World Literature and Writing Lord of the Flies: Essay Assignment

Task: You will be responsible for choosing a song that you think echoes a major theme of Lord of the Flies and writing an interpretive essay that explores the connections that you find. Specifically, an effective essay will illustrate how the song reaffirms a major theme and include appropriately selected and analyzed evidence from both the song and the novel to support your major argument. Step 1: Select a Song: Select a song from any musical genre that includes words but DOES NOT HAVE swearing and/or inappropriate sexual references. Print out a copy of the song lyrics that should be included with the final copy of your essay. Annotate the song lyrics and create a thesis statement that encapsulates your understanding of the connections between your chosen song and the novel. Sample Thesis Statements: Step 2: Analysis: Given your chosen thesis statement, search both the song and the novel for appropriate evidence that could be used when writing your essay. Create a chart as shown below to illustrate your evidence. Avicii Wake Me Up William Golding Lord of the Flies Feeling my way through the Piggy He wanted to explain how darkness/Guided by a beating heart/I people were never quite what you cant tell where the journey will thought they were(54). end/But I know where to start When Simon was still silent Ralph said curtly, Youre batty. No, Im They tell me Im too young to understand/They say Im caught up in a not. I just think youll get back all dream/Well life will pass me by if I right(111) dont open up my eyes Simon stayed where he was, a small brown image, concealed by the leaves. All this time I was finding myself/And I didnt know I was lost Even if he shut his eyes the sows head still remained like an after image. The I tried carrying the weight of the half-shut eyes were dim with the world/But I only have two hands/Hope infinite cynicism of adult life. They I get the chance to travel the world/But assured Simon that everything was a I dont have any plans bad business(137) Wish that I could stay forever this Im warning you. Im going to get young/Not afraid to close my angry. Dyou see? Youre not wanted. eyes/Lifes a game made for everyone Understand? We are going to have fun Didnt know I was lost/I didnt know I on this island. Understand? We are was lost/I didnt know I was lost/I going to have fun on this island! So didnt know dont try it on, my poor misguided boy, or else-(144) True reflection and insight can only be gained from those outside of society and their wisdom is often ignored until it is too late to be used to ameliorate the ills of individuals. Innocence is lost when one truly sees the savage nature inherent in all human beings but courage is the ability to tell the truth after this loss regardless of the consequences.

The beast was harmless and horrible; and the news must reach the others as soon as possible. He started down the mountain and his legs gave beneath him. Even with great care the best he could do was a stagger(147).

Step 4: Writing Create topic sentences for your thesis statement and craft a rough draft of your essay. Remember to use your chart to select appropriate evidence from BOTH the song and the novel to support your overall argument. Sample Topic Sentences: Through his song, Avicil is able to demonstrate the loss of innocence and the disillusionment with mankind that echoes Simons experience when he confronts the lord of the flies and sees the savage nature inherent in all the boys causing him to lose his childhood innocence.

Despite the loss of innocence, the speaker in Avicii song demonstrates a strong belief to a deliver a message regardless of the consequences much like Simon who has the courage to tell the rest of the boys the true nature of the beast even though it results in his ultimate demise.

Sample Body Paragraph Despite the loss of innocence, the speaker in Avicii song demonstrates a strong belief to a deliver a message regardless of the consequences much like Simon who has the courage to tell the rest of the boys the true nature of the beast even though it results in his ultimate demise. From the beginning of the song, the speaker in Wake Me Up: is guided, Feeling my way through the darkness/Guided by a beating heart/I cant tell where the journey will end/But I know where to start. The speaker is lead by strong emotions in his beating heart to deliver a message. The fact that his journey is shrouded in darkness underlies the idea that he understands the true evil nature of mankind and its reinforced in the lines, I tried carrying the weight of the world/But I only have two hands. Despite this knowledge, and its burden, he remains firm in his belief that he must continue on his path, spreading his message despite not knowing where the journey will end. Much like the speaker in the song, Simon comes face to face with the inherent evil that exists within every human when he confronts the Lord of the Flies that Jack and the boys create. Simon, was, a small brown image, concealed by the leaves. Even if he shut his eyes the sows head still remained like an after image. The half-shut eyes were

dim with the infinite cynicism of adult life. They assured Simon that everything was a bad business(137) . Simon, much like the speaker in the song who is afraid to close his eyes, tried to hide from the truth about the human nature which is why he is concealed by the leaves and looks at the sows head through half-shut eyes. Even though he tries to hide from the truth, Simon is forced to acknowledge the evil that lies within every person and this knowledge made everything a bad business. Instead of hiding from the rest of mankind, Simon chooses to help the boys by telling them the true nature of the beast at his own peril. Simon stumbles down the hill excited to say, The beast was harmless and horrible; and the news must reach the others as soon as possibleEven with great care the best he could do was a stagger(147). Simon goes to communicate with the boys with honest intentions for good, but his physical appearance makes the boys apprehensive and he is mistaken for the beast. At the very moment that Simon is to tell the boys their fears are groundless, he is killed thus reaffirming the true evil nature that lies within all human beings. Both Simon and the speaker in the song come to realizations about human nature which permanently change the way they look at the world and compel them to deliver a message to people regardless of the personal cost.