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Food For Thought:
THE LORD OF THE FLIES
It is always with a sense of
foreboding that I pick up a book
that I loved when I was much
younger and read it after several
years have passed, my fear being
that the book will no longer hold
up after the passage of time. Lord
of the Flies was a book that I read
at least three times a year when I
was growing up, starting at about
age 12. I eagerly devoured it,
grappling with all of its symbolism,
and even writing poems about
some of the main characters.
Fortunately I was never required to
read it for school or I likely would
not have enjoyed it as much.
I was pleased to read it again and
find that Golding's novel of World
War II era prep school boys
surviving on an island after an
airplane crash that kills all the
adults is just as good as I
remember it being. I could go on
and on about the various
symbolism in the book, and the
descent of the boys into savagery,
but I don't want to over analyze it.
It is a terrific book, with well
thought out characters. One
cannot help but feel sympathy for
Ralph as he tries to keep a
semblance of order. Anyone who
has ever been terrorized by a
school bully will sympathize with
Ralph's struggle against Jack; and
Piggy is a truly pathetic character.
My favorite character has always
been Simon, who is just a little off
kilter but in the midst of his
ramblings speaks a gre