So I was meant to read this
for GCSE English way back when, and whilst I think we read it in class I never
actually read it independently. I remembered what I needed too to pass the exam
and vaguely remember what happened. I decided that it was time to try again,
thinking that maybe I missed the point; being too young, it being for school,
or even that I just should try again. Upon starting the book again I found it
really difficult, the langue is horrid, I can’t even imagine people talking the
way Golding wrote in this book. I know it was written a long time ago blah
blah, whatever, I read Jane Eyre and didn’t find that tedious or awkward. So
there really is no excuse.
The conversations seem
disjointed, and it almost feels like Golding was thinking while he was writing
but never went back over it. I do not finding it surprising that I turned off
during lessons on this book. Even now in my mid-twenties I am finding it hard
not to have to re-read pages and I feel like I’m going through the motions. It
didn’t even feel like an actual story until 75% of the way through. I think he
overdid the symbolism and then suddenly remembered it was also meant to be a
story and things needed to happen.
The last 25% of the book was
better, still not great, and I have to say I’m glad it’s over. I won’t be
reading it again, but at least I can honestly give my opinion of the book now
that I understand how poor a book this really is. I believe this is the prime
example of a book people say is ‘good’ or a ‘classic’ because they think they
should, not because they actually enjoyed it. I feel sorry for any school group
that has to read this like I did. There are many other books that can be used,
that are written in a much better way.
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