When a group of boys finds themselves on an isolated, remote island, after an airplane crash,
their lives change forever. The time is set during the war when these boys - some as six years old
- are confused, petrified, and helpless. The two oldest kids, around 12, take the lead; Ralph is a
logical, brave, and intellectual boy, and Jack is a savage, confident, and dominant figure. As
Ralph takes the lead at first, he orders the boys to divert all their focus to creating huts, making a
fire, and building a way of living similar to civilization. However, Jack believes in taking pride in
the savagery they all held within themselves; meaning, he wanted to hunt, kill, and dance -
something significantly distinct from a civilized society. While tensions rise between Jack, Ralph,
and the rest of the young boys, a kid goes missing. They were losing control. The boys believe
that there is a beast or monster lurking on the island. As time descends, the boys get engrossed in
their inhumanity and savagery as they become isolated from civilization.
From visions, violence, murder, and the fight for dominance/power, Lord of the Flies is an engrossing book, for sure. I
particularly found the plot twists and turns quite interesting, and I enjoyed how Golding wrote
this novel from how a child may think on a remote island. However, I do wish this book was
more fast-paced. I wish there were more challenges the boys had to encounter - maybe not as
many with each other, but rather against the perilous situation and environment they were in. I do
not want to spoil anything, but I do wish the novel emphasized the concept of the “Lord of the
Flies.” Basically, I think the author has an intriguing plot, but I wish some conflicts and parts
were emphasized more than others because I personally think that the book would have been a
lot more eventful that way. I would recommend this book to those who like to read about
adventure, mystery, and even historic fiction (since it was set during a war in the past). Overall, I
give this book a rating of 3/5 stars.