Few texts have been taught and dealt with more in school than William Golding’s Lord of the Flies (1954). It has been part of the unofficial `school-canon’ for more than three decades now and therefore it is useful to examine the suitability of this text for the EFL-classroom. This will be done by introducing the criteria for selecting texts given in Engelbert Thaler’s Teaching English Literature, adding some elements from Ansgar Nünning’s and Carola Surkamp’s Englische Literatur Unterrichten. Grundlagen und Methoden and applying both to Lord of the Flies. First, a short summary of the plot will be given before the text will be analyzed with reference to its appropriateness for the EFL-classroom. This analysis will take place in four steps: First, the formal aspects will be taken into account, and then the thematic aspects will be discussed. Thirdly, the aspects related to reception will be illuminated. At the end a conclusion will be drawn whether or not for me Lord of the Flies is a suitable text for the EFL-classroom. In the course of the paper there will be given some hints as to how a certain aspect could be investigated further in the EFL-classroom. These hints are by no means a complete list and several aspects could be added to it. The decision which aspects should be included and which should be left out is up to the teacher who has to decide with regard to the amount of time he wants to spend on Lord of the Flies and with regard to the preconditions in his class
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Suitability of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies for the EFL-classroom and Possible Ways of Teaching it
2.1. Summary of the plot
2.2. Formal aspects
2.2.1. Length
2.2.2. Linguistic difficulty
2.3. Thematic aspects
2.3.1. The main characters
2.3.2. Important ideas/themes and inherent problems
2.3.3. The Ending
2.4. Aspects related to reception
2.4.1. Availability of the text
2.4.2. Curricular conformity
2.4.3. Methodological material
3. Conclusion
4. Works cited
Objectives and Topics
This academic paper aims to evaluate the suitability of William Golding’s novel "Lord of the Flies" for use in the EFL (English as a Foreign Language) classroom, specifically for the "Sek II" secondary school level. The author examines pedagogical criteria, including formal, thematic, and reception-related aspects, to determine how the novel can be effectively integrated into modern English curricula while addressing potential challenges such as age-appropriateness and the lack of female characters.
- Evaluation of formal aspects like text length and linguistic complexity.
- Analysis of thematic core issues such as human nature, individual responsibility, and the abuse of power.
- Exploration of pedagogical reception and curricular alignment in the German school system.
- Integration of modern media, including film adaptations and digital resources, for teaching literature.
- Strategies for handling controversial content and encouraging critical student engagement.
Excerpt from the Book
2.3.2. Important ideas/themes and inherent problems
The ideas that Lord of the Flies brings up and the problems it displays are certainly not innovative, but nonetheless interesting to students as well as to other people. In this novel the big questions of mankind are debated: Is man good or evil? What is the individual’s responsibility within the community? Does power corrupt?
As to the first question whether man is good or evil the text gives no definite answer. All characters in the novel bear in them good as well as bad traits of character. Which of them are displayed seems to be an individual choice. It is remarkable however that even the littluns, who do not play a major role in the story otherwise, have a tendency to hurt themselves although on a different level than the biguns. There is an incident in which some of the littluns are playing on the beach and one boy throws sand in another boy’s eyes. The bad conscience that afflicts the boy is caused by his former socialization: “Now, though there was no parent to let fall a heavy hand, Maurice still felt the unease of wrong doing” (Golding 58). This would indicate that it is the social environment with its rules, laws and prohibitions that is responsible for the well-being of mankind and not the nature of man itself. This assumption could be checked with works of other famous authors on this topic for example Jean Jacques Rousseau’s Discours sur l’origine et les fondements de l’inégalité parmi les hommes in which he deals with the question of the nature of man. This could be done in the English class or in cooperation with philosophy. The students could express their opinion on this topic either orally in form of a panel discussion or in written form.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction outlines the canonical status of the novel and the analytical framework based on established pedagogical criteria for selecting literary texts.
2. The Suitability of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies for the EFL-classroom and Possible Ways of Teaching it: This chapter provides a plot summary and evaluates the novel based on its formal, thematic, and reception-related suitability for German secondary students.
