What does it mean to be human? In the 1954 novel Lord of the Flies, William Golding gives a dark, unsettling answer. Golding’s story strands a group of English boys on a tropical island and shows what could happen when all the things that normally keep people in line, like civilization, rules, and duty, are gone. The short answer—it’s not pretty. The Setting Golding tells us precious little about the boys, who range in age from six to twelve, as they stumble across the beach. They are dazed survivors of a plane crash. The reader spends the most time with four characters. Ralph is fair and tall, a natural, but reluctant, leader. Piggy is an orphan, raised by his aunt. He is short and stubby and wears thick spectacles. Jack, the red head, comes with a position. He leads a choir, the only group that predates the crash. These boys march onto the scene, organized, with Jack as their head. Simon is slight, has black hair, and follows along at first as part of Jack’s choir. Simon is shy and insecure, but he grows stronger. To their credit, the boys realize quickly they need to organize. They learn they are the only humans around, and they are not sure if, or how soon, a rescue might happen. Food, shelter, fresh water, and a signal fire for ships and planes, whether around by accident or design, are all pressing needs. But nothing can be accomplished individually. Given the new realiShort of the Glory of God: Human Nature in Lord of the Flies Mark Caleb Smith
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