Jeff’s Reviews > Lord of the Flies > Status Update

Most, he was beginning to dread the curtain that might waver in his brain, blacking out the sense of danger, making a simpleton of him.

This whole book was exciting, but this is quite a climax.

The psychological transformation of each character and how it reflects who they were before in this story is probably the most fascinating part. It's not subtle, but it doesn't need to be to wield its full power. As Ralph is hunted to desperation, his mind is increasingly confused and foggy, but also, he adopts the language of the "savages." Piggy's choice of words right before his death maybe the same indicator.

Given what pure nightmare fuel this story is, I have to wonder if there's any connection to Stephen King's Castle Rock.

So much of this book is about the gulf between adult and childhood cognition, yet schools decided this should be assigned to young teenagers?

The psychological journey as the more thoughtful kids start to realize what it means to be without adults and unable to reach help is the most interesting part of this book: "He found himself understanding the wearisomeness of this life, where every path was an improvisation and a considerable part of one’s waking life was spent watching one’s feet."

Whether Golding meant it as a reference or not, the fire plotline bears a resemblance to the results of the mutinous crew of the Bounty's stopover before reaching Pitcairn.

The pacing of this book is similar to any standard thriller and the historical/literary context require quite a bit of knowledge, still puzzled as to why this is marketed to middle school students.

There's an enchanting minimalism to the prose, so the cause of the plane crash, the location of the island and the reality or veracity of all other details is suspended. Scenes are maximized by a limited and authentic perspective. The story begins after some major events have already occurred, dropping the reader right in the middle of the action. Expository information is built into the narrative, wasting no time.