Revisiting Golding’s ‘Lord of the Flies’ in Modern Times

In the past, William Golding’s Lord of the Flies was a staple in school literature curriculums. Despite its Nobel Prize recognition, its relevance has dwindled over time. Golding’s vision of human savagery seemed bold in 1954. However, with current issues like school shootings and rising teen suicide rates, the dilemmas faced by Piggy and his friends appear outdated.

Modern readers familiar with The Chocolate War, The Hunger Games, or Japanese stories like Battle Royale may find Golding’s novel less compelling. In a world where savagery has changed, adapting Lord of the Flies for Netflix, written by Jack Thorne, raises questions about its current message.

While Golding’s novel relies on minimal character development, its success has inspired countless contemporary adaptations. According to Drew Basile, just as Robinson Crusoe inspired islands, Piggy and his group have sparked a multitude of darker narratives. The novel’s immense influence can make it less engaging for today’s readers, despite its impact on cultural imagination.

While not everyone has read Lord of the Flies, its themes are present throughout various media, becoming a recurring motif. This includes graphic novels like Plutona, video games such as DayZ and Rule of Rose, TV series including The 100 and Yellowjackets, and other novels like Sarah Goodwin’s Stranded and Pierce Brown’s Red Rising.

Stephen King’s body of work often mirrors themes from Golding’s novel. From The Long Walk to the fictional town of Castle Rock, named after a location in Lord of the Flies, the novel’s influence permeates his stories, such as The Stand, Under the Dome, The Mist, and The Shining.