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s.penkevich's Reviews > Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Flies
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This book will forever haunt me and be forever intertwined with my freshman year of high school. Its a great book for a classroom and was where I was first taught symbolism in a way that really stood out to me. This book is so rich in literary devices I remember it being the first moment where I realized the art of reading and writing as something far beyond storytelling and how much careful craft brings a work to life. I was hooked, I think from that moment on I had it in my mind that to be someone who analyzes literature was a rock-star type vocation to me. But I will also never forget the way it was taught. Our teacher, who I remain close friends with to this day, had us play a simulation for two days where we were in the same situation as the kids in the book (before we began the book) and had to discuss and plan how to organize our lives to survive on this island. Think Model UN but for Lord of the Flies.
Reader: it was chaos. Everyone made bad deals or broke deals finding it funny to screw people over, multiple people clamored over who was in charge, people such as myself bounced from group to group doing devious deals or gossiping about what other groups were doing (I have always been a gossip queen), and by the second day we were all shouting at each other and feeling like we had somehow been so bad at this game that the teacher would never have his class play it again. Which, at that age, is sort of a mark of pride to some and so once the chaos began those few gleefully pushed for more chaos. Our teacher never interjected, only watched from afar while grading our exams from the previous week--a brilliant time management idea I've come to realize.
Finally our teacher stepped in. We eagerly awaited hearing we were terrible at this and fully destroyed the purpose of it, only to hear that this was what happened almost every single year. And then we read the book, which felt like looking into a mirror. Chilling moment to be confronted with yourself that way. He did this game every year until he retired, it's quite often cited as a favorite memory from high school for those who were there.
Reader: it was chaos. Everyone made bad deals or broke deals finding it funny to screw people over, multiple people clamored over who was in charge, people such as myself bounced from group to group doing devious deals or gossiping about what other groups were doing (I have always been a gossip queen), and by the second day we were all shouting at each other and feeling like we had somehow been so bad at this game that the teacher would never have his class play it again. Which, at that age, is sort of a mark of pride to some and so once the chaos began those few gleefully pushed for more chaos. Our teacher never interjected, only watched from afar while grading our exams from the previous week--a brilliant time management idea I've come to realize.
Finally our teacher stepped in. We eagerly awaited hearing we were terrible at this and fully destroyed the purpose of it, only to hear that this was what happened almost every single year. And then we read the book, which felt like looking into a mirror. Chilling moment to be confronted with yourself that way. He did this game every year until he retired, it's quite often cited as a favorite memory from high school for those who were there.
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Finished Reading
September 24, 2011
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L Ann
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Jul 21, 2022 07:24PM
Oh wow, what an amazing way to introduce your class to the story. I would have loved to be a part of something like that. When I read this story (some time in college) I kept trying to convince myself that what happened on that island was a fluke. I told myself things turned out the way they did because they were all boys or because they were all so young or because of the culture they grew up in...anything besides human nature itself. Now, when my older cynical self thinks about it nothing that happened seems particularly shocking. 😕 You're description of what happened with that classroom experiment made me laugh, especially the bit about those gleefully pushing for more chaos. 😂 Kids really are evil sometimes.
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I do so like reviews like this, that tell of one's personal experience reading a book, rather than spending too much time on a synopsis, which you can get anywhere. I read this so long ago I can't remember how it effected me.
L Ann wrote: "Oh wow, what an amazing way to introduce your class to the story. I would have loved to be a part of something like that. When I read this story (some time in college) I kept trying to convince mys..."It was certainly memorable! So much chaos haha, though looking back its sort of a brilliant social experiment to see what sort of person each student is? Like I'd be curious to observe this game now and look into how much it shows about personality. But yea, all I remember was everyone sort of thriving at how unhinged it got haha. Classic.
Ray wrote: "I do so like reviews like this, that tell of one's personal experience reading a book, rather than spending too much time on a synopsis, which you can get anywhere. I read this so long ago I can't..."
Thanks! And I'm glad because I felt sort of bad leaving the review at this but I was talking about that game with my former teacher today and had to share haha. And same, it left a lasting memory but also isn't one I think I'll reread? Just seems like the perfect youthful spark but I don't need to try again?
For an absolutely INSANE take on this premise, I suggest the manga "Wandering Classroom". It has to be read to be believed, it really does.
O i thought you were GQ fashionable not a Gossip Queen...lmao !
Nocturnalux wrote: "For an absolutely INSANE take on this premise, I suggest the manga "Wandering Classroom". It has to be read to be believed, it really does."Ooooo okay adding now!
Jaidee wrote: "O i thought you were GQ fashionable not a Gossip Queen...lmao !"Haha I aim to be both but in my heart of hearts I just want all the tea
Great teaching. It risks the insane. Thanks for preserving the lesson.
