Lord of the Flies (Abridged Audio Edition)

Rating:
Summary: Golding put his talents in the wrong places...
Review: I thought that the themes and the symbols in this book were awesome. Very well done. If the book was only themese and symbols I'd give it a 5 star rating. Unfortunately, the book has a long way to go before I can give it even 4. My main problem with the book is that I do not like Golding's writing style. I think he put too much description in the wrong places. I also wish that Golding would have gone into more detail with Simon's character. If I didn't have to read it for school I probably would not have finished the book, but I am glad that I did. I really did enjoy the messages that the book sent.

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Summary: A Look at Contemporary Society
Review: It is amazing that so many young readers can not see the parallel between this book and the killings and maimings in some American schools today. Perhaps, if the "average" student did more quality reading there wouldn't be as many spelling errors.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent commentary on society and order.
Review: As a high school teacher of British literature, I like to use this novel to represent a different viewpoint from the Romanticists, who believed that man was born essentially born good and innocent but corrupted by society. Golding shows us just the opposite; if we don't have order and rules, as symbolized by the conch and by Ralph's futile attempts to lead the boys, we lapse into a state where the "beast" within can overtake us. The boys gradually descend into this state of wildness and darkness - the shedding of clothes, the face painting, the hunting, the split, and so forth. No, the novel isn't realistic, as many other reviewers have pointed out, but it isn't intended to be. Look at the time period it was written - shortly after WWII. Golding seemed to foresee order dissolving into chaos, and he shows us the consequences. The imagery and symbolism are quite good, as is the touching friendship between Ralph and Piggy. I recommend the novel, even if you only choose to read it on a literal level.

Rating:
Summary: it is an very interesting book.
Review: Lord of The Flies is an very good anventure I personily got stuck in the story.Once you pick it up you cant put it down.Lord Of The Flies indroduced it characters very well and I did enjoy reading it.If you have not read it I recomend that you do.

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Summary: I think the symbolism in this book is not "made up"
Review: I think this book symbolises the tightly held rope between civilization and mass chaos and degeneration. Piggy symbolises the intellectual and concious mind. This book is a reminder of how thin the line is between humanity as conciousness and barbarism

Rating:
Summary: Lord of The Flies was a well written and interesting novel.
Review: Other reviewers have been harsh on this novel in general; in my view it was an intriguing look into the unfolding of society among a group of marooned boys while at the same time remaining an exciting adventure story. Golding's illustrative style fit the plot well, and his statement about war, evil, and the human psyche is clear. Add this one to your repertoire if you know what's good for you.

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Summary: And life of man, short nasty and brutish
Review: People are can do the most horrible deeds. History is littered with the refuge of human's greed, lust for power, and blood. From Caligula to Richard the Lionheart's slaughter of Muslims to the Vikings to the Nazis and the holocaust to Rwanda to Jonesboro, man is capable of the worst. Civilization is thin and fragile. This book shows the extreme of society erased and humans unleashed. But this isn't pessimism, just realism. How many of the kids try to create a good society? Doesn't the example of Simon (an obvious Christ figure) show hope? When the bad and lawless or the tyrants threaten a good society, doesn't that society take up arms and war against? Like the allies against Nazi Germany? The truth is even kids are capable of murdering viciously, recent national headlines prove that, but these kids like everybody are capabale of love and civilization.

Rating:
Summary: Yow! Lots of people wrote stuff, huh?
Review: This book stunk. I believe that reality can have deeper meanings, but don't get to deep or you'll drown. The only time you can go that deep and not drown, is with drugs. I never thought Lord of the Flies would attract so many druggies.

Rating:
Summary: good anarchy book
Review: When we are young, we are unstable. We are like you protoplasm. Very unstable and full of energy. To stabilize there has to be something there keeping you stable. This is where your parents come into affect. Your parents are the glue that keeps you in order and provides that barrier that keeps you in line. But in the book, Lord of the Flies, that barrier is removed leaving fragile children to fend for themselves and provide order. Something of which children have no knowledge what so ever. In his book Lord of the Flies, William Golding seems to captivate anarchy among a small collection of children. But also a feeling of gradual decesent into insanity. A feeling that of which belongs in the twilight zone. Along with his use of symbols to try to bring order to the book. If you look deeper this book is a metaphor for the monarchy of England. Where one group (the weaker one with Paul as their leader)is weaker but its led by the true leader is representative of the people of England and the leader is the Queen. The other group is representative of parliament, a stronger group with a leader who is really listened to. But you might see it differently depending on your situation. Even though, the main theme stays the same. Without order there is only death and madness.

Rating:
Summary: Not very realistic
Review: I must say, the book was very well written, but the plot was totally unrealistic. After being on the island for only about a year (assuming that is how long, with the change of seasons) these proper British boys turn into bloodthirsty savages. I understand them doing stuff they would not normally be allowed to do, but to murder someone the way Roger did? I strongly believe something like that would never happen in real life.