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Summary: There's something about these "Lord of the" books
Review: Lord of the Rings, Lord of Chaos--two of my favorite fantasy novels. Lord of The Flies--a nigh-perfect book. You can see it on three levels: adventure story, character study, or a political level, and it has something for everybody. It isn't for the faint of heart, definitely, but it is still an incredible book. If you don't read this book, you're missing out on one of the most amazingly symbolic, wonderfully written books of all time--even more so because of the simple narrative. My favorite scene was the part with Simon and the pig's head--but let's not spoil anything for you! Pick it up and read it! It's a quick read and you won't regret it unless you still cringe everytime you see Saving Private Ryan... OK, maybe even then, you'll love it.
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Summary: A GREAT WORK OF LITERATURE
Review: This is a rare book that feally makes you think. I'm 13 years old and I loved this book. It's extreemly disturbing and that's why I loved it. That little 7th grader who thought it was sick obviously is too young or not ready for this book. FOR MATURE READERS ONLY.
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Summary: The worst book I've ever read
Review: Everyone was saying how good this book was, so I read it. Big mistake. This book may have a lot of in-side meaning, and maybe too much in-side meaning for a high-school student. The message that this is book is trying to get across is too 'in your face' and violent for a high school reading level. It makes it worse that children are doing the killing. I passionatly hated this book the whole way through, and unless you delight in children killing eachother, I don't advise you to read it.
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Summary: Wonderful
Review: This book is amazing. Some people says it's not realistic, people don't behave that way, it doesn't represent makind... Thousands of people are killed everyday around the world. The rich countries get richer and richer while the poor countries get poorer and poorer. Hundreds of millions of people around the world don't have anything to eat or drink. Small kids are forced to work for the benefit of occident companies. Who dares to say *we* are not evil?
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Summary: Lord of the Flies
Review: Just as Conrad's work "Heart of Darkness" does, Golding's "Lord of the Flies" reveals to the reader the human soul's tendency to change to the primordial or primitive self. I think that Golding's use of children as the main characters in the novel is helpful in conveying this message. The children's refusal to follow Ralph stems from the nature of children, in that they found no excitement or satisfaction from following him and his rules. Ralph's maturity resembled that of grown-ups, which children revolt against. On the other hand, Jack's group offered as an incentive more childish excitement in paiting themselves, hunting and ceremonies. We, as the reader, can see the children's folly in following Jack, but they are unable to think rationally due to their immature natures and new-found freedoms. Using children, Golding tries to symbolize the essential qualities in every human's soul and reveal something to the reader about him or herself.
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Summary: An important philosphy disguised in an island adventure
Review: I, unlike many students, was not required to read Lord of the Flies in high school. If I did, I probably would rate this book at a lower score. Anyway, I always had known the basic plot, so I while back I picked it from the library. I now know why many teachers make this book required reading. Golding puts his view of human civilization with Freudian philosophy in what first appears to be simple story of English boys on an uninhabited island. In the beginning, that is how the novel seems, and it has a cheerful mood. But Golding's main point is that civilization is fragile, and without government people are asking for chaos. He brings Freudian concepts into play, like id, ego, and superego(Jack, Ralph, Piggy). Adults here are represented like government figures, but no adults on the island mean no government. The boys do their best to work together at first, but soon after there is manipulation and mutiny. Symbolism packs this book, not only in inanimate objects, but the characters. Jack(agression), Ralph(order), Piggy(reason), and Simon(consolation that was never realized). All the while the island is presented as a paradise and a lonely piece of wilderness at the same time. Golding puts his message across clearly, and at the same time puts out a good adventure novel. I only had two main problems with Lord of the Flies. One is that overall, the island seemed to be very small and needed more decription of it's physical features, and two, Golding should have put the boys' average age a few years ahead. But those aside, this novel is a good one, being rightful to earn classic status. If you like to read something that makes your brain crank while being entertained, Lord of the Flies is a pretty damn good deal.
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Summary: *Very Insightful, and Thoughtful Novel*
Review: I feel sympathy for the thousands of middle/high school children who have this book on their district's reading lists. The language is a bit severe and even quite intense at some points. But, the hidden meanings are all-too meaningful. Why fight an kill, when we could just get along and thrive in a savage world? It has universal meaning. however, one wishes the story were written a bit more simply and less severely. This makes the story a bit less entertaining than it would have had it been told in a less complicated and intense fashion. This book is recomended to those who have the perseverence and are able to relate to stories well. But, I suggest that you stay away from this novel if you're one of those who are prone to becoming confused and over-taken when reading a novel.
