Lord of the Flies by William GoldingPlease save the pdf version of Lord of the Flies to iBooks or Notability so that you are not dependent on the Internet to read.
“The brilliant work is a frightening parody on man’s return (in a few weeks) to that state of darkness from which it took him thousands of years to emerge.” |
Before you read
READ ABOUT DYSTOPIAS
- Read the definition of “Dystopia” provided by the site ReadWriteThink,
- Consider these characteristics and brainstorm dystopias and dystopian protagonists you have seen in books or movies.
Reflect on censorship and the study of dystopian literature in school. Post a response to our class discussion board. Consider one or more of the following questions in your reflection:
- Is it appropriate for students to read books where children are forced to act as adults due to circumstances in which they find themselves?
- How might dystopian novels inform readers about contemporary society and the adult world?
- Why might dystopian novels be challenged? How do they attack the status quo or why are they sometimes considered to hold dangerous ideas?
READ & DISCUSS:
We will most likely divide the following readings among small groups in the room. Your group will read the article and post responses to the "Dystopian Literature Discussion Questions."
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DYSTOPIAN LITERATURE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Why do bestselling young adult novels seem darker in theme now than in past years? What's behind this dystopian trend, and why is there so much demand for it?
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The Darkness of Human Nature
Consider the following thematic questions before you read:
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Reflect and respond to a recent CNN opinion piece written after the Boston marathon bombing: “Is Man Inherently Good or Evil?”
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As you read
ASSIGNMENTS
- Lord of the Flies - Annotation & Discussion Guide
- Organizer: Character Evolution in Lord of the Flies: You will trace either JACK or RALPH for this assignment. Make sure you are familiar with dynamic vs. static characters.
- Character Evolution Reflection
According to William Golding, the author of Lord of the Flies,
“The theme [of Lord of the Flies] is an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature. The moral is that the shape of a society must depend on the ethical nature of the individual and not on any political system however apparently logical or respectable. The whole book is symbolic in nature except the rescue in the end where adult life appears, dignified and capable, but in reality enmeshed in the same evil as the symbolic life of the children on the island. The officer, having interrupted a man-hunt, prepares to take the children off the island in a cruiser which will presently be hunting its enemy in the same implacable way. And who will rescue the adult and his cruiser?”
“The theme [of Lord of the Flies] is an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature. The moral is that the shape of a society must depend on the ethical nature of the individual and not on any political system however apparently logical or respectable. The whole book is symbolic in nature except the rescue in the end where adult life appears, dignified and capable, but in reality enmeshed in the same evil as the symbolic life of the children on the island. The officer, having interrupted a man-hunt, prepares to take the children off the island in a cruiser which will presently be hunting its enemy in the same implacable way. And who will rescue the adult and his cruiser?”