Lord of the Flies - Context

Question 1

What is he context around William Golding?

Answer 1

1.He believed evil exist within everyone
2.He was. a teacher
3.He fought for the Royal Navy in WW2
4.He wrote Lord of the Flies in 1954

Question 2

How did Golding’s teaching experience help with Lord of the Flies?

Answer 2

1.He taught in a private school for boys, and said he understood young boys very well
2.He belived other adventure stories were optimistic about how young boys would act without supervision

Question 3

What is the WW2 context aroung Flies?

Answer 3

1.Jack is a Hitler like figure - he seizes power and tells SamnEric “You have to join the tribe” - reflecting Hitler’s demand for loyalty
2.Fear prevented people from speaking out against the Nazis - SamnEric feel helpless to Jack’s violent power, “I couldn’t help it”
3.Heinrich Himmler organised the concentration camps - this reflects Roger, who carries out violent acts for Jack

Question 4

What is the Cold War context for Flies?

Answer 4

1.Conflict between Jack and Ralph is like between the USA and USSR.
2.When conflict breaks out, the fire destroys the island,”burning wreckage”, this reflects Mutually Assured Destruction.

Question 5

When is Lord of the Flies set?

Answer 5

It is set during a hypothetical nuclear war.

Question 6

How does the context of Britain affect Flies?

Answer 6

1.Britain was about conquering - Ralph says,”this belongs to us”, reflecting colonialism
2.The British Empire had begun to fall apart in the 50s, reflecting the Boy’s breaking society