Golding's the Lord of the Flies (Cliffs Notes) [Paperback]

Maureen Kelly (Author), William Golding (Author)

Book Description

Series: Cliffsnotes Literature | Publication Date: June 13, 2000

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. The latest generation of titles in this series also feature glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format.

CliffsNotes on Lord of the Flies takes you on an exploration of William Golding's novel to the dark side of humanity, the savagery that underlies even the most civilized human beings. Follow Golding's group of young boys from hope to disaster and watch as they attempt to survive their uncivilized, unsupervised, and isolated environment.

You can rely on CliffsNotes on Lord of the Flies for character analyses, insightful essays, and chapter-by-chapter commentaries to ensure your safe passage through the rich symbolism of this novel. Other features that help you study include

• A brief synopsis of the novel
• A character map to help you see relationships among the characters
• A glossary that helps you get the most out of your reading
• An interactive quiz to test your knowledge
• Essay topics and review questions

Classic literature or modern modern-day treasure -- you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

At once an enthralling adventure story about a group of schoolboys stranded on an island and a richly textured moral tale, this is also Golding's attack on Western society and its institutions.

About the Author

Maureen Kelly is a freelance writer and editor and a Master's candidate at DePaul University.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Cliffs Notes (June 13, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764585975
• ISBN-13: 978-0764585975
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #24,824 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #4 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Literature & Fiction > Books & Reading > Reference
  • #5 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Literature & Fiction > World Literature > British > General
  • #10 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Reference > Education > Book Notes

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It Complements The Novel, But Doesn't Substitute For It, December 1, 2002

By 

BookMania (Stafford, TX, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Golding's the Lord of the Flies (Cliffs Notes) (Paperback)

Few students in America can get out of high school without having to read Lord Of The Flies in English class sometime during the four years that they are there. The story is fairly easy to understand on a superficial level, but the real purpose of this novel is to understand symbolism and foreshadowing. Items in the novel like Piggy's glasses and the conch shell have a "deeper" meaning that may not be obvious to every reader. If the reader is keen, he'll be able to realize that the author tells the reader what is going to happen in a subliminal way prior to actually coming out and saying it. That's called foreshadowing, and it may also be difficult for some readers to comprehend. For these reasons, these Cliffs Notes are extremely useful. The reader will gain a better understanding and appreciation of the novel by using this supplement while reading the actual novel. With these notes, the reader is given the added benefit of reading commentary written by someone who has already read the book, and is capable of breaking down the significant parts of every chapter.

One drawback to having these notes (as is the drawback to having ANY Cliffs Notes) is the temptation to substitute the notes for the actual novel. While this substitution may work for other novels, it isn't a good idea to think it unnecessary to read the book just because you've read the notes. I tried that, and it didn't work. Besides, the Cliffs Notes are just about as long as the actual book, so you might as well read the real thing.

The bottom line is that these notes are a good investment if you want to gain a good understand of the novel, and insight into what your English teacher might think is important. I recommend these notes.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A New View, October 16, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Golding's the Lord of the Flies (Cliffs Notes) (Paperback)

As I was reading the novel i understood the story, but did not understand the symbolism contained in Golding's work. The Cliff Notes explain the imagery through character analysis and comments on each chapter making the novel very understandable. It was very interesting in how the book pulled together showing a parallel of modern society, not just an adventure story of boys on an island, that Golding so ingeniously created.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent notes book (Lord of the Flies), February 22, 2009

By 

doctorfish - See all my reviews

This review is from: Golding's the Lord of the Flies (Cliffs Notes) (Paperback)

I find that this little book of notes is an excellent teaching resource. It is also excellent for students, and is helpful in understanding the novel which is complex. This book is easy to navigate, and is one of the best I have seen as it covers every aspect of the novel. I use this book every literature class with my students.