2.1. Summary of the plot: A concise overview of the events, character groups (biguns and littluns), and the central conflict between Ralph and Jack is provided.
2.2. Formal aspects: This section assesses the text's physical length and chapter structure regarding its adaptability for different classroom teaching approaches.
2.2.1. Length: Discusses the manageable page count and chapter divisions which allow for flexible reading schedules like the "sandwich" or "segment" approach.
2.2.2. Linguistic difficulty: Analyzes the syntactical and semantic features, concluding that the novel's use of direct speech and manageable sentence structures is appropriate for Sek II students.
2.3. Thematic aspects: This section investigates the novel's core philosophical themes, specifically character dynamics and their pedagogical implications.
2.3.1. The main characters: Examines Ralph and Jack as protagonists/antagonists, focusing on their roles as role models and their potential for student identification.
2.3.2. Important ideas/themes and inherent problems: Explores fundamental questions about human nature, social responsibility, and power, suggesting multidisciplinary links to philosophy.
2.3.3. The Ending: Addresses the pedagogical challenges posed by the novel's controversial and sudden conclusion, offering creative writing tasks to resolve reader dissatisfaction.
2.4. Aspects related to reception: Focuses on the real-world application of the text, including market availability and integration into state curricula.
2.4.1. Availability of the text: Highlights the affordability and variety of editions, film versions, and audio formats accessible to students.
2.4.2. Curricular conformity: Connects the novel to specific requirements in North Rhine-Westphalia curricula regarding intercultural learning and language acquisition.
2.4.3. Methodological material: Lists and evaluates secondary resources, including teacher guides, film adaptations, and digital tools like web quests.
3. Conclusion: Summarizes that despite minor limitations like the lack of female characters, the novel remains an excellent choice for the EFL classroom when taught with critical distance.
4. Works cited: A bibliography documenting the academic sources and materials used for the analysis.
Keywords
Lord of the Flies, William Golding, EFL-classroom, Secondary Education, Teaching Literature, Literary Analysis, Language Learning, Thematic Aspects, Character Development, Classroom Methodology, Curriculum, Pedagogical Approaches, Human Nature, Power Corruption, Secondary Material
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper evaluates the pedagogical suitability of William Golding’s "Lord of the Flies" for use in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms within the German "Sek II" secondary education system.
What are the central thematic areas discussed?
The core themes include the debate over whether human nature is inherently good or evil, the impact of power on individual morality, and the role of social responsibility within a community.
What is the main objective of the research?
The goal is to determine if the novel is appropriate for students aged 16-20 by applying pedagogical criteria for text selection and providing strategies for teachers to present the material effectively.
Which teaching methods are recommended by the author?
The author suggests various approaches, including the "segment" or "sandwich" reading methods, multidisciplinary projects (e.g., with Biology or History), and the use of creative writing tasks to address the novel's ending.
What does the main part of the work cover?
The main section systematically breaks down the novel into formal aspects (length, language), thematic content (characters, philosophy), and reception factors (availability, curriculum conformity, secondary media).
Which keywords best describe this study?
Key terms include "Lord of the Flies," "EFL-classroom," "Pedagogical suitability," "Literary analysis," "Sek II," and "Curricular integration."
Why is the lack of female characters considered a significant problem?
The author argues that the absence of female figures may hinder identification for female students, potentially reducing their personal engagement and the novel's overall "personal enrichment" value.
How does the author propose to integrate modern media into lessons?
The author suggests using film adaptations, television series like "The Simpsons" (episode "Das Bus") or "Lost," and audiobooks to provide a contemporary context that increases student motivation.
How should the novel's controversial ending be handled?
The author advises teachers not to treat the text as sacred; instead, they should allow students to critically reflect on the "disappointing" ending, potentially through creative tasks like rewriting the conclusion from Jack’s perspective.
- Quote paper
- B.A. Dennis Alexander Goebels (Author), 2009, The suitability of William Golding's "Lord of the Flies" for the EFL-classroom and possible ways of teaching it, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/143929
