Well, first of all, this book is not everybody’s cup of tea. It is not for the weak hearted and definitely not for the people who believe that human beings are inherently GOOD. Well guys, welcome to reality. This story reveals the dark side of man and the characters who portray the different personalities of men in this cruel story are young children with the oldest ones being not more than 12 years old. It is a story about a bunch of English school boys stranded on an island after a plane crash and all they have is themselves and HOPE of being rescued and taken back home. First of all, I’ll give you the outlines of these characters. I’ve just tried to map these characters to various politicians of our country.
Ralph: Ralph represents a leader elected by the others but not a leader in true sense. His intentions are noble but he lacks conviction in his beliefs and is incapable of handling the pressures of leadership. A person who initially does not understand the seriousness of being stranded on an island and as time goes by, fear begins to seep into him and he tries to bring everyone together in order to work towards being rescued. Ralph reminds me of Manmohan Singh (our beloved Prime Minister)
Piggy: The symbol of true friendship. He knows that he is a push-over even though he’s the most sensible guy on the island. Nobody listens to him even though he’s mentally strong. This character makes you realize that you cannot judge a person’s intellect by his appearance. Piggy believes that everything in this world can be explained through science. He is clever enough to realize that his opinions will be taken seriously only if they are conveyed through Ralph. He is the brain behind the order that prevails initially among the group. Piggy more than once behaves as Ralph’s conscience. (He’s APJ Abdul Kalam)
Jack: This guy is the epitome of AUTHORITY. He is the symbol of Physical Strength. People fear him and he exudes Arrogance. He believes that Ralph is not fit to be a leader. He believes that he would make a better leader than Ralph and that makes him hate Ralph. He is also a hunter who is only bothered about meat. He’s least bothered about being rescued. Later he forms his own tribe and the boys get separated into two groups, one under Ralph and one under Jack. He is ruthless. This guy is a mix of Advani, Thackeray and Modi.
Roger: He is the right hand man of Jack and is even more menacing than Jack himself. He seems to be a bit demented. Even in the beginning you find him throwing stones at younger boys. A psycho in true sense. He reminds me of Dr. Praveen Togadia.
Sam and Eric: These guys are twins who know that following Ralph is the sensible thing to do. Although they are later forced into joining Jack’s savage group, they still believe that what Jack is doing is wrong. They are opposed to Jack’s ideologies but are to scared to revolt against him. They are young, smart, but trapped in a hostile group. They remind me of the various activists of violent political groups who know what they are doing isn’t right but also realize that this is their only way of survival.
Simon: This guy’s character is of a mature person, who knows what is good for the group and that the only thing to fear on this island is themselves. He is very sensible and is the first person to realize that the beast lies within them. He is a guy who has a lot of things to say but prefers to keep silent. He does not belong to any group and prefers to be left alone although he tries to inform the other guys that the beast which was seen on the mountain is nothing but a dead parachutist. I couldn’t really understand his character. He is too complex for me. He is the guy who encounters the Lord of the Flies. (I wish there was such a politician in India)
The Little ones: They are the public of India who are completely at the mercy of these mindless leaders. They are not of great importance (in the book I mean).
I’m sure you must have got a hang about the story from the character sketches. If you haven’t, let me try again. It is a story about a bunch of kids who get stranded on an island. On their struggle for survival and rescue a lot of things go awry and pits them against each other. While some of them only hope and pray to be rescued, the others under the leadership of Jack, believe that they do not need to be rescued and that they can find their own way of existence. The rivalry between the two groups is ferocious and their thoughts and ideas are always conflicting. The way the boys lose their innocence shocks you. The book remains with you long after you’ve finished reading it. This book tells you that man without the norms of society is nothing but a savage beast. I have started looking at people differently after reading this book. So, guys and girls, read it at your own risk.
PS: This is only book I’ve read thus far which does not have any female character, not even in a minor role. Sorry guys, no Uma Bharti or Sonia here.