Lord of the Flies
William GoldingThis classic looks into the dark sides of human nature. The story unfolds as a group of British schoolboys, ranging from children to adolescents, find themselves stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash.
The two major characters are Ralph, the natural leader who strives for rules and order, and Jack, the charismatic hunter who embraces chaos. Their ideas stand for the tension between civilisation and savagery. Initially, the boys attempt to establish order and civilisation by setting rules and choosing a leader. After a while, however, the fear of a ‘beast’ leads to the thin layer of civilisation crumbling and to power struggles, with the boys giving in to primal instincts of hunting and violence.
Their descent into anarchy is further increased by the boys’ searching for something to hold onto. As the situation worsens, moral boundaries blur and the boys find themselves in a struggle for survival.
The novel, written shortly after the Second World War, examines themes of human nature, the vulnerability of civilisation, and the thin line between order and chaos. Today, too, _Lord of the Flies_ provides food for thought, making it a timeless and compelling book.
Bronnen
Sommige kranten bieden slechts enkele artikelen gratis aan, waarna de volgende artikelen alleen voor abonnees toegankelijk zijn. Een goede bron voor recensies is LiteRom. Recensies uit deze database over oorspronkelijk Nederlandstalige literatuur zijn voor alle bibliotheekleden gratis raadpleegbaar, zowel in de bibliotheek als thuis (zie https://www.bibliotheek.nl/collectie/digitale-bronnen.html). Sommige bibliotheken kopen ook de LiteRom Wereld in, met recensies van oorspronkelijk in het buitenland verschenen titels. Toegang hiertoe op locatie en/of thuis verschilt dus per plaats en is na te gaan via de website van uw lokale bibliotheek.
- Rutger Bregman, De Correspondent, ‘This is what happens when you set ordinary children free in the wilderness’, 7 June 2017
- John Carey, The Guardian, biography of William Golding, 5 September 2009
- Judy Carver, The Guardian, William Golding’s daughter reveals his darker side in a new book, 19 September, 2010
- De magie van de Heer van de Vliegen, VPRO Gids – Boeken, 2011
- David Gribble, “Sadly misunderstood: The Lord of the Flies”
- Cliff Notes Lord of the Flies at a glance
- SparkNotes, Lord of The Flies
- Aiman, The Guardian, Lord of the Flies by William Golding – Review, 24 January 2012
- Alexa, Goodreads, 13 September 2021
- Wikipedia