Lord of the Flies Literary Criticism
RBHS Main / Mancoff Main / Freshman Main
Introduction Task Process Resources Conclusion Introduction:
Lord of the Flies is a classic piece of literature that has been analyzed by hundreds, if not thousands, of scholars before you. Each one has brought a unique interpretation to the text, just as you will bring your own interpretation as well. Today, take a look at what some of these scholars have to say and see if their ideas fit the text as you've experienced it.
Browse through the seven available literary analyses of the novel. Look for one quote, passage, or idea that you strongly agree or strongly disagree with. Finally, craft a written, informal response to the idea that you read.
1. First, browse through the seven available literary analyses of the novel.
2. Stick to only the links provided so that you don't run into any plot spoilers.
3. Look for ideas which you either strongly agree or disagree with.
4. When you have found one such idea, copy it down or paste it into Word.
5. Write a ONE PAGE informal response to the idea, including:
6. Quotes are not necessary, but examples would help!
- Why do you agree or disagree with it?
- What examples from the text support your point of view?
**NOTE:
I have taken the liberty of editing these wonderful analyses to remove potential plot spoilers for my class. The full, unedited text of each analysis can be found by following the link provided at the top of each analysis below. The final two analyses have not been edited as they contained no spoilers.Analysis #1
(The most challenging read, but also the most interesting...)Analysis #6
(Pretty short, but worth taking a look at.)Analysis #7
(Realize that their symbol definitions aren't necessarily the right ones!)
Now that you have taken a look at some other scholars' interpretations of the novel, what's your own interpretation? Realize that you are part of this scholarly process and that your ideas and reactions to the novel have as much validity as anyone else's. Remember-- it's not who has the "right" idea, but who is able to argue their idea persuasively.
