Lord of the Flies

Name: Lord of the Flies
ISBN: 9787532778096

戈丁尔Shanghai Translation Publishing House · ChinaMay 2018

4.1

Word count: 128K words
Chapters: 15
ISBN: 9787532778096

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Summary

Lord of the Flies is Golding's most important representative work, a famous philosophical novel that uses children's innocence to explore the serious theme of evil in human nature. The story takes place during an imagined Third World War. A group of children aged six to twelve, while being evacuated, are stranded on a deserted island after their plane crashes. At first they manage to get along harmoniously, but later, as their evil nature swells, they kill one another, leading to a tragic outcome.

Editor's review

Lord of the Flies is the representative work of William Golding, a modern literary classic that won the Nobel Prize in Literature. This novel is by no means merely a children's story about being stranded on a deserted island; it is a cold and precise mirror reflecting the essence of human social institutions, moral civilization, and the "evil" deep within human nature. With masterly allegorical technique, Golding constructs an island experimental ground stripped of adult civilizational oversight. When Ralph, who symbolizes reason and order, and Piggy, who represents science and intellect, come into conflict with Jack, who embodies primal instinct and the will to power, the pig's head revered as a deity and called the "Lord of the Flies" becomes the most naked symbol of savagery and fear in human nature. This edition from Shanghai Translation Publishing House offers accurate and fluent translation, preserving to the greatest extent the literary tension and philosophical depth of the original. Reading this book is a challenge to one's inherent optimistic view of human nature; it forces readers to consider: when the garment of civilization is completely stripped away, what remains within us? This is a work worth chewing over repeatedly, one that yields new insights on every reading; its themes of power, group psychology, and moral decay have sobering contemporary relevance in any era.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with a deep interest in exploring human nature and social-philosophical issues
Literature lovers who enjoy allegorical writing and symbolism
Those who wish to read classic literary works that transcend the limitations of their time
Thinkers concerned with social phenomena such as group psychology and power dynamics

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking lighthearted, warm adventure stories
Young readers uncomfortable with the dark and cruel themes confronted directly in the work

Reading tips

While reading, pay attention to the symbolic meaning of core objects such as the conch, the glasses, and the pig's head
Try to compare and contrast the miniature society on the island with certain group events in real history
After finishing the main text, read the author's preface or afterword to understand his creative intentions and the historical context

About the publisher

Shanghai Translation Publishing House China · Founded in 1978

Shanghai Translation Publishing House is a Chinese publisher oriented mainly toward translation and publishing. Its publications cover foreign literature, world classics and classic works, as well as social culture, folk literature and classical poetry. The database contains 2,618 titles, including Never Let Me Go, Les Misérables (2 volumes), Don Quixote (illustrated collector's edition), The Complete Comedies of Molière (4 volumes), The Complete Novels of Kafka (3 volumes), The Collected Works of Dostoevsky (9-volume set), Reason and Persons, and Oedipus Rex (Translation Classics). Its author resources include foreign writers such as Kazuo Ishiguro, Victor Hugo, Cervantes and Molière, as well as translators such as Zheng Kelu, Sun Jiameng, Li Jianwu and Zhang Kun. The publisher has brands such as "Translation Classics Selections" and "Translation Documentary," and emphasizes translated works in foreign literature and the humanities and social sciences, while also publishing bilingual dictionaries and foreign-language educational books. Public information is limited; the above is based on the book information in the database.

版权信息
系列介绍
译本序
第一章海螺之声
第二章山上之火
第三章海滩上的茅屋
第四章花脸和长发
第五章兽从水中来
第六章兽从空中来
第七章暮色和高树
第八章献给黑暗的供品
第九章窥见死尸
第十章海螺和眼镜
第十一章城堡岩
第十二章猎手的狂叫

FAQ

Is this book suitable for young readers?

Although the book features children as protagonists, its themes are extremely profound and dark, exploring the evil in human nature and the fragility of civilization. It is recommended for more mature upper-grade students or adults to read with guidance, so they can better understand its philosophical implications rather than seeing only the surface violence and fear.

Is the core idea of Lord of the Flies pessimistic?

On the surface, it reveals the savage instincts in human nature that are difficult to eradicate, appearing quite pessimistic. But at a deeper level, it is a profound warning. Recognizing the possibility of "evil" is precisely for the purpose of guarding against and restraining it. The work's great value lies in its incomparable power of reflection, rather than in providing a simple answer.

What are the features of this edition?

The edition from Shanghai Translation Publishing House is one of the authoritative translations in the Chinese-speaking world, with a faithful and literary translation, usually accompanied by an in-depth introduction or translator's afterword that helps readers better understand the background and essence of this Nobel Prize-winning work. It is a preferred choice for study and collection.

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About the author

戈丁尔 Author

Golding is an author about whom very little public information is available. The only confirmed identification is the Chinese byline "Golding"; his English name, nationality, dates of birth and death, and personal history have not been reliably documented. The library holds one work under this name, Lord of the Flies, commonly classified as foreign literature. Discussion of this work tends to focus on its allegorical narrative structure and its exploration of human nature, group behavior, and civilized order, rather than on biographical details of the author. Because biographical material is lacking, this introduction makes no speculation about his education, profession, or writing career. On the available evidence, Golding's name is associated mainly with this single work, and his writing style and influence can only be inferred indirectly from its thematic features. Public information is limited, and further details about the author's identity and creative background remain to be verified.