William Golding & William Golding & Lord of the Flies Lord of the Flies

Historical Context Historical Context NotesNotes

EQ: EQ: Who the heck was William Golding, Who the heck was William Golding, and why did he write and why did he write Lord of the Lord of the FliesFlies??

William GoldingWilliam Golding 1911 – 1993 – Great Britain1911 – 1993 – Great Britain Education – Oxford UniversityEducation – Oxford University Golding’s father forced him to Golding’s father forced him to

study science. Shortly after study science. Shortly after enrolling in school, Golding enrolling in school, Golding defied his father and changed defied his father and changed his major to literature.his major to literature.

He won the Nobel Prize for He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1983.Literature in 1983.

The Nobel PrizeThe Nobel Prize The Nobel Foundation gave The Nobel Foundation gave

the prize to Golding, “For the prize to Golding, “For his novels which, with the his novels which, with the perspicuity of realistic perspicuity of realistic narrative art and the narrative art and the diversity and universality of diversity and universality of myth, illuminate the myth, illuminate the human condition in the human condition in the world of today.”world of today.”

William Golding . . .William Golding . . . Served in The Royal Served in The Royal

Navy during WWII.Navy during WWII. His tour of duty His tour of duty

included:included:– Sinking of the Sinking of the

Bismarck, andBismarck, and– The Battle of The Battle of

NormandyNormandy

Golding’s Hobbies:Golding’s Hobbies:

Hobbies: Hobbies: thinking, thinking, Classical Classical Greek, sailing, Greek, sailing, archaeologyarchaeology

A Brief Investigation of Great A Brief Investigation of Great Britain during the 40’s and 50’sBritain during the 40’s and 50’s

George VI reigned as King George VI reigned as King from 1937 – 1950. He was from 1937 – 1950. He was the grandson of Queen the grandson of Queen Victoria and considered an Victoria and considered an uninspiring war leader.uninspiring war leader.

Prime Minister Neville Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain declared war Chamberlain declared war on Germany.on Germany.

Chamberlain was replaced Chamberlain was replaced by Winston Churchill.by Winston Churchill.

Monarchy – 1042-1952

George VI

I have a secret.

Queen

Victoria

The Labour PartyThe Labour Party

The Labour Party The Labour Party started in 1910 as a started in 1910 as a result of economic result of economic problems in the problems in the country. The country. The separation between separation between the upper and lower the upper and lower classes magnified.classes magnified.

United States Prices in 1956:United States Prices in 1956:

Coke -- .10 - .15 centsCoke -- .10 - .15 cents A Gallon of gas -- .23 centsA Gallon of gas -- .23 cents A movie -- .50 centsA movie -- .50 cents A McDonald’s hamburger -- .15 centsA McDonald’s hamburger -- .15 cents French fries -- .10 - .20 centsFrench fries -- .10 - .20 cents Average Salary -- $1,083/yearAverage Salary -- $1,083/year

1940’s -- 50’s British Fashion1940’s -- 50’s British Fashion

LiteratureLiterature

Russell Bertrand Russell Bertrand won the Nobel won the Nobel Prize for his books Prize for his books and on physics.and on physics.

Comic books were Comic books were popular.popular.

Golding would Golding would have read books have read books and seen plays by and seen plays by Oscar Wilde.Oscar Wilde.

Russell Bertrand

Comic Books

Oscar WildeOscar Wilde

A dramatist who was part of the A dramatist who was part of the Aesthetic Movement – People who Aesthetic Movement – People who defined themselves against the defined themselves against the wealthy upper-middle class, who wealthy upper-middle class, who they perceived as people with moral they perceived as people with moral appearances, and immoral actions.appearances, and immoral actions.

Wilde spoke out against the Wilde spoke out against the suppression of creativity, and true suppression of creativity, and true individualism.individualism.

He attended Oxford University.He attended Oxford University.

British Art 1930’s-1950’sBritish Art 1930’s-1950’sJOHN SINGER SARGEANT

HENRY TONKS

ROTHENSTEIN

MARK GERTLER

Flavors of the DayFlavors of the Day Wrote LOF less than 10 years after WWIIWrote LOF less than 10 years after WWII Horrors of Holocaust— Horrors of Holocaust— European humans made this!European humans made this! Nagasaki & Hiroshima—atomic bomb Nagasaki & Hiroshima—atomic bomb https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4R8lAjVzj0

Iron Curtain—Cold War & Communism as boogie man, Iron Curtain—Cold War & Communism as boogie man, evil, ominous threatevil, ominous threat

55 million dead via WWII55 million dead via WWII Psychology of fearPsychology of fear Rationalism (espoused by Golding’s dad)Rationalism (espoused by Golding’s dad)

