The library has a number of resources to assist you with your research on the historical context of Lord of the Flies.
There is a cart next to my desk with selected books to help you with this project. Use your phone to snap photos of useful passages and of the front and back of the title page so you can do your citations.
GROUP A: Golding and 1954
Where was Golding born? What was his childhood like? How did he begin writing? What was happening in the world between 1944 and 1954? What is nuclear warfare and how does it play a role in this time period? GROUP B: Dystopian Genre What is a dystopia? How does it compare to a utopia? Give some examples of different dystopian environments in movies, TV shows, video games etc. Why does the setting of the novel Lord of the Flies represent a dystopia? Provide images/visuals of dystopian worlds. GROUP C: Human Nature What is the definition of human nature? What do psychologists such as Freud, Locke and Rousseau think about human nature? Without culture, how would we behave? (give examples) How might the study of human nature relate to being stuck on a deserted island? GROUP D: Golding in WWII What was Golding’s role in World War II? Who was fighting in WWII and how did it affect public opinion? How does the setting of Lord of the Flies relate to WWII? How might Golding’s role in WWII influence his writing? |
Group A:
Check out the books on the cart relating to British Novelists, Literature and Its Times and WWII. Group B: Check out the Encyclopedia of Utopian Literature on the cart, as well as Literature Resource Center on the databases webpage. Group C: There are a number of books about psychology and philosophy on the cart which should help you break down these questions. Group D: Use the biographical resources on the cart, Literature and Its Times, as well as the books on World War II to address these questions. |
Digital ResourcesUnder the "Digital Resources" tab on the library homepage, choose "Library Databases".
Literature Resource Center is a great resource for information on Golding's life and for analysis of the text ABC CLIO would be helpful for information on World War II Student Resources in Context is a great general database that would be useful for all groups In the catalog there is a Resource List for this project. Under the "Catalogs" tab on the library homepage, choose "Library Catalog" In the left hand menu click "Resource List" Click the right hand tab that says "Public Lists" Click "Lord of the Flies" Click the right hand tab that says "Web Sites" |
CitationsWhen using information from a database,the site will usually provide a citation. Look for a link that says something like "Cite This" or "Citation Information" near the top. If you don't see that, scroll down to the bottom of the page and look there. Double check these citations for accuracy.
If you need to generate a citation, Mrs. S. recommends www.easybib.com If you need to double check a citation or you are citing something unusual (for example a government document, an interview etc.) refer to the Online Writing Lab from Purdue University. |