On September 17th, 1954 William Golding's book Lord of the Flies was published. This story is considered to be one of the greatest novels showcasing human depravity and evil, ever to be written. William Golding was born September 19, 1911 in the United Kingdom. As a child Golding was a troublemaker. He recounted when he was older, that he was the child who enjoyed hurting others. But when he grew up and became a teacher, he taught boys of that similar age when he was so cruel. This became the inspiration for the classic book Lord of the Flies. Besides the school boys being inspiration, when World War Two broke out, Golding joined the Royal Navy and witnessed the worst of humanity. This was also great inspiration for his most famous book.

 

In the book we see many themes being woven throughout. When the boys first get stranded on this island, they work together and everything seems to be going along just fine, despite having some arguments here and there. But as their hope of rescue dwindles, a group, the vast majority of the boys become savage like. They become cruel and only concerned with hunting, playing savages, and blood. In the end two of the boys die due to this savagery.  

 

The two main themes in this book are: 

   1. Man's savage nature 

Throughout the book two of the main characters Jack and Roger exhibit this cruel nature. But as time passes most of the boys true inherent nature, when taken away from the rules of society, bleeds through. "Maybe there is a beast... maybe it's only us." 

2. Loss of innocence 

As these boys witness the horrors that man is capable of, they loose a certain part of their innocence. All of these boys know what true hunger, sickness, thirst, blood, killing are like. They no longer are held by society and its rules, they are truly free. But what comes out of that freedom none of them want. "Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man's heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy."