Lord of the Flies

Play adaptation

You may already know ‘Lord of the Flies’ as the famous novel by William Golding.

You may also have seen one or both of the two film adaptations of the novel.

We will be studying Nigel Williams’ stage adaptation of Golding’s story.

Lord of the Flies PDF context book.pdf

Interview with the author.

Take a listen to William Golding talking about ‘Lord of the Flies’ & take in the imagery.

What led Golding to decide to make all of the characters in his novel boys?

Community

"Lord of the Flies," explores the theme of community and its breakdown in the face of human nature and societal pressures. The story follows a group of British boys stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash, and it vividly portrays how their attempts to establish a functional community devolve into chaos and violence.

In essence, "Lord of the Flies" serves as a cautionary tale about the delicate balance between civilization and savagery, and how a community can disintegrate when faced with fear, power struggles, and the erosion of shared values. It underscores the importance of maintaining empathy, order, and effective leadership to prevent the deterioration of community bonds.

Lord of the Flies (Acting Edition): Act One

All of your answers are to be in full sentences.

1. Which country are the boys from?

2. On page 2 the audience gets its first indication that the boys have been involved in some sort of accident. Copy down the lines that tell the audience this.

Piggy:________________________________________________________________________

Ralph:________________________________________________________________________

Piggy:________________________________________________________________________

Ralph:________________________________________________________________________

3. How is the language used by Piggy different to that used by Ralph? What does this suggest about Piggy’s background? Give an example of Piggy’s language to support your answer.

4. Describe the conch? What does it look like? What does Piggy suggest it should be used for on p.14?

5. What is Jack’s relationship to the rest of the choir? Provide a quote from Jack to support your answer.

6. Who is the first boy to put himself forward as leader? Provide a quote from the play to support your answer.

7. How does Jack treat Simon Cambourne? Provide a quote from Jack to support your answer.

8. Why do the boys start the fire? What goes wrong when they do so?

9. On page 31 the audience finds out why the boys were on a plane together leaving England. Who reveals this information and what does he say?

10. What information does Percival Wemys Madyson bring to the group? How do the boys react to this?

11. Who does Ralph apologise to on page 37/38? What does he apologise for

12. Create a list of words to describe each of these characters’ personalities -Ralph Piggy Jack

Lord of the Flies (Acting Edition): Act Two

All of your answers are to be in full sentences.

What are Sam and Eric afraid of at the beginning of Act Two?
How successful do you think Ralph is as a leader at this point in the play? Provide a quote from early in Act Two to support your answer.
There is an important turning point in the narrative early in Act Two. What is it and what effect does it have on the story?
Jack’s killing of the pig represents a victory for him. A victory over what and whom?
Describe the division that exists between the boys at this point. Who is one side and who is on the other?
What do you make of Jack’s desire to dance on pages 66-67? How do the other boys react to his speeches about dancing?
Simon Cambourne plays an important role in this Act. How would you describe his character? Use a quote from the play to support your answer.
Using a quote from the play to support your answer, describe what happens to Simon on page 69.
Ralph makes another attempt at connecting with Jack on p.70. Describe Jack’s reaction to Ralph’s efforts.
The stage directions written by Nigel Williams on pages 73, 74 & 80 are very important in describing ‘the figure’. Complete the following sentence by using a quote from Williams’ stage directions.
Nigel Williams uses stage directions to successfully create a dark and frightening atmosphere around ‘the figure’. We see this on page ______ when Williams writes “__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.”
Who finally realises that ‘the figure’ is in fact the dead parachutist. Use a quote from the text to support your answer.
Simon’s death at the end of this Act is brutal and disturbing but perhaps not entirely surprising. Describe what happens in the lead up to Simon’s death that creates a sense of tension for the reader/viewer. Use quotes to support your answer.

Lord of the Flies (Acting Edition): Act Three

All of your answers are to be in full sentences.

