Lord of the Flies by William Golding

When Lord of the Flies appeared in 1954, it received unprecedented reviews for a first novel, praised by critics for its vivid and enthralling power, its beautifully written and desperate vision, and its magnificent, often frightening progress toward a nightmarish climax of terror. E.M. Forster chose it as the Outstanding Novel of the Year, and Time and Tide touched on perhaps the most important facet of the book when it called it not only a first-rate adventure but a parable of its time. Articles on this and subsequent Golding novels have stressed these twin aspects of his work: a consummate control of the novel form and a superb, all-encompassing vision of reality that communicates with a power reminiscent of Conrad.

This book is featured on The Book Club with Michael Knowles, PragerU's show dedicated to the great books of Western civilization. In this episode, Michael Knowles is joined by Lauren Chen to discuss Golding's story of British schoolboys stranded on a deserted island who reject societal norms and devolve into depravity, and what it reveals about whether reason can survive when the impulse for power and groupthink take over.

📺 Watch the episode: Lauren Chen — Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Read Golding's unflinching parable of civilization and savagery, and discover why the question of whether darkness lurks within us all still haunts readers seven decades later.