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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
EAN num: 9780399501487
ISBN number: 0399501487
Label: Perigee Books
Manufacturer: Perigee Books
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 208
Printing Date: July 27, 1959
Publishing house: Perigee Books
Sale Popularity Level: 510
Studio: Perigee Books
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
14.5 Million copies sold to date
The classic, startling, and perennially bestselling portrait of human nature-now available as a Premium Edition with a stunning new cover and re-set, easy-to-read text.
Amazon.com Review:
William Golding's classic tale about a group of English schoolboys who are plane-wrecked on a deserted island is just as chilling and relevant yesterday as when it was very first published in 1954. At first, the stranded boys cooperate, attempting to gather food, make shelters, and maintain signal fires. Overseeing their efforts are Ralph, 'the boy with fair hair,' and Piggy, Ralph's chubby, wisdom-dispensing sidekick whose thick spectacles come in handy for lighting fires. Although Ralph tries to impose order and delegate responsibility, there are many in their number who would rather swim, play, or hunt the island's wild pig population. Soon Ralph's rules are being ignored or challenged outright. His fiercest antagonist is Jack, the redheaded leader of the pig hunters, who manages to lure away many of the boys to join his band of painted savages. The situation deteriorates as the trappings of civilization continue to fall away, until Ralph discovers that instead of being hunters, he and Piggy have become the hunted: 'He forgot his words, his hunger and thirst, and became fear; hopeless fear on flying feet.' Golding's gripping novel explores the boundary between human reason and animal instinct, all on the brutal playing field of adolescent competition. --Jennifer Hubert
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers 
-
I give this book three stars just on the strength of the underlying idea, but I think the author just failed to deliver on it. Granted, the author faced a difficult task in making this work, so I'm sympathetic, but I still can't recommend it. Paul Gehrman, Author, Kaleidoscope
Rated by buyers -
Reading through this book was like a punishment. The more I think about it the more it makes me feel sick to my stomach. Golding created such a real scene.
A mass of 7-12 year old, sweaty, smelly, dirty boys all trapped together. Blood, bile, urine, poop, spit, body odor.
The boys have no repercussions. That is the scariest part.
I did not like reading this one bit.
Rated by buyers 
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The Heart of Mankind
"Which is better - to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill? ... Which is better, law and rescue, or hunting and breaking things up?" (p. 162). Published in 1954, this amazing piece of work illustrates society and society's reaction to isolation apart from law. The knowledgeable Piggy, one of the many characters in the novel The Lord of the Flies, articulated this quote. This novel shows a group of young boys stranded on an island after their plane was shot down and the pilot killed. All by themselves, the juvenile, vigorous boys are trying to get off the island and get home ... or are they? Selfishness and a lust for power undermine the aim for rescue. While a few of the boys are working hard to obtain liberation from the atoll, several are obsessed with the thought of acquiring supremacy and relishing in the freedom and separation from their previous normal, boring lives with rules and adults.
This story, furthermore, examines the hearts and motivations of mankind. The message is that deep down inside of us as humans is a bent toward evil. The author, William Golding, presents this point by demonstrating that when there is no one around to enforce law, evil comes out of the boys and, consequently, causes much mayhem and destruction. "The beast struggled forward, broke the ring and fell over the steep edge of the rock to the sand by the water. At once the crowd surged after it, poured down the rock, leapt on to the beast, screamed, struck, bit, tore. There were no words, and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws" (p. 136). This quote shows how brutal and savage the boys have become. They strike with a mob mentality mistaking one of their own for the "beast." Earlier in the novel, this very character makes a prophetic statement about the beast while addressing the group: "What I mean is ... maybe it's only us" (p. 77). He is saying that the beast, whatever it is, is the evil within themselves.
Lord of the Flies is an exciting and riveting story that captures your heart. Some critics say the book ends rather abruptly, but others feel strongly that the ending is consistent with the author's purpose. The reader is left with a sense of contrast where instant law and order replaces chaos. Rich imagery and symbolism are discovered throughout the book and personal introspection is promoted. The book also causes the reader to take a deeper look at and analyze the true condition of the heart and soul of man and the role of society in maintaining morality. Lord of the Flies is an American classic and is written by the brilliant author William Golding. This timeless masterpiece should be read over and over again by every generation.
Rated by buyers -
The Flies that Plague Us All
"The most influential novel... since Salinger's Catcher in the Rye." - Time William Golding's amazing novel, Lord of the Flies, is a thoughtful allegory that should be read and pondered by all people. The seemingly simple plot covers a world of intriguing themes and symbols. The diverse characters shape the storyline while at the same time represent ideas and concepts with deeper meanings. All should enjoy this marvelous novel.
