Lord of the Flies tonight BBC

fancyflowers

I have enjoyed episode 1, 'Piggy.' The series so far doesn't adhere to the book: in the book, the boys kept a fire going but they didn't set fire to part of the island.

The acting is superb, and the photography is excellent. In many ways it reminds me of the film 'Walkabout' with Jenny Agutter.

I am looking forward to seeing the rest of it.

I am just re-reading the book and I have realized that the boys did set fire to the trees on the island.

A novel that caused a real stir when it was first published about violence the human condition.

It was also routinely included in GCE Eng Lit syllabuses in the Sixties along with Cider With Rosie and a Clock Work Orange .

Someone once said it could be used in a recruitment campaign for the Conservative Party for public school members.

Golding went on to win a Nobel Prize for Literature years later.

Brilliant Film .. showed how clever, sympathetic, and a jolly good egg Piggy was .... I really appreciated it ...

William Golding wrote some very good books, unless I’m remembering wrongly there was a great trilogy ( or possibly just two books) called Fire Down Below.Set on a ship on a long voyage.

Oreo, you are quite correct. His trilogy was known as Rites of Passage and the third book was Fire Down Below

I haven't read the book and I'm not watching this because I know what is coming. I'm very thankful I wasn't given this or Clockwork Orange to study at school.

I would rather Charles Dickens was studied at school because there's plenty there about social issues to get their teeth into.

Like others, I really don’t want to watch it.

The boy who plays Jack....is also the actor who will play Draco Malfoy in the new Harry Potter series

Another excellent book written by Golding is called The Spire. It concerns the result of someone who follows his own ambitions rather than the will of God and the advice of others.

I remember the fuss when the book was published. The very idea that British boys would descend rapidly into savagery!
This dramatisation was excellent and true to the book but horrific to watch. Golding was a teacher and knew a lot about young boys.
What would that generation make of our daily school shootings and teenage stabbings?

Starting watching it after binge watching Small Prophets and it was a bit of a culture shock that I wasn’t ready for. Going to try to watch the whole lot tonight as I think each episode draws you further in.

I thought it was outstanding. Piggy was especially good.

I agree. I thought it was brilliant.

I've just watched the third episode and will watch the last one this evening. I think it's excellent. The boys acting, the creation of tension and use of the scenery to create menace is brilliant. The eruption of violence in the third episode is both believable and terrifying as is the make up. BBC drama at it's best!

Dearknees1

I first came across the book when I taught it for O level English literature in the 70s. I think it’s a very interesting study of how circumstances can cause social order to break down and the consequences. I’ve watched two episodes of the current series and am finding it excellent in all respects - location, casting, acting, adherence to the original story. I’m waiting for the ending when the boys finally encounter an adult to see if it lives up to the way in which Golding portrayed it.

It is also interesting in the fact that the children stranded on the island are all boys.

This brings up the question about whether the children would have acted differently if they had been a mixed group of girls and boys. Would girls have been a civilising influence on the boys and their behaviour have been less extreme or would the older boys have become more savage?

Interesting question Allira to which I don't really have an answer. The savagery was instigated by Jack, if it had been possible to remove him from the equation I'm not sure anyone else would have behaved like him. Is it about leadership style?Ralph, Simon and Nicky (Piggy) all showed empathy and concern for the "littleuns", without Jack around could they have maintained a different a kinder society. tbh thinking back to my younger days, I'm not sure girls were more civilised, they didn't fight physically but goodness they could use other weapons to control, isolate and humiliate others.

I think those of us that went to an all girl school and were bullied still bear the emotional scars .

MayBee70

I think those of us that went to an all girl school and were bullied still bear the emotional scars .

Absolutely! And even in a mixed school, bullying by girls leaves scars.

Has anyone read "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Attwood? Brilliant book about the effects of one girl bullying another and well worth a read. I'm a huge fan of Attwood.

Yes I read "Cats Eye" years ago but remember the bullying content well.

I love MA's books too, some more than others. My personal favourites The Blind Assassin and Alias Grace.

Both on my bookshelf next to me, TerriBull I think I'll read Alias Grace again. I need to spend less time on scrolling and more on reading, unfortunately a modern affliction!

foxie48

Interesting question Allira to which I don't really have an answer. The savagery was instigated by Jack, if it had been possible to remove him from the equation I'm not sure anyone else would have behaved like him. Is it about leadership style?Ralph, Simon and Nicky (Piggy) all showed empathy and concern for the "littleuns", without Jack around could they have maintained a different a kinder society. tbh thinking back to my younger days, I'm not sure girls were more civilised, they didn't fight physically but goodness they could use other weapons to control, isolate and humiliate others.

I was thinking of the world in general and who are, in the main, the warmongerers. Men.

No doubt that observation might be considered misandrist by some.

There's been a few warrior women though although I totally agree that most wars are started by men, possibly because in most countries over time it's been men who were in charge. Anyway, the acting is brilliant, particularly Jack, those eyes!

Phew, just watched the last episode and I was on the edge of my seat. I kept looking at the clock and wondering if they would ever get rescued so was pleased when help came.

I feel quite wiped out after watching the final episode. The last scenes with Ralph and Piggy were heartbreaking. But all the boys were so amazing. I'm going to watch the programme about the making of it now.