Lord of the Flies

A group of boys stranded on an island after a plane crash descend into violence and tribalism, Lord of the Flies is one of the most taught and most argued-about novels in the English language, and it fully deserves its reputation.

Why Start Here

Golding wrote this novel as a direct response to R.M. Ballantyne’s The Coral Island, an optimistic Victorian adventure story in which boys on a desert island behave admirably. Golding took the same premise and asked what would actually happen. His answer is dark, precise, and impossible to dismiss.

The novel works on multiple levels at once. As an adventure story it is gripping. As an allegory about politics and civilization it is almost too on-the-nose, but in a way that makes you argue with it rather than simply accept it. The characters are distinct and memorable. The ending is devastating.

What to Expect

A short, fast-moving novel that reads in a weekend. The prose is economical and the pacing is excellent. The allegory is heavy but the story carries it without creaking. This is one of those books you can read as a teenager and find completely new meanings in as an adult. Whatever you think about human nature, Golding will complicate it.