I observe:1. Great teachers are rare, but stay with you for life (I had a Hungarian refugee teacher lend me The Leopard when I was 13). Changed my view of the world.
2. Lord of the Flies disintegration is far more prevalent than we might think
3. GR Reviews have long lives.
4. I'm glad your classmates look back fondly on the experience.
Entertaining as ever Steve.
Georgia wrote: "Great teaching. It risks the insane. Thanks for preserving the lesson."I had to text him to say I wrote about it haha, it was a good lesson. Memorable for sure
So what you're saying is, during the apocalypse we're all screwed. :P
Ian wrote: "I observe:1. Great teachers are rare, but stay with you for life (I had a Hungarian refugee teacher lend me The Leopard when I was 13). Changed my view of the world.
2. Lord of the F..."
Ooo I like this list format, might have to borrow it.
1. I love this story, and it reminds me I still need to read The Leopard. I feel like books take hold in a more magical way when they are passed to you. The imparting of knowledge being something akin to holy?
2. Yeaaa not wrong. I think when I was younger I would have been more inclined towards optimism there but its been a rough few years globally...
3. I sort of love that it lists this review as Sept 24, 2011 when I gave it a star rating instead of when I wrote the review (yesterday, in 2022) because I'm fairly certain this was a book I gave a rating to when I was setting up the account and now I can officially say in september that I've been revieiwng books for 11 years haha.
4. Me too, I think that experience was one of the more memorable classroom moments that whole year.
Thank you!
Iluvatar wrote: "I always fear famous books"I know what you mean, its a tricky feeling to navigate sometimes.
Blackberrystew wrote: "So what you're saying is, during the apocalypse we're all screwed. :P"haha nah I'm sure we'll be good *looks around, laughs nervously...* haha
s.penkevich wrote: "Ian wrote: "I observe:1. Great teachers are rare, but stay with you for life (I had a Hungarian refugee teacher lend me The Leopard when I was 13). Changed my view of the world.
2. L..."
Well responded on all points: I'm sure you will enjoy The Leopard. You're right about books being handed to you: I once was given Here Before Kilroy, by a femme fatale who drove a Trak Yellow Renault 12, and I have not been the same man since. Good point about the review date: I assumed for a moment that your review was from 2011, hence my thinking about the half-life of reviews. Nevertheless, I am pleasantly surprised when my old reviews attract fresh comment. NB: I have eschewed the list system in this reply just to avoid getting hopelessly tangled. But we should use it again.
I absolutely love the way this book was taught to you…almost wish it was taught that way to me but a group of middle schoolers arguing? I think I’ll sit out 😁
Ian wrote: "s.penkevich wrote: "Ian wrote: "I observe:1. Great teachers are rare, but stay with you for life (I had a Hungarian refugee teacher lend me The Leopard when I was 13). Changed my vie..."
I do love when an old review suddenly pops up from a comment or something, it’s always a cool reminder because half the time I think “oh yea I forgot about reading that” and it’s always interesting to see what you were thinking about something 6, 7 years later. Haha I just looked up Before Kilroy and enjoy that you are one of only 3 ratings, I think you get to claim that book as your own personal totem now. But I definitely know what you mean haha
paige wrote: "I absolutely love the way this book was taught to you…almost wish it was taught that way to me but a group of middle schoolers arguing? I think I’ll sit out 😁"Haha that’s fair. It was a good way to learn it but I am sure we were insufferable haha
No wonder you're still friends with that teacher.I was also blessed with an inspirational English teacher. Although, partly because of her, English was my best subject, when we made choices at 16 for what to study for the next two years before uni, I dropped English, because I wanted to read my own choices, and not for points. Nevertheless, she still invited me on all the theatre trips that were supposedly for those studying English. I met her again at a 25-year reunion. She was physically frail, but still sharp as ever. I was able to thank her for the mark she left on my life and the fact that I particularly think of her on theatre trips with my own child.
Cecily wrote: "No wonder you're still friends with that teacher.I was also blessed with an inspirational English teacher. Although, partly because of her, English was my best subject, when we made choices at 16..."
Oh that is lovely, I’m glad she still resonates with every theatre trip. And that is so true about taking English courses—I was always like but this gets in the way of the books I’m reading for me haha
We still keep in touch and text pretty much every day. He was also my cross country coach which is part of it, but was also definitely why I pursued literature so much in life.
Loved the lesson plan. All it was missing was the pig.Made a big impact on me, too, as a high school kid. Interestingly, it's among those books I'm reluctant to return to for fear of what I'll find (or not find).
And, s. penkevich, over the cacophony of the classroom's chaos did anyone happen to hear-no matter how faintly- Jack's Choir singing as they entered the scene, "Kyrie, kryie eleison", warning (ironically) that they arrive already stained by the "Lord of the Flies." Does this, perhaps, resonate with your own experience?