– Idea that REASON rather than experience is necessary & Idea that REASON rather than experience is necessary & reliable means to gain knowledge & understanding of the reliable means to gain knowledge & understanding of the worldworld

– Viewpoint not tolerant of emotionally-based experienceViewpoint not tolerant of emotionally-based experience– Optimistic that humankind can be perfected w/enough Optimistic that humankind can be perfected w/enough

effort, cured of aggressive/antisocial tendencieseffort, cured of aggressive/antisocial tendencies– Aka “Scientific Rationalism”—humans’ll attain perfection Aka “Scientific Rationalism”—humans’ll attain perfection

via science & technology—Western world’s confidence in via science & technology—Western world’s confidence in technology as cure-alltechnology as cure-all

– Golding DID NOT share his dad’s beliefs on thisGolding DID NOT share his dad’s beliefs on this

ThemeTheme

Golding described the theme of Golding described the theme of Lord Lord of the Fliesof the Flies as, “An attempt to trace as, “An attempt to trace the defects of society back to the the defects of society back to the defects of human nature. The moral defects of human nature. The moral is that the shape of a society must is that the shape of a society must depend on the depend on the ethical nature of the ethical nature of the individualindividual and and not on any political not on any political systemsystem however apparently logical or however apparently logical or respectable. . .”respectable. . .”

Questions to consider . . .Questions to consider . . .

What is the nature What is the nature of the human of the human personality?personality?

What is the What is the reflection of the reflection of the personality on personality on society?society?

SymbolismSymbolism Lord of the FliesLord of the Flies is filled is filled with symbolismwith symbolism

The The “Lord of the flies” “Lord of the flies” phrase itselfphrase itself is a translation is a translation of of thethe Hebrew “Ba’alzevuv” Hebrew “Ba’alzevuv” (Beelzebub in Greek) – (Beelzebub in Greek) – another another name for the Devilname for the Devil, , a devil whose name a devil whose name suggests that he is suggests that he is devoted devoted to decay, destruction, to decay, destruction, demoralization, hysteria demoralization, hysteria andand panic. panic.

Symbolism, continued . . .Symbolism, continued . . .

This “Devil” or “Beelzebub” is not present This “Devil” or “Beelzebub” is not present in any traditional religious sense, but is in any traditional religious sense, but is the modern equivalent that the Freudians the modern equivalent that the Freudians call the call the IdId..

One of the oldest and most famous One of the oldest and most famous demonic figures, Beelzebub also had demonic figures, Beelzebub also had command over disease (flies congregate command over disease (flies congregate around the corpses of the dead, and around the corpses of the dead, and spread disease from the dead to the living) spread disease from the dead to the living) and his role is to tempt men with pride.and his role is to tempt men with pride.

IDID According to Freud, we are According to Freud, we are

born with our born with our Id.  The id is .  The id is an important part of our an important part of our personality because as personality because as newborns, it allows us to get newborns, it allows us to get our our basic survival needs met.  Freud believed that met.  Freud believed that the id is based on our the id is based on our pleasure principle.  In other pleasure principle.  In other words, the words, the id wants id wants whatever feels good at the whatever feels good at the time, with no consideration time, with no consideration for the reality of the for the reality of the situationsituation. . 

Id continued . . .Id continued . . .

The id doesn't care about reality, The id doesn't care about reality, about the needs of anyone else, about the needs of anyone else, only only its own satisfactionits own satisfaction.  If you think .  If you think about it, babies are not considerate about it, babies are not considerate of their parents' wishes.  They have of their parents' wishes.  They have no care for time, whether their no care for time, whether their parents are sleeping, relaxing, eating parents are sleeping, relaxing, eating dinner, or bathing.  dinner, or bathing.  When the id When the id wants something, nothing else is wants something, nothing else is important.important.

Superego. . .Superego. . . Part of our Part of our ununconscious mind that counter-conscious mind that counter-

balances the Id: AKA “balances the Id: AKA “conscienceconscience”” Superego focuses on Superego focuses on morally rightmorally right behavior. behavior. Whereas id has short-term interests, Whereas id has short-term interests,

superego has superego has long-termlong-term interests. interests. Uses guilt to punishUses guilt to punish you for selfish & you for selfish &

immoral behaviors.immoral behaviors.

What course of action do I choose?

Ego. . .Ego. . . Part of our Part of our conscious (awake)conscious (awake) mind that mind that

chooses our action . chooses our action . MediatesMediates between the Id & Superego and the between the Id & Superego and the

external world to choose a course of action.external world to choose a course of action. Your Your personalitypersonality

As you read, consider. . .As you read, consider. . . The relationship between the individual The relationship between the individual

and society.and society. The role of human nature and the Id as The role of human nature and the Id as

it pertains to the characters. it pertains to the characters. The laws – both human defined and The laws – both human defined and

those of nature.those of nature. Symbolism.Symbolism.