Lord of the Flies; Post 2

Lord of the Flies
By: William Golding
Post 2

Lord of the Flies has been a nice break from some of the thicker (Ender's Game) and drier (The Tipping Point) that I've read so far. It's a nice balance between an interesting plot and a story that seems too simple to not have an underlying message of some kind.

SPOILER ALERT
So this far into the story, chaos is just beginning to erupt. Amongst all the boys, there are several tasks that are recur as points of conflict. There is the signal fire on top of the mountain on the island, that the boys plan to keep lit to attract ships in the event that they will be able to be rescued. There is also a group of boys who act as hunters; they attempt to hunt meat for the boys by killing wild pigs that inhabit the island. The boys seem to have been divided over which tasks are the most important. A boy named Ralph, named chief by the majority of the boys, believes that survival and being rescued is of the utmost importance. Another boy, Jack, believes that hunting the pigs is the most important focus, and as a result, he let the fire go out, right as Ralph saw a ship pass the island in the distance. Obviously, this is one of the biggest focal points of tension between the two groups of boys (survivors vs. hunters). To even further the conflict, there is disagreement between the older and younger boys about the existence of a "beast" of some kind on the island.

I think that Golding is trying to convey some kind of message about disorder in society. The way in which he characterizes the boys, such as Ralph and Jack, and their arguments, is worded in such a way that it even riles me up, as a reader. I felt sympathy for a bullied character, Piggy, and I felt aggression towards Jack for letting the fire go out and missing the chance to signal the ship. Perhaps Golding is trying to aggravate the reader in order to express what chaos and disorder is. "This far from civilization they can do anything they want. Anything. But as order collapses, as strange howls echo in the night, as terror begins its reign..." (Golding Back Cover Summary).

Anyway, I look forward to seeing how this book ends!
Until next time,
Josh C.