Ken wrote: "Loved the lesson plan. All it was missing was the pig.Made a big impact on me, too, as a high school kid. Interestingly, it's among those books I'm reluctant to return to for fear of what I'll fi..."
Alas no pigs or kids names Piggy. But my nickname all through school was Pinky so I guess close enough?
And same. I think I’ll let this one forever be awash in the light of golden age nostalgia.
Searnold wrote: "And, s. penkevich, over the cacophony of the classroom's chaos did anyone happen to hear-no matter how faintly- Jack's Choir singing as they entered the scene, "Kyrie, kryie eleison", warning (iron..."I wish this would have happened but I suspect it would have been more like the monk animation scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail where they hit themselves in the face with their tablets between chants haha
Canon wrote: "Reading this and remembering your Macbeth review makes me think we need a full memoir."Haha goodreads is slowly becoming my Confessions of a Teenage Lit Stoner memoir.
Interesting that even reading it all these years later, you still found this book powerful. PS Your HS teacher sounds like the kind of teacher we all should have! I still remember 3 wonderful teachers from middle school and high school -- but no, they didn't inspire me to become a teacher. I would have been lousy at it!
Fran wrote: "Interesting that even reading it all these years later, you still found this book powerful. PS Your HS teacher sounds like the kind of teacher we all should have! I still remember 3 wonderful teac..."
This one definitely hits hard haha. Yeaaaa I started college thinking I’d be an English teacher because my two most influential teachers were and it didn’t take long for me to realize it was analyzing books that interested me most, not teaching them haha alas.
This book still has an effect on me all these years later.
Kenny wrote: "This book still has an effect on me all these years later."It certainly really lingers! I think about it quite often as the years go by
s.penkevich wrote: "Kenny wrote: "This book still has an effect on me all these years later."It certainly really lingers! I think about it quite often as the years go by"
I do as well. We read it and then saw the Brook's film a week later. Quite powerful.
Kenny wrote: "s.penkevich wrote: "Kenny wrote: "This book still has an effect on me all these years later."It certainly really lingers! I think about it quite often as the years go by"
I do as well. We read i..."
Ooo I’ve somehow never watched that, I should do that soon.
I HAVE however seen the Simpson adaptation episode of it and that was great haha
s.penkevich wrote: "Ooo I’ve somehow never watched that, I should do that soon.I HAVE however seen the Simpson adaptation episode of it and that was great haha"
When you see it, you have to watch the Peter Brook version from 1963.
That's a great story, S, thanks for sharing it.
Kenny wrote: "s.penkevich wrote: "Ooo I’ve somehow never watched that, I should do that soon.I HAVE however seen the Simpson adaptation episode of it and that was great haha"
When you see it, you have to watch..."
Requesting that through the library now!
T.D. wrote: "That's a great story, S, thanks for sharing it."Thank you! I’m glad it resonates
Excellent review! I have to read this again!
Miya (taking care of sick people. GERMS! EW!) wrote: "Excellent review! I have to read this again!"Thank you so much!
Yes! This book had such a profound effect on me. It was required reading in high school and I absolutely loved it. Haunted is the right description 100%. I really need to read this again soon. Wonderful review as always Steve 👌🏻💖
Rebecca wrote: "Yes! This book had such a profound effect on me. It was required reading in high school and I absolutely loved it. Haunted is the right description 100%. I really need to read this again soon. Wond..."Thank you so much! I think this is one that always seems to leave a mark on the reader, even if they didn’t like it haha
Sounds like an amazing teacher! :)
Jin wrote: "Sounds like an amazing teacher! :)"He really was!
Read about Game Theory. Golding was very perceptive
Bob wrote: "Read about Game Theory. Golding was very perceptive"Oh true, good point. He was ahead of the game haha
"This book is so rich in literary devices I remember it being the first moment where I realized the art of reading and writing as something far beyond storytelling and how much careful craft brings a work to life." I love this observation.
Sarah-Hope wrote: ""This book is so rich in literary devices I remember it being the first moment where I realized the art of reading and writing as something far beyond storytelling and how much careful craft brings..."Thanks! Yea I remember we had this big worksheet that was like what are these things a symbol for and why and it was a big eureka moment for me haha I know a lot of people hate dissecting books like that but for me that’s so much of my enjoyment figuring out all the mechanics haha
love this, love teaching this book 💚
Madeline wrote: "love this, love teaching this book 💚"I imagine this one is a blast to teach, theres so many great opportunities in it!
I’m still haunted by this book and I don’t want to admit to how many decades have passed (and it’s more than 1 or 2), that said, my 2 star rating is for the basic fact that I’ve never been able to swallow the awful things humans can do to one another. The rating is purely this slightly bullied, chubby pre-teen’s horror at just how awful kids can be (and what I thought was awful pales in comparison to this story). So, while I stand by my measly 2-star rating, I salute your review of the literary value of this deeply sad tale.
