flies: The Themes · The Characters · The Language and Style · The Plot Analyzed

by Mary Hartley, Tony Buzan

If you're looking for an explanation of Lord of the Flies 's themes, plot points, character actions and motivations, plus discussions of William Golding's unique literary style and point of view, reach for the Literature Made Easy Series . This enlightening guide uses meaningful text, extensive illustrations and imaginative graphics to make this novel clearer, livelier, and more easily understood than ordinary literature plot summaries. An unusual feature, "Mind Map" is a diagram that summarizes and interrelates the most important details about Lord of the Flies that students need to understand. Appropriate for middle and high school students.

Genres: Fiction

83 pages, Paperback

First published January 7, 1998

Reviews

[Lindon (Clay) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found the book Lord Of The Flies by William Golding to be very good and would give a 5 out of 5. The book explains these British school boys on a trip when the plane crashes and they land on an island And are having to fight for survival. When Jack forms his own tribe who is questioning Ralph's authority. One group is fighting and using resources on the island to survive and not turn savage. The other group is resorting to cannibalism while there is no cannibalism they turn savage and try for it.I mainly love the plot because while this is unlikely it could very much happen in real life. The story also felt just like I was watching everything unfolding in real time. Emotion also was there because you can feel how Simon is feeling when they are trying to eat him.
Comparing Lord Of The Flies by William Golding to the movie version I find that they are very similar. The main thing is the plot: they both stick to the same idea of boys who crash landed and separated and are now trying to survive their own ways. The character also did not change; the characters kept the same roles as they did in the book; no name changes and no role changes. One thing different is how the book explains the boys as British boys where the movie calls them birthmark boys. Overall the story stayed the same and I was impressed by how similar they were.

[Robbie Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

the book the lord of the flies by Mary Hartly was a good read. it was a good read because it did a good job of keeping me interested and and it made me want to keep reading to find out what happened next. one of the things that the author did to keep me interested is that she didn't give anything away she would introduce a conflict and not solve it right away. an example of this is when the boys on the island became enemies and were fighting she had it go on for a long time and it kept me asking what are they going to do next. this book is interesting, it tells a story about young boys stranded on an island that need to learn how to survive with no assistance from and adult the boys were alone. as the book goes on the boys get distant with each other and split in groups but as the book raps up the boys come back together as one strong group and learns to work together. the best audience for the book is teenage kids, this is the best audience because the story is about younger kids learning to survive on there own and get along with people they don't like. over all the book is a very good and interesting read that i recommend

[Freddy Quiroz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Around 2019 I was living in South Bronx with a bunch of Dominicans and every Sunday we woke up to mad loud salsa and bacon eggncheese. I would read this book between like cooking and playing dominos all Sunday lmao SAME though if you read this book that’s how it is but just read it lmao

[Taylor St. Clair · Rating 4 out of 5]

read this for school and it wasn’t terrible, prob the most intriguing out of others we have read this year :)

[Isaac Rollins · Rating 3 out of 5]

She’s cutie🎀

[Ttowles · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a very good book but lacked current topics

[Alex Choi · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the school voyage trip, they met the huge storm during the travel. Only some other boys were alive, and they made their own groups to survive themselves. There were 2 biggest group, which is from Ralph, and Jack. Ralph, who is thoughtful, prudence, and have good leadership. He is trying to solve the problem with conversation. However, Jack is the boy who like to do hunt, and violence. Proportionally, he was totally opposite with Ralph. Also, there is a guy who name Piggy. Piggy is not physically strong, but he is respected, responsible, and the most intelligent guy. He have a glasses, and this affect the whole story. To begin, the story starts with collect the conch shell. This conch shell symbolises the civilisation; in other words, someone who has the conch shell can speak the right things. Therefore, Ralph always used the conch shell to represent his own position. It is easy to collect scattered boys either. Next to, they use Piggy's glasses to burned up the fire, which represent the science in society. One day, they saw the beast hanging on the tree. As the time pass, their believe of animal existence is growing: boys become savage. By that, boys were lose their innocence. Even they kill the pig where live in the island, and put their head on the stick. With this incident, Jack's group and Ralph's group finally opposing to together. They killed each other, and Ralph, Jack and two follower were left. At the top of mountain, Ralph saw the naval officer and rescued by them. This is the end of the story. In my opinion, this book is about the civilisation and communism's difference. For the civilisation, which is for Ralph was peaceful, and righteous. However, communism, which represent Jack, solve every events with his own power, and make boys lose innocence.

[Mad Jeremiah]

The book Lord of the Flies By William Golding is about a young ten year old boy named Ralph, who wakes up on an island with a boy so called Piggy from a plane crash. This book didn’t really interest me because I kinda thought this book went slow and took time to take action.
The main character Ralph is on an island with a boy that goes by Piggy and no adults. They together eventually find a object that makes sound to communicate throughout the island. Two boys eventually become into a whole group of British boys in need for a leader. A boy comes along with the other boys with the name of Jack which would like to be leader but doesn’t have enough votes as Ralph. This kinda makes conflict between them. Jack grows bored, restless and resentful of Ralph’s role.
Later on, Jack with his hunting groups splits the the main group and recruits some of the other boys. Successfully doing so , they kill piggy. Right when Ralph is starting to become a goner and gets cornered, a naval officer arrives. Which gives him and some of the other boys hope to finally get rescued off the island. My favorite part in the book would have to be on the last page when Golding informs that “Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy.”
My opinion on the book , would have to be that it’s very slow but it does have meaning, kinda symbolizes good vs evil. Similar to Peter pan, a group of young boys with no adults, only a young leader. Later on facing Captain hook and his goons. I think anyone that is very interested with a long story and civilization should read this book.

