"Lord of the Flies". William Golding

William Golding was born on September 19, 1911, in Cornwall, England. Although he tried to write a novel as early as age twelve, his parents urged him to study the natural sciences. Golding followed his parents’ wishes until his second year at Oxford, when he changed his focus to English literature.

 

The novel I want to discuss is written by this outstanding writer. Now it remains one of the most important contributions to English literature made this century.

I'd like to say, that I was impressed by the book. The essential plot is quite interesting and exciting. Lord of the Flies tells the story of a group of English schoolboys marooned on a tropical island after their plane is shot down during a war. Though the novel is fictional, its exploration of the idea of human evil is at least partly based on Golding’s experience with the real-life violence and brutality of World War II. Free from the rules and structures of civilization and society, the boys on the island in Lord of the Flies descend into savagery. As the boys splinter into factions, some behave peacefully and work together to maintain order and achieve common goals, while others rebel and seek only anarchy and violence. In his portrayal of the small world of the island, Golding paints a broader portrait of the fundamental human struggle between the civilizing instinct—the impulse to obey rules, behave morally, and act lawfully—and the savage instinct—the impulse to seek brute power over others, act selfishly, scorn moral rules, and indulge in violence.

 

In fact, the novel is written in the form of the fable (A fable is a tale that tells one story through another. The characters exist on two levels: as individuals and as types). Golding employs a relatively straightforward writing style in Lord of the Flies, one that avoids highly poetic language, lengthy description, and philosophical interludes. Much of the novel is allegorical, meaning that the characters and objects in the novel are infused with symbolic significance that conveys the novel’s central themes and ideas. In portraying the various ways in which the boys on the island adapt to their new surroundings and react to their new freedom, Golding explores the broad spectrum of ways in which humans respond to stress, change, and tension.

 

To my mind, The central concern of "Lord of the Flies" is the conflict between two competing impulses that exist within all human beings: the instinct to live by rules, act peacefully, follow moral commands, and value the good of the group against the instinct to gratify one’s immediate desires, act violently to obtain supremacy over others, and enforce one’s will. This conflict might be expressed in a number of ways: civilization vs. savagery, order vs. chaos, reason vs. impulse, law vs. anarchy, or the broader heading of good vs. evil. Throughout the novel, Golding associates the instinct of civilization with good and the instinct of savagery with evil.

 

All in all, I should say, that "Lord of Flies" is not for every taste. There are some moments which have chocked me a lot... And I should confess, the novel is one of the most disturbing books I've ever read. Using a group of innocent schoolboys stranded on an island, the author very realistically portrays human behavior in an environment where civilization no longer has meaning. But I'd like to add, "Lord of the Flies" has something interesting and unusual which makes you to read it till the end and reread repeatedly.           

 

"Animal Farm". George Orwell

Do you know that George Orwell was just a pen name of Eric Blair? He is a British political novelist and essayist whose pointed criticisms of political oppression propelled him into prominence toward the middle of the XX century. In fact, his the most famous work is "Animal Farm", written in 1944.

 

Animal Farm, without a doubt, is most famous in the West as a stinging critique of the history and rhetoric of the Russian Revolution. Retelling the story of the emergence and development of Soviet communism in the form of an animal fable, Animal Farm allegorizes the rise to power of the dictator Joseph Stalin.

 

The essential  plot of  "Animal Farm" deals with the story which describes the happenings on a farm, when the animals, angry about the way the human, Farmer Jones, runs the farm and treats the anima, stage a successful revolution. They rid themselves of Jones and his tame crow (which represent the Church) and establish an equal system of government, a republic organized along social lines. The revolution is organized by the pigs, the most intelligent animals on the farm. Gradually, the day of the glorious revolution is forgotten. The pigs begin to show sings of corruption and inequality. They become more and more like their masters had been. After the rebellion, the animals say that all the animals are equal. Later the animals create another  saying : " All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others".

 

What about my personal opinion, I don't like the book. I can't understand it. Most of our past generation remembers the time of Soviet Union as something good. My grandmother always tells me that those times were better than now. No doubts, I am sure there was some bad points such as exploration and so on, but there were more advantages! Thanks to the book, it has awoken in me a great sense of patriotism. I think Orwell didn't know the country very well.

 

However, in my opinion, all the teenagers should read it. Because the book shows all the stereotypes of the West about our country. Personally, I understand what a bad opinion the West has about the USSR.