Any great piece of literature must stand the test of time, it must be didactic, it must entertain, and it must encourage almost constant discussion about it. Lord of the Flies , in my opinion, meets all of these requirements. When cultural media such as family guy and the simpsons allude to it in some of their episodes you just know that it's had some impact onb society and in classrooms everywhere. Most importantly, however, is that LOTF presents us with a society in miniature, a microcosm of sorts. Society has its Ralphs, Jacks, Simons, Rogers, and every range inbetween. What happens on the island is what often happens in real life. We need to learn from reading the novel to be aware of the darkness which is potential in all of us, learn to rationally control it, and work together for the good of ALL of society or else...
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we will never survive as a species.
With his "Lord of the Flies," it has been argued that William Golding demonstrated mastery of the allegorical novel. Indeed, this novel is a wonderful example of allegory in that Golding uses his literal plot of schoolboys stranded on an island to convey his themes about the darkness of man's heart when civilization is removed. Each symbol, like the conch shell or Piggy's specs, each character, each description of setting is masterfully used to convey these themes. Also, Golding's use of diction is quite superb and definitely lends itself to his thematic delivery as well.
Why is Lord of the Flies considered well written?
Because it is!! Take this into account:
First, it offers a realistic view of the nature of humans that most writers (especially at this time) wouldn't touch. Golding not only offers the sentiment that we're all savages at heart, but he does so with a pack of British boys (who are supposed to all that is pure, innocent, and civil).
Secondly, Golding is a master of literary devices. He effectively characterizes all of the major characters, uses atmosphere during times of conflict, and litters the novel with irony. This might arguably be the best novel available for teaching the three forms of irony.
Thirdly, Golding has created a novel that can be studied by multiple reading levels for multiple reasons. It can be read by lower high school/junior high classes for a sense of plot and scene development, or it can be used with a senior honors class for study in theme.
Lastly, it's just a fantastic story. If you want to ignore the fact that Golding used many techniques that make English teachers drool, it's still a really good tale. I haven't found many students that don't like LOTF just as a story.