The book begins when a group of English schoolboys are stranded on a deserted island in the Pacific. A terrible storm causes their doomed plane to crash and with no adult supervision, the boys run wild. Initially, they elect a chief and call group meetings to discuss important things to do such as building shelters and maintaining a signal fire. However, as the boys bask in the joy of their new found freedom and find no limits to hold them back or adults to punish them for misbehaving, they begin their fall from the heights of civilization and order to the depths of chaos.
In the novel, written after World War II, Golding portrays his views on society through symbolism and themes in the novel. One of the themes explores the nature of evil. The boys become very afraid of a beast that they are sure exists on the island. One of the boys, Simon, however, suggests that perhaps the evil is within them and not in the form of a beast. As the boys become more malicious in their acts toward each other, they undergo a terrible experience in which they lose their childhood innocence. They are no longer the good little boys who arrived on the island. Golding also makes a point about civilization and savagery. Towards the end of the novel, the boys signify that they have left civilization behind by smearing blood on their faces as war paint and making animal sacrifices. In addition to themes, symbols are widely used in the novel. The boys use a conch to call group meetings where each boy can voice his own opinion without interruption. The shattering of the conch signifies that the boys have lost their last shred of civility. By using symbols and themes to express his ideas, Golding has created a spectacular novel.
Although the characters are only boys, they represent mature concepts. Ralph is the elected chief of the boys and is the image of kindness; he represents democracy. However, although his kindness is what gets him elected it is also his undoing. Jack is Ralph's opposite, using the boys' fear to govern them as a tyrannous dictator when order crumbles. Simon is quiet and spiritual; he is the one who realizes that the supposed "beast" on the island exists only in the boys' imaginations, and that the evil lies within the boys themselves. The scientist among the boys, logical Piggy, is the backbone of civilization. He helps Ralph make decisions as chief and is his loyal friend. A sullen, mysterious figure, Roger is probably the most feared of all the boys. He has no conscience, and without adults to administer punishment, Roger knows no limit to his horrific acts. By presenting the readers with these characters, Golding enhances his work significantly.
Lord of the Flies is a stunning book that you should definitely read. All the elements of the novel hold the reader in a tight grasp all the way to the end. The themes and symbols are delightful to contemplate and certainly open one's mind. Golding's characters are very realistic and easy to believe. Readers aged thirteen and older should read this novel by all means.
Rated by buyers -
The Flies that Plague Us All
"The most influential novel... since Salinger's Catcher in the Rye." - Time William Golding's amazing novel, Lord of the Flies, is a thoughtful allegory that should be read and pondered by all people. The seemingly simple plot covers a world of intriguing themes and symbols. The diverse characters shape the storyline while at the same time represent ideas and concepts with deeper meanings. All should enjoy this marvelous novel.
The book begins when a group of English schoolboys are stranded on a deserted island in the Pacific. A terrible storm causes their doomed plane to crash and with no adult supervision, the boys run wild. Initially, they elect a chief and call group meetings to discuss important things to do such as building shelters and maintaining a signal fire. However, as the boys bask in the joy of their new found freedom and find no limits to hold them back or adults to punish them for misbehaving, they begin their fall from the heights of civilization and order to the depths of chaos.
In the novel, written after World War II, Golding portrays his views on society through symbolism and themes in the novel. One of the themes explores the nature of evil. The boys become very afraid of a beast that they are sure exists on the island. One of the boys, Simon, however, suggests that perhaps the evil is within them and not in the form of a beast. As the boys become more malicious in their acts toward each other, they undergo a terrible experience in which they lose their childhood innocence. They are no longer the good little boys who arrived on the island. Golding also makes a point about civilization and savagery. Towards the end of the novel, the boys signify that they have left civilization behind by smearing blood on their faces as war paint and making animal sacrifices. In addition to themes, symbols are widely used in the novel. The boys use a conch to call group meetings where each boy can voice his own opinion without interruption. The shattering of the conch signifies that the boys have lost their last shred of civility. By using symbols and themes to express his ideas, Golding has created a spectacular novel.
Although the characters are only boys, they represent mature concepts. Ralph is the elected chief of the boys and is the image of kindness; he represents democracy. However, although his kindness is what gets him elected it is also his undoing. Jack is Ralph's opposite, using the boys' fear to govern them as a tyrannous dictator when order crumbles. Simon is quiet and spiritual; he is the one who realizes that the supposed "beast" on the island exists only in the boys' imaginations, and that the evil lies within the boys themselves. The scientist among the boys, logical Piggy, is the backbone of civilization. He helps Ralph make decisions as chief and is his loyal friend. A sullen, mysterious figure, Roger is probably the most feared of all the boys. He has no conscience, and without adults to administer punishment, Roger knows no limit to his horrific acts. By presenting the readers with these characters, Golding enhances his work significantly.
Lord of the Flies is a stunning book that you should definitely read. All the elements of the novel hold the reader in a tight grasp all the way to the end. The themes and symbols are delightful to contemplate and certainly open one's mind. Golding's characters are very realistic and easy to believe. Readers aged thirteen and older should read this novel by all means.
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