William Golding’s Lord of the Flies is a classic school novel. It follows a group of young boys as they crash on a deserted island in the midst of a world war. They find that the island is hospitable and they begin to work on escaping. 

The island supports them in means of hunger, thirst and adventure. But, as time moves on they come to find that the truest form of danger is not from the island but from themselves. It reviews what it means to be human and how different forms of government function, and we come to see a seemingly harmless story turn into a tale not of survival but of the very darkest depths of human nature. 

As students, many of you have probably read or are going to read this book. That being said, I believe that no matter where you are with this book you should give it at least a reread and a reexamination on your own accord. The majority of the themes and insights are hidden in paragraphs before or after dramatic scenes, hence making them easy to miss. However, when discovered, they provide a new insight into the natures of the novel. 

Lord of the Flies is truly like a treasure hunt in a book. These insights that are found throughout the novel give the reader knowledge of the many layers that this book contains. As John Steinbeck stated in an interview of his novel Grapes of Wrath, “There are five layers to this book—a reader will find as many as he can and he won’t find more than he has in himself.” The same applies to this book (apart from the specific amount of layers). I wish you luck in finding such layers. 

My opinion of this piece is a positive one. It has great themes, vast valleys for discovery and great diction. It truly is a layered book, with powerful messages and contemporary implications. 

I would argue that this book is truly timeless in theme. It also presents the story in a simple yet effective way. However, one cannot go into this novel expecting to be driven by characters and their actions. It is a story driven and controlled by its plot and its desire to satisfy the theme. That aside, the story is a must read for those who haven’t and an additional review to those who have.