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Lord of the Flies

by William Golding

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Discussion Topic

Plot analysis and writing a novel analysis for William Golding's "Lord of the Flies"

Summary:

To analyze the plot of William Golding's Lord of the Flies, examine the descent into savagery among boys stranded on an uninhabited island. Key themes include the inherent evil within humanity and the breakdown of civilization. A novel analysis should focus on character development, symbols like the conch and the Lord of the Flies, and the contrast between order and chaos.

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How can one write a novel analysis for William Golding's "Lord of the Flies"?

A novel analysis is a difficult essay form to master, but as a baseline it is important to remember that a novel analysis should contain three core components: thematic analysis, textual analysis, and an interpretation of the author's intent.

For thematic analysis, consider what themes appear within the text and how the author address these themes. For Lord of the Flies, you might consider the theme of man versus self, or man versus (lack of) society.

In a textual analysis, use quotes from the novel to support your thematic analysis, ensuring that you break down any literary techniques used by the author on a micro level as well as connecting these quotes to the novel on a macro level. For example, consider the quote where Simon says, “Maybe there is a beast … Maybe it’s only us.” Why might Golding have used an ellipsis in this quote? What does...

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it indicate?

When trying to interpret authorial intent, ask yourself, why did the author write their novel? There are always multiple, intertwining themes present in great novels, but it is crucial to develop your own interpretation of the author's intent. If the reader only took one message away from their novel, what would the author (in this case, Golding) want that message to be? In Lord of the Flies, consider the era in which Golding wrote the novel and how that might have impacted his intent. Might the recent memory of World War II have had an impact?

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