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Summary: Lord of the Flies review
Review: "Which is better-to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill?" This thematic question is the basis of conflict in William Golding's Lord of the Flies. Golding's tale, set on a remote island, is a story of a group of British boys' survival from a shipwreck. The boys, aged from a mere six to twelve, must struggle to go on with their everyday lives, apart from all adults or authority. This separation from society creates this overall thematic conflict: the struggle between the civil and primal natures of man. This conflict is enacted beautifully in this fictional setting. There are an endless amount of symbolic insights that can be applied to this struggle in the heart of man, ranging from as simple as the conflict between good and evil, or order and disorder, to complex Biblical allusions. This symbolism proves to be essential to the effectiveness of the book, because it allows the reader to apply these symbolic ideas to himself. The struggle of the nature of man's heart is a simple yet interesting theme that contributes to the greatness of this novel. One of the most remarkable aspects of the book is the way in which Golding can bestow the characteristics of the differing natures of man's heart through young boys. The boys in his novel perfectly symbolize the complex instincts and emotions of adults without violating the simplicity of children. They speak with a child's vocabulary, think with a child's mind, and still can represent the complexity of mankind. This is certainly a commendable feat on part of the author. The pure adventure aspect of Lord of the Flies is remarkable as well. Golding conveys a thrilling adventure story to create his symbolism through. He expertly uses the tools of literature, especially foreshadowing and description, to achieve a beautifully scripted story of adventure and suspense. This element of having an eventful story line full of action is often absent in pieces with such quality of symbolism. It is difficult to achieve both of these purposes and still end up with a good novel. Lord of the Flies is an extremely easy book to understand, even with its endless depths of interior symbolism. It's length is quite concise, making it able to read in just a few sittings. It is short, simple, and still a classic: yet another commendable mention to Golding. Golding's ability to convey such a story in such a simple manner is quite amazing to me. The only possible foreseen problem in reading the book is the long time it takes to set up the story line. But this problem is soon overcome, for the set-up proves to be valuable to the suspense and foreshadowing aspects of the plot. Lord of the Flies is a beautifully written classic. Its spell-binding story and magnificent structure create a pleasing and worthwhile experience. Golding's novel teaches the reader of the natures of his own heart, giving this piece an educational standpoint. This book, along with Conrad's Heart of Darkness, has given me a deeper understanding of the desires and tendencies of man. This, I believe, is one of the main objectives of the book: to further question and achieve deeper understanding of ourselves and those around us. This message is an important one; trying to understand some of the complexities of humans is a wonderful gift of knowledge that proves itself useful in life. This knowledge never stops growing throughout our lives, and literary pieces such as this one help us to remember this quest for self-knowledge, and the love we all have for it.
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Summary: A Wonderful Classic Book
Review: A British boy's choir and a handful of other boys are flying over an ocean in an aeroplane when it crashes onto an unihibited island. The pilot of the plane is the only adult travelling with them, and he is killed in the crash. The children are left with no authorative figure in their lives, so two of the older boys (Jack and Ralph) start trying to gain control. However, the younger boys keep changing their minds on who they want as their leader, so they end up splitting into two hostile groups that are at war with each other. You can see the seriousness of the situation when the boys start getting killed off by their friends. I have compared this book to the government in the past. When there is little or no authority, the people tend to run amoc. However, this book is a great read. If you are looking for a deeper meaning in a book, it will be good for you. It deals with such topics as dependency (unknowingly), time and appreciation, and issues such as whether you should stand up for yourself if you'll be killed for it. Even if you are not looking for something deep, this is a great adventure story to read.
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Summary: A Great Book
Review: Lord of the Flies is definetly one of the best books I have read. For anyone who is wondering whether to read or not I definely recomend you do. What I would like to point out though is that many of the reviewers are giving away all of the plot to everyone else who hasn't read the book. Instead of telling everyone the ending and ruining it for them how about you give a basic setting instead? Maybe some basic information about the main characters as well but not so much that you tell what happens to them later in the book. Hopefully some people will read this and realize that your cheating people out of a great book.
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