Ralph is described as being ‘listless’ on page 89. What does this mean?
The stage directions on page 89 also describe Roger as having ‘a horrible sort of dignity about him’. And on page 90 his movements are described as ‘frighteningly adult’. What do you think these descriptions tell us about the ways in which Roger has changed?
The group has now separated into two distinct groups. How do you know? Provide a quote from the text to support your answer.
The boys are still discussing the possibility that the beast exists at this point in the play. How does Jack use the boys’ belief in the beast to his advantage? (p.93)
We see Roger challenging Jack’s authority on more than one occasion in this act. Find one example, provide a quote from the text and explain how Roger is attempting to undermine Jack’s authority.
How does Ralph feel following the destruction of the beach camp? Support your answer with a quote from the text.
Empathy is the capacity to put yourself in someone else’s position and feel what they feel. Which character do you feel the most empathy towards and why?
On page 101/102 Piggy argues that he and Ralph and the others should not carry spears when they visit Jack’s camp. Why does he feel this way and what ‘weapon’ does Piggy think is the most important to use against Jack?
On page 104 Jack gets angry at Maurice for calling him Merridew. Why? Provide a quote from the text to help explain your answer.
Why does the author describe Ralph’s group as a ‘weird troupe’ on page 104?
On pages 107-109 Piggy makes a final attempt to persuade Jack and his hunters to see sense. Which of Piggy’s lines to do think are the most persuasive and why? ]
How does Jack justify the murders of Simon and Piggy and the final hunt for Ralph? Provide a quote from the text to support your answer.
How does the author describe the movements of Jack’s crew on page 116 as they hunt for Ralph. Provide a quote from the text. Why is this an important description?
What terrifying realisation does Ralph come to on page 117. Support your answer with a quote.
Why do you think Nigel Williams has chosen to have the Naval Officer appear as if transforming out of the form of the dead parachutist. (p.122)?
What does the officer make of the scene that he is witnessing? Provide a quote to support your answer.
How do you feel about the ending of the story? What, if anything, would you like to change about this ending?
What do you think happens to the boys after the conclusion of the play? Write a brief synopsis (summary) of what you think might happen after the story ends.

Lessons and insights about community that "Lord of the Flies" offers:

The Fragility of Civilization: The novel underscores the fragility of civilization and the societal structures that uphold it. When the boys first arrive on the island, they attempt to organize themselves with rules, leadership, and a sense of shared purpose. However, as their isolation and fear grow, these constructs start to crumble, revealing the underlying brutality of human nature.

Role of Leadership: "Lord of the Flies" portrays the importance of effective leadership in maintaining a functional community. Ralph initially assumes a leadership role through democratic means, focusing on building shelters, maintaining a signal fire, and seeking rescue. However, as the boys' fear and desire for power intensify, they turn to Jack's authoritarian leadership, which prioritizes hunting and domination over cooperation.

Conflict and Power Struggles: The novel explores how power struggles can disrupt a community. As Jack and his followers gain control, they manipulate fear and primal instincts to maintain dominance. This conflict leads to the division of the group into two factions, causing isolation and making cooperation increasingly difficult.

Loss of Identity: The boys' descent into savagery illustrates the loss of individual and collective identity within a community. As they paint their faces and engage in violent rituals, they shed their former societal identities and succumb to a more primal and tribal nature.

Importance of Rules and Order: The breakdown of the boys' community serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of rules and order. Without established norms and values, chaos ensues. The absence of consequences for breaking these rules contributes to the deterioration of their shared community.

Influence of Fear and Instinct: The novel highlights how fear and instinct can override rational thinking and erode a sense of community. The boys' growing fear of the unknown, coupled with the allure of hunting and violence, drives them further apart and erodes the bonds that held their community together.

Symbolism of the "Beast": The "beast" that the boys fear on the island can be seen as a representation of their inner darkness and the primal, uncivilized forces within all humans. This fear of the "beast" contributes to their paranoia and hastens the breakdown of their community.

TASK: alternate ending

How else might this story have ended? Write a different ending to the story.

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