Lord of the Flies
discussion
Finish reading it, or no?
I had it on CD. I lasted 7 minutes. lol! I just didn't want to waste my time on it. Did you read the intro thing. What in the world was that???? Anyways, I failed. Oh and the readers voice is so insanely annoying!!!!! :) Good luck.
Not only slow but horrible also to add to its uselessness. Sorry, I hated it.
What was the plot? I can't even remember. :) I think it was the person's voice that really ticked me off. They shoudn't even bother putting it on CD with the voice they had.
I would say finish it but then again liked Lord Of The Flies. Whatever u choose to do, it's your decision
It was very repetitive. I liked it better than some other classics, though.
Hmm, I think I'll just go ahead and finish it. Its not a very long book, and its not like it'll kill me to read the last 8 or 9 chapters, right?Yeah, I'll read it. Your comments have been really helpful! Thank you!
Wish me luck, sounds like its going to be a long, boring journey.
For whatever my complaints have been worth, you are very welcome. lol :)
Hahaha, well they made me smile. So thats worth something:)Complaints make me smile. Yeah, I'm weird.
we all r. In some way or another
Ha, yes, yes we are:)
well, I do not know why it is so popular in the USA. I guess because it is the easiest of his books and less religiously offensive. I personally think that his other books 'Darkness Visible', 'Free Fall', and 'Spire' are his true masterpieces. But I can also see why they are not in the school syllabus here in the USA in the so-called Bible-belt - too ground-breaking, questioning religion in general, and God with the capital 'G' in particular. They have much more pace, mysticism, maturity, audacity, and ask more challenging and drastic questions. And you know, some young minds are inquisitive:-) My advice is read the above mentioned ones. They truly explore the topic of human darkness.
I couldn't finish it either. I always thought it was because I was on vacations at the time, but really it was just plain boring to me...
I finished it, but it was a very disturbing book to read. Pure savagery. Which I suppose was the point. I would not list it as one of my favorites, that's for sure.
I am one who really liked this book. I had to read it during high school and normally don't like the classics; but did like this one
I believe Terri, that is why most people hate it. The savagery is horrible and uncalled for in most instances. No, not a favorite. Well written but awful, leaves yo feeling disgusted.
It`s definitely one of my favorites. Top ten list. Some people can take the truth about the human race, others can`t. That just goes to show how acculturated we have become and have been removed from our primordial urges. But you pass it through a few milleniums and you come up with the Eucharist.
Nah, bunch of boys acting like boys. Read it ages ago. Not one of my favorites, either.
Brenda (Lansdowne) wrote: "It's an American classic. My vote is yes!"I am sorry, but I have to say it. I believe it is a British classic. Sir William Gerald Golding was a British writer.
I felt exactly the same way when I was in the middle of it! It was long and boring and repetitive. But let me tell you, the last chapter or two totally makes up for the rest of it. I hated it until about the last page, and now it's one of my favorites. Keep going!
I didn't really like this book either. I had to read it years ago for class. I find, for some books, if I can't make it through just reading - finding a book on tape/cd and listening in the car is a good way to get through it if you are bound and determined.
I LOVED this book! I read it for the first time last year when I taught it to 10th grade English. Most of the kids liked it too....the last few chapters are the most exciting! It's all about the idea of how it is in man's innate nature to revert to their "animal-like" roots...such as--The strong will survive...and there is sooo much symbolism! I am an English teacher though...sooooo....lol!
Kimberly wrote: "I LOVED this book! I read it for the first time last year when I taught it to 10th grade English. Most of the kids liked it too....the last few chapters are the most exciting! It's all about the id..."Well, yes, if you read this book just as an adventure book, let's say like Robinson Crusoe, then the book sucks, but if you read between the lines and learn the awful truth about our animalistic atavistic essence as a part of our evolutionary species, then it is truly a thought-provoking discussion which easily leads to challenging questions about the role and function of a human being.
I am an instructor, and I do know how you feel, though I am convinced that some books should be explained before they are read. You can not use the Latin 'tabula rasa' approach. Otheriwse there is a serious risk of misinterpretation. Definitely A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and Ulyssis Revisited as well as The French Lieutenant's Woman and other books are not self-explanatory.
For me, the "return to savagery" theme didn't carry the book in the least. I guess it might have been an eye-opening theme in the 50's (although I'd be surprised if it were so, since the WW2 was still in fresh memory), but I'd think that modern people all know how veneer thin civilization truly is.On the other hand, my own belief is that people's values (that they learn at very early age) are rooted deeper than the book lets you think - and some kindness and humanity towards others would remain even in extreme conditions.
