Well, I have finished reading "Lord of the Flies". While I won't say that it is my favourite book, I will say that I enjoyed it. It was good. The whole time I read it, I couldn't help and compare it to LOST. Plane crash. Beast in the woods. Trapped on an island. Character named Jack. The debate between fire and food (like the debate between staying on the beach or going inland to the cave). I can definately see how the writers at LOST got a few ideas from this book. Anyway, I want to talk about some themes from the book. Lessons we can learn, from William Goldings classic novel. I want to note that I never took this book in school, therefore my themes and ideas may either be completely different than you all studied, or it may be a repeat of what you already know. I have no idea, you can all correct me later. So, without further ado...my thoughts on "Lord of the Flies":
1) First an foremost, I believe that the central theme of the book, is the primal need for leadership and rules. When Ralph was voted leader, everyting was good (for a while). Things got done, everyone got along (for the most part), and everything was relatively peaceful. Rules are important. As people, we hate rules, just like the boys on the island. They didn't appreciate Ralph coming up with rule after rule, and eventually they left him for it. But as much as we hate rules, we need them. It's why God gave the Israelites the 10 Commandments; he wasn't being a dictator, he was giving them a guideline, which would help them to live in peace and harmony. As long as rules are being followed things are peaceful, once we try to go on our own, and neglect the rules, chaos ensues.
2) Piggy was the most important person on the island. Unfortunately, they never respected him, teased him, abused him, didn't take his ideas seriously and eventually killed him. I feel we all have people in our lives that we don't respect. We tease, abused, and never really take them seriously, and yet they have real knowledge that we should embrace. Think of what would have been different if the boys actually listened to Piggy (and Ralph), instead of just calling him Fatty, and ignoring him. They probably would have been rescued when the first boat went by. We need to learn to try to find wisdom in everyone. Sometimes we have to look harder, but I feel that everyone has something wise to say every now and then. We can't just brush people off because they are different, or weird.
3) When the boys painted their face, they became different. Jack was always kind of a douchbag, but the rest of the boys were pretty good through most of the book. But then they painted their face, and it became a type of mask that they could hide behind, and be ruthless. We all have masks that we hid behind. We try to be someone different, and that often means that we hurt other people, or compromise our beliefs. In order to fit on, everyone but Ralph, Piggy a few littluns and the twins (although even they eventually painted their faces, when threatend, and joined the tribe). We have to wash off the paint, take off the mask and stop being someone we aren't. Be who you are. Don't let anyone force you to be someone different.
4) Sometimes, it's only when everything is falling apart that help finally arrives. The whole book, all Ralph wanted was a fire, with smoke so that a ship would see it and save them. He wanted rescue. That was all he wanted. To be saved. Oddly enough, that didn't happen until the last possible moment, when everything was falling apart, and it seemed that the end was near. The island was on fire, and the savages were closing in on him, ready to stab him with the stick that was pointy on both ends. It didn't happen when things were good. Before the tribe was formed or Jack started forming a mutiny. It happened when he was at his whits end. When there was nowhere else to turn, that's when helped arrive. In life sometimes, the same thing happens. We do our best to be "rescued" or saved. Our life starts going downhill, things fall apart and everything goes wrong. We cry for help, we try to keep the fire going, and it's no use. God doesn't seem to hear, help doesn't seem to arrive. It's only when everything is broken, the island is burning and we are being chased down by savages that help finally arrives. It doesn't go according to plan. Had it have gone according to Ralph's plan, then the first fire that they built, the one that Jack let go out because he wanted to hunt a pig, would have been enough to save them. Simon would never have been mistaken for the beast and thrown off a cliff, piggy wouldn't have been crushed by a boulder, and the boy with the mole on his face wouldn't have been burned in the first fire (however, he may have survived...there's no proof otherwise). But it didn't go according to Ralph's plan, just like life doesn't go according to our plan. Our plan involves us being rescued as soon as we are stranded on the island. God's plan often involves hardships, trails, tribulations, fights...sometimes even death. But rescue does come eventually. God does hear...it just takes patience and time. Keep the fire going.
5) Finally, the last main thing I got from the book involves the fire and the pig hunt. Jack let the only hope for resuce go out, because he wanted to hunt a pig and get meat. In his mind, meat was the most important thing..and in all honesty, there was nothing wrong with wanting to hunt and eat a pig...but he got his priorities mixed up. he placed a want over a need. He let his selfish attitudes, his selfish desire outweigh the important things. No, keeping a fire going isn't as much fun...but it would have saved them a lot earlier, and saved the lives of 2 people (3 if you count the littlun). How often do we let a fire die, and go chasing after pigs? (figuratively of course). We go after something that we want, and let go of something that we need. We try to do it on our own, instead of giving it over to God. It's not fun, it's not easy...but it is important. We can't let our selfish desires get in the way of what is truly important.
Well...those are my few thoughts on the book. William Golding has created a great story about survival...and about how, without rules and leadership, chaos ensues and we fall into evil and selfish desires. For those of you that have read the book, what sort of themes did you get from it? And no...don't just say "the book sucked" and leave it at that. Whether you loved it, or hated it...if you read it, it must have left some sort of impression on you...what was it?
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