I mentioned this recently with my reread of Catcher in the Rye, but as an adult, I actually get why books are assigned in high school.
Lord of the Flies is about a group of boys stranded on an island after a plane crash. The boys create their own system of power which gives a great allegory to political life. I think the symbolism is really easy to find, but I don't think it's overbearing. Each of the characters and their power says something about political power. It also says a lot about how people act in the absence of an authority figure.
If you were a fan of Lost, the TV show, I don't know how you couldn't be a fan of Lord of the Flies. Plane crash, deserted island, disputes over leadership, etc. Once on the island, all hell breaks loose and the story is the struggle of the boys' survival.
I obviously found it to be an important enough read to use in class. It's a classic that deserves that label.
The next book on the schedule is Funny in Farsi by Firoozeh Dumas for the section on immigration.
I remember thinking Lord of the Flies was quite powerful and harsh and a really good read. Funny--I read it in while I was in high school, but not as an assignment. I read it during the summer. And I vividly recall one of my parents' friends looking at me like I was a freak for reading it by choice.
ReplyDeleteI'm a huge fan of Lord of the Flies. I also read it in high school, but not as assigned reading. I also really enjoyed Funny In Farsi - I'm looking forward to your review!
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the few books that I was assigned to read in high school and actually enjoyed. I also loved Fahrenheit 451, Animal Dreams, Animal Farm, and Macbeth.
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