I've Got the Conch!

Once upon a time, I was one of those annoying people who read books.  I would say things like, "You haven't read A Tale of Two Cities," with equal parts surprise, pity, and superiority.  Actually, I said that this week.  Unfortunately I no longer read books.  As with all things that are left undone in my life, I blame the internet for this.  I can't be bothered to read some classic work of literature when I should be reading tweets.  I have only read one book this year.  Actually, I have read thirteen books, but twelve of them have been audio books, and eleven of those rereads.  My most recent reread was Lord of the Flies.

This was the perfect time for me to read this book.  The cast ranges from age six to twelve.  I have a six years old nephew and a twelve years old niece.  Obviously girls are different than boys, but I can imagine what her maturity and mindset would be like in a boy that age.  Often when children appear in books, they will behave just like adults would.  They are too smart, too rational, and, when Stephen King is writing about them, having too much sex.  I think Golding did a good job of capturing the youth of his characters.

If these children had watched Recess, they would have learned the dangers of mob mentality.  Instead, tragedy strikes their community.  This story contrasts rules vs. anarchy, duty vs. desire, and Bart vs. Nelson.  Oh, that last one was from The Simpsons LotF parody, Das Bus.  I got it from Netflix after I finished the book.  As a bonus, one of my favorite Homer lines was on that disc.  "Don't you hate Pants!"


So the children learned to function as a society, and eventually they were rescued by… oh lets say Moe.