[Dominic Nhan]

Lord of the Flies
William Golding
Dominic Nhan
The Lord of the Flies was something. It was very different and interesting.
It had an interesting plot and story. I overall like it because it was very detailed and sort of disgusting. I disliked how they turned on each other. I liked the way the author pulled me into wanting to read more and more also!

Main Setting
A deserted tropical island

Main Characters-
Ralph- He is the leader of the boys who are stuck on the island.
Jack- He is one of the boys who are stuck on the island and is leader of the hunters.
Simon- He is very quiet and sensitive and does whatever he is told to do if it’s good.
Piggy- He is fat and Ralph’s best friend, he soon gets killed and eaten by his friends.
Roger- He is a very rude and brutal person and kills Piggy by rolling a boulder on him.

Main Conflict-
The boys are stuck on the island and don’t care so much but still want to escape. They feel like they are freed from adults and are now adults. The hunters were supposed to be watching the fire so it doesn’t go out soon the hunters didn’t watch it so it went out. Ralph gets mad at Jack who is the leader of the hunters. They soon start feud and go against each other, Workmen vs Hunters. But another conflict is the beast that lurks the island.

I would recommend this to people because the other tells a lot of vivid details and makes you imagine the war and all the deaths, it’s pretty weird but enjoyable. I would recommend this to people who love war and gore.

[Jahziel · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Lord of the Flies," by Mary Hartley was recommended to me by my English teacher. Overall it was an okay book. There were moments that had me confused, bored and in a lost for words. It told the story of a group of schoolboys, the youngest being 6 and the oldest being 12, who ends up on a deserted island after their plane crashes. The boys learn to cope with each other and begins to enjoy life without grown ups. What seemed like an adventure slowly turns into a nightmare as the story progresses and the boys split up into two tribes. Throughout the book, fear, doubt, hubris, identity, betrayal, unexpected deaths and personality transformations occur leaving me astonished, disgusted and mind-bobbled. I would recommend this book to any person/reader interested in action.

[Ervis · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG this book is so sad. In the beggining its alright but when the guys split up into two tribes and they started fighting each other, it got a bit boring. Then when Jack and the other guys killed simon i was angry because they were pretending to be hunters and they killed simon for no reason AT ALL. Then when the boy on top of the rock threw the big rock at piggy i was so maad and i was shocked. I put the book down for like 10 minutes and i said to myself that it cant happen in real life.
Overall the book was amazing because it kept me tense almost the whole time. This is one of the books that you want to put down but you cant. i would recommend this book to anyone.

[Veronica Thomas-lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was engrossed by the idea that if all adults were removed from society that kids would harm others and themselves. It explains why adults are needed and that children left uncared for and alone will in time become like animals were the weak are killed and the strong or the bullies would in time take over the society. It shows how the bully types uncontrolled will and do over power and control the younger ones. It was a great written book and does not over state the fact that there is always one person for whatever reason has or wants the need to control the rest of the group. It to me is a great read and a must to all reads to take a look at this book.

[Arlette Soro · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a bunch of boys who end up on an island after their plane crashes. These boys barely know each other and yet they have to learn how to live with each other. Some of them think that they can do what ever they want because there are no adults present on the island but others are scared and want to get rescued. This difference of priorities gets them to hate each other and kill each other. Will the boys make it until they get rescued? Or will they all die? READ AND FIND OUT!!!!

[Jessica Sierocki · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to read this is my junior British Lit class. I absolutely hate having to read books when I don't choose to and I feel that was part of why I disliked it as much as I did. Either that or having to listen to an audio file instead of reading it on my own. I liked the idea but the characters were so annoying, especially Jack. I couldn't stand that backwards, aggravating little boy. If I had a choice, I don't think I would have ever read this book in the first place.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very intense. These boys are stranded on an island for a long period of time. They eventually are in a mentality of killing each other and going crazy. They are found and taken home. It is a very symbolic book of the gospel and the world.

This was a pretty clean book, but is very intense and graphic. Not appropriate for younger children. Its symbolism and wars that happen would be more understood and appreciated at higher levels in school.

[Abram · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book it shows how with kids how any group of people would in their situation. With any level of intelligence there is always a leader and rebels in government where people are unsatisfied.

[Steven Martinez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book because it shows how when people don't have any kind of order in their society then it may cause a lot of chaos.
It also shows how people always have an evil thought they just might not always think like that.

[Brandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember flipping through channels on tv and coming across this movie. I was entranced! After seeing the movie I had to hunt down the book, and I was a fan of the story almost immediately. This is another recommendation I often recommend to friends.

[Zachary]

this book is good except when they kill piggy

[Ah'liyah Cato]

It was an amazing book and i enjoyed reading it!

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

This one was hard to get through. I know its a classic with a lot of important things to say, but I really feel there are some more recent books that have expressed the same themes better.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

really creepy and scary

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

No better way to teach children the dangers of peer pressure. I feel like this book just highlights the importance of teaching your kids to be there own person.

[Larvell campbell]

I seen the movie so i know the book is very good.

[Marquita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was in middle school when I read this book. I remember crying as I read it, because it was so sad. I remember Simeon and wanting to help him. Its a great book, but a sad one.

[Damond Fornengo · Rating 3 out of 5]

great book

[Donald · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was boring.

[Katlyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Creepy, scary, and what most public schools are like these days...

[Jeremiah A]

Monday, September 30= 30minutes
Wednesday, October 2= 20minutes
Thurseday, October 3= 40 minutes

[Michael Vermeer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating piece on human nature, with plenty of parallels distinctly drawn between the boys-turned-savages on the island and the world as we know it.