** spoiler alert ** I feel sick and kind of desperate after finishing this. The distaste these dystopian novels leave behind is always nauseating and depressing. It's been a while since the last one, but this was particularly ugly (because it involved children) & a classic because of the way it nails human behavior despite protestations that we've evolved into civilized beings. I suspect it will be just as valid in another 100 years. I can't imagine we'll ever be able to overcome what's simmering latent (for most of us) in our natures.
When Ralph (while on the run) was asking himself "where did it all go wrong?" I was thinking the exact same thing. Landing on a deserted island seemed like it would be the ideal boyhood Utopia. Exploring, no rules, no adults to enforce rules, sun, sand, swimming, etc., etc. It was crazy it went so far sideways but then again not really if you've ever had any experience in a group situation. Groups always tend to naturally form hierarchy's no matter how they're brought together. Within the bounds of "civilized" society, they don't usually deteriorate to the extent this one did ~ it was so shocking the savagery these prepubescent boys were capable of and how quickly it emerged.
It was also apparent pretty early on there was going to be a power struggle between Ralph & Jack. Jack wasn't nearly as scary to me as Roger turned out to be. Roger was the 'henchman' that had a more satanic bent to his personality & was more than willing to carry out brutality & violence. If Jack hadn't had followers, I felt he would have (begrudgingly) caved to the group consensus that elected Ralph leader. I interpreted his courage to be only as big as his band of supporters. Could he alone have instill the fear necessary to compel the other boys to join him? I didn't think so. I was curious why Jack & his followers didn't seem as concerned with rescue as much as Ralph & Piggy's group?? They acted as if they relished the freedom a bit more and disintegrated into lawlessness quicker. But were they hiding behind the paint? Or did the paint give them courage? When they painted themselves, did they think (if they were rescued, and washed it off) they could pretend it was different boys altogether who behaved the way they did??
I think my mouth kept dropping open wider & wider as I read thru the book & my heart kept constricting tighter. The death of Simon (the only independent minded boy of the group) was a sickening example of mob mentality. I was SO disappointed in Ralph & Piggy ~ that even they, the more rule-driven, conformists of the group, could get caught up in the frenzy of the moment & then almost immediately try to distance themselves from it. No doubt I would do the latter myself if I participated in something so sordid. It just seemed to seal the deal that there's no hope for humanity to behave any differently if even these (more upstanding) boys could get so actively involved in something they would never consider under "normal" circumstances. Is the need to belong, and not be an outcast, the most powerful motivator of all? Is it a survival mechanism?? When Piggy died, it felt even worse. Simon's death empowered them, Piggy's death gave them free license. I shudder to think how Ralph would have died if he hadn't rolled his way onto the beach & to the feet of a rescuing Officer. I'm pretty sure I exhaled in relief that I didn't have to find out.
If I were one of those boys, I don't think I'd EVER be able to look any of the other boys in the eye again, knowing what transpired while they were stranded. After the rescue, I'd probably try to convince myself the whole experience was all a horrific nightmare.
I'm giving 'Lord of the Flies' 4 stars, not because I truly loved it but because of the messages it contains and what it made me think about.
When Ralph (while on the run) was asking himself "where did it all go wrong?" I was thinking the exact same thing. Landing on a deserted island seemed like it would be the ideal boyhood Utopia. Exploring, no rules, no adults to enforce rules, sun, sand, swimming, etc., etc. It was crazy it went so far sideways but then again not really if you've ever had any experience in a group situation. Groups always tend to naturally form hierarchy's no matter how they're brought together. Within the bounds of "civilized" society, they don't usually deteriorate to the extent this one did ~ it was so shocking the savagery these prepubescent boys were capable of and how quickly it emerged.
It was also apparent pretty early on there was going to be a power struggle between Ralph & Jack. Jack wasn't nearly as scary to me as Roger turned out to be. Roger was the 'henchman' that had a more satanic bent to his personality & was more than willing to carry out brutality & violence. If Jack hadn't had followers, I felt he would have (begrudgingly) caved to the group consensus that elected Ralph leader. I interpreted his courage to be only as big as his band of supporters. Could he alone have instill the fear necessary to compel the other boys to join him? I didn't think so. I was curious why Jack & his followers didn't seem as concerned with rescue as much as Ralph & Piggy's group?? They acted as if they relished the freedom a bit more and disintegrated into lawlessness quicker. But were they hiding behind the paint? Or did the paint give them courage? When they painted themselves, did they think (if they were rescued, and washed it off) they could pretend it was different boys altogether who behaved the way they did??
I think my mouth kept dropping open wider & wider as I read thru the book & my heart kept constricting tighter. The death of Simon (the only independent minded boy of the group) was a sickening example of mob mentality. I was SO disappointed in Ralph & Piggy ~ that even they, the more rule-driven, conformists of the group, could get caught up in the frenzy of the moment & then almost immediately try to distance themselves from it. No doubt I would do the latter myself if I participated in something so sordid. It just seemed to seal the deal that there's no hope for humanity to behave any differently if even these (more upstanding) boys could get so actively involved in something they would never consider under "normal" circumstances. Is the need to belong, and not be an outcast, the most powerful motivator of all? Is it a survival mechanism?? When Piggy died, it felt even worse. Simon's death empowered them, Piggy's death gave them free license. I shudder to think how Ralph would have died if he hadn't rolled his way onto the beach & to the feet of a rescuing Officer. I'm pretty sure I exhaled in relief that I didn't have to find out.
If I were one of those boys, I don't think I'd EVER be able to look any of the other boys in the eye again, knowing what transpired while they were stranded. After the rescue, I'd probably try to convince myself the whole experience was all a horrific nightmare.
I'm giving 'Lord of the Flies' 4 stars, not because I truly loved it but because of the messages it contains and what it made me think about.
