Lord of the Flies is a great book. It's a study in the gradual deterioration of human psyche and society, framed in an unusual plot. It's a complex, intriguing story pulling the reader along through continuously increasing cruelty, without ever really sinking into mental gorn. I count it among the top fifteen-something books I've read, and recommend it to anyone who is equipped with adequate disillusionment and cynicism. Now for the real point of this review.
Lord of the flies is a perfect example of what I dislike about the use of symbolism. When I read it, I took every part of it at face value, and enjoyed it. I then did some light research on the symbolism embedded in the story. As an experiment, I applied the most commonly agreed upon symbolic meanings, and here is the story as it looked afterward: [Humanity] finds [democracy] and establishes [civilization]. [The devil] eventually causes conflict in [civilization], culminating in the death of [rationality] and the destruction of [democracy]. Ta-daa, a detailed and compelling story has been turned into something that could fit on a post-it note. Technically, you could argue that the non-symbolic plot could be summarized just as easily, but there's a difference; When reading the book as a non-symbolic story, every little action or detail can be interpreted as something, namely itself. When reading the book symbolically, almost all of it turns into meaningless fluff. Sure, one could try to put symbolic meaning in all of it, but that would result in a schizophrenic, incoherent mess of abstract nouns.
In conclusion: Lord of the Flies is a great book. Also, symbolism reduces reduces complex and creative fiction to short, blunt messages. Yet, for some reason, people think it provides a given work with deeper meaning. Broad subject, somewhat controversial view. Let the rebutting commence.
Lord of the flies is a perfect example of what I dislike about the use of symbolism. When I read it, I took every part of it at face value, and enjoyed it. I then did some light research on the symbolism embedded in the story. As an experiment, I applied the most commonly agreed upon symbolic meanings, and here is the story as it looked afterward: [Humanity] finds [democracy] and establishes [civilization]. [The devil] eventually causes conflict in [civilization], culminating in the death of [rationality] and the destruction of [democracy]. Ta-daa, a detailed and compelling story has been turned into something that could fit on a post-it note. Technically, you could argue that the non-symbolic plot could be summarized just as easily, but there's a difference; When reading the book as a non-symbolic story, every little action or detail can be interpreted as something, namely itself. When reading the book symbolically, almost all of it turns into meaningless fluff. Sure, one could try to put symbolic meaning in all of it, but that would result in a schizophrenic, incoherent mess of abstract nouns.
In conclusion: Lord of the Flies is a great book. Also, symbolism reduces reduces complex and creative fiction to short, blunt messages. Yet, for some reason, people think it provides a given work with deeper meaning. Broad subject, somewhat controversial view. Let the rebutting commence.
In a way I kind of agree with the review. There is too much symbolism and it could be summarized on a post it note. But I don't agree that it was a great book. Maybe some of the reason I didn't like it was because I had to over analyze it. If their was no symbolism it wouldn't be good either so I think their should be less. Though it isn't really the symbolism that made me dislike it. The theme and how dark it was is why I disliked it. It was not enjoyable it was just odd. What made “Artistic Platypus” enjoy it is what made me dislike it. I obviously have a completely different opinion about the book but the same opinion about the symbolism. I don't usually enjoy books with no comic relief. It was all anger and sadness. The book was depressing especially after Piggy died. I can see how some people say symbolism creates a deeper meaning which it can sometimes but too much makes it seem like short blunt messages. What he said could fit on the post it note pretty much summarized the whole story. All the symbolism doesn't say anything for me as there was way too much. Every review I found said the book was amazing. I couldn't find one negative review. I don't get why everyone loves it so much. This was the only review that said something negative. The other reviews just said it was amazing and everyone should read it.
ReplyDeleteLiam
I kind of agree with the review, it’s nice to have a few symbols but I think the author William Golding added too many symbols to the novel. I have no idea why it’s in his top fifteen books he’s ever read, has he only read fifteen books?! The author of this article has probably only read the Twilight books BA DUM TISS. The lord of the flies is nowhere near my top fifteen books, even if the book has a similar theme to my number one book series, Gone by Michael Grant. On a more mature note I think The Lord of the Flies is not a “complex, intriguing story” I really think that the author of the novel could have been a little more in dept with the characters such as Sam and Eric and he could have describe how some of the other characters were feeling, like the littluns. I think the author could have used cycle through the other characters thoughts or he simply could have used 3rd person omniscient instead. I would have to agree with Liam, it is very hard to find a good review that is not praising the book, I think most of group did not enjoy the book so we wanted to find a more neutral review, even if it was made by a Artistic Platypus ;) I think this was a pretty good review even if it was from someone completely unknown
ReplyDelete~Sophie
I'm not sure about this review, maybe its just me, but I thought the symbolism made the book somewhat readable. I can agree there's allot of it, but that's pretty much the theme of the book. I can say that the amount of symbolism put in made me re-read certain parts several times to get a true understanding of what the author was attempting to put out. But other then the symbolism, this book was flat_____________________. I can agree with the reviewer when he/she said the book had a long lasting theme of cruelty. The book wasn’t a happy children’s book. In the most part you have to be a more mature reader to either be content with the book, or understand the hidden symbolism. I don’t know; I find it odd that everyone seems to think book was bad because of the symbolism, when I thought that element made it more readable. This review consists of the SYMBOLISME used in the book. The reviewer put out so many points that there is one I can agree with. That one would be the fact that while your reading the book, you stop allot to think, huuuuuhhhhh…. Is that symbolism? When most of the time, you move on, because the possibility that its meaningless is very high. I can say this review may have sounded like one from a person who knows there stuff, but I just have to disagree with them.
ReplyDeleteMathieu
Review – Lord of the Flies
ReplyDeleteI agree with most of the points in the review; the author did put too much symbolism in the book. The reviewer is corrected with how the book pulls the reader alone with more and more cruelty. For example one of the first barbaric or cruel things that the boys do in the novel is chanting ‘kill the pig, cut her throat, and spill her blood.” For me the book was okay. The first part of the book was really good but as the book went on, I lost interest. But there were some chapters that I really liked, such as chapter six. Reading the book with no symbolism in it would make it boring. The symbolism that I really enjoyed in the book is Jack’s knife. It is original and it makes the book interesting. I also don`t agree with the reviewer that Lord of the Flies could be summarized in a little slip of paper. Even though the book is short there is still detail and back ground information that could be summarized. For example the creepers or vines could be explained and related to devil snake in Adam and Eve. As well the author explains that the Lord of the Flies is in his top fifteen books that he has ever read. Lord of the flies is in my top fifteen. But I don`t read a lot of novels, so I might not have a good opinion on them. I usually read history and sciences books; I am not a literate person. Too conclude the lord of the flies is an okay book in my opinion, my only recommendation to the author is he could have explained secondary characters in the novel in more detail. Also he should have made the book less cruel and barbaric. I don`t like that kind of actions in what I read. Overall I am glad I got to read the book and I recommend it to teens and adults because of the amount of inappropriate things that the author puts in the book.
Kirsch
I never thought about the creepers that way Kirsch, but yes I would have to agree with you I do think that was the authors intentions. Some of the symbols in this book are easy to pick out but other aren't, like I got the conch but it dint really get the creepers :/
ReplyDelete~Sophie