Unmasking Identity: How The Lord of the Flies Inspired Creative Reflection in 8th Graders

Today, the 8-2 Language Arts Class proud of their work, showed off their completed projects. Before the break, the class studied William Golding's The Lord of the Flies, dissecting the writing style, character development, the social contract and its interaction with human nature. Along the way, they also learned how to write literary essays. With those analytical tools in hand, the students were ready for a creative challenge that brought their learning to life. 

The novel, a timeless classic, challenges the conventional views of the innocence of childhood and the civilized nature of man. In the aftermath of WWII, Golding, jaded by his traumatic experiences, presents an argument that mankind is inherently evil and that without the rules and structure of society, we will degenerate into savagery. Civilization in Golding’s view is a very thin and fragile veneer hiding the brutish nature of man. However, in the midst of this darkness, there is a gentle glimmer of hope, as the children in the novel create masks to hide their humanity before they can engage in violence. 

 

The students either chose a character from The Lord of the Flies or they made a mask of themselves. They used cardboard, paint sticks, air dry clay and a lot of glue to express the mask that the character (or they) projected to the world and then their hidden inner thoughts that few if any saw. The students also wrote an explanation of the mask and the symbolism of the choices they had made. The imaginative recreation of character and the profound insights of their writing were way above their grade level and really impressed me!

 

These photos do little justice to the actual models they created. This project, while seemingly a break from academics, allowed students to explore the novel’s deep philosophical themes, while reflecting on aspects of identity.

 

It was a fun project: a journey of self-discovery and connection, bridging the gap between literature and life. If you have an 8th grader ask to read their work.