Mind you, I read this book like 20+ years ago in school, so I cannot claim to remember exactly what happened in it. ;)
Neither can I, Marko, but what I do recall is the savagery in which the boys ousted others, and became literally animals before our eyes, or at least my eyes. Did this author write any more books, or was this his one shot wonder?
I`m sorry Nicole, I couldn`t disagree with you more. If the high school student is an insightful one, he will get it. I did.
Robin wrote: "Neither can I, Marko, but what I do recall is the savagery in which the boys ousted others, and became literally animals before our eyes, or at least my eyes. Did this author write any more books, ..."He wrote more books, and won the Nobel Prize for literature.
I think the only reason anyone reads this today is because it's part of the school curriculum. And books make it into the school curriculum when they're short and easy to read, and full of symbolism, or make good fables, and students can easily construct essays about them.
I personally thought it was interesting. It wasn't quite what I would expect from a a novel on the banned books list but it was fun to read once you got passed the first few chapters. I would suggest to continue reading it but if it really isn't your cup of tea go ahead and stop. Better to spend your time reading something you like instead of something you don't.
He isn't my cup of tea. I don't recall if it was required reading for me, probably was, it was too long ago. It figures he would write more books and win the Nobel Prize for Literature. Oh well.
i read Lord of the flies when i was in high school. i read it translated to Arabic - my native language -. the translation was horrible. it suck the beauty of any book although i remember that i enjoyed. and loved the book.
@Emily, Good for you for deciding to finish it.@Fahad, I don't think it was the translation that was horrible. I tried (key word here) reading it and the writing style annoyed the hell out of me. Of course that was quite a while ago. I might give it another shot later.
I did watch the movie though, which I recommend to everyone. The story itself is really, very good.
I loved this book. I had to read it because we studied the symoblism in it at school but I re-read it a year ago too. It gives an interesting insight to the human psyche. I dont mind reading it a third time.
Hated it -- wouldn't bother.
Well symbolism or not, I didn't like the writing style. I had trouble telling who was saying what and had to reread several sections to figure it out. I'm glad I read it just so I know what people are talking about--but I did not like it. Both of my boys (who are not readers) thought the story was really good. They definitely still remember the part about poor Piggy. Very, very dark book. I read Stephen King, so I have read "dark" books. But this one had very little goodness in it. I just found it savage, violent and depressing.
Alrighty my peeps:I FINISHED IT!
I cant say that it will be one of my top five, but it wasnt as bad as some people are saying. Its not that entertaining, but its got a lot of hidden meanings and things if you think about it.
Thanks guys for all the advice!
*If anyone wants to read this book. BE WARNED! It was soo violent. I was pretty shocked at some of the things these lil boys did. Its kinda sad, really.*
No, humans will be humans.
I guess.
Well, let us not forget that humans are well-disguised predators in need of meat protein. It does not take much to erase this cultivated civilized coat. This novel is a warning to all of us. The worst enemy of a human being is a human being.
True, Zulfiya, so true. Either men or women, or boys or girls.
Robin wrote: "True, Zulfiya, so true. Either men or women, or boys or girls."Thank you, Robin
sure, no problem. People can be mean to each other, and if it is a question of survival, than it becomes a you vs. me mentality.
I personally found the book amazing. It shattered me! I read it very fast, just couldn't stop reading. Yet, that was some years ago. Maybe now it would be different. It truly is very disturbing! As you already commented above - "humans will be humans".
I have read the book more than once, and years after it was assigned in class. I went on to read two more of Golding`s books. Never got to Pincher Martin, though.
I was forced to read the book in high school a long time ago. At the time I read the story I was in my semi intellectual/sensitive stage (moved on since then) and did like the story. Still, the book was somewhat depressing and I hoped that I would never be marooned on an island with a bunch of kids my age. Bullies unleashed!
I really didn't like this. I still don't see what all the fuss was about, I thought it was trash, but thats just IMHO.
Tis was one of my favorite books i read my sophomore year in high school. It inspired one of the best essays i have ever written. The only problem i had with it was the ending. It was way to abrupt, and kind of hard to understand. Other than that, it was an amazing book. Definitely one of my favorite books of all time
Never liked the book. the whole idea of boys trapped on an island was barbaric at best. I am glad that I read it to know not to ever read it again.
Essentially ironic. Here are the adults saving the kids but losing the planet in a thermonuclear war. And the Brit who comes ashore has the unmitigated gall to reprove Ralph for the children`s barbarism!!
Annywas, I'm reading this book, and I'm thinking "Do I even waste my time trying to get through this? Or should I just stop now?"
Need a little advice from fellow book-dorks.