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The plot of Lord of the Flies in just four words? With apologies to William Golding, we’ll boil the plot down for you in this 60second Recap®. And, really, the plot of Lord of the Flies is just that simple. Here’s the 60second Recap® on that.

Video Transcription:

Breathe easy: When it comes to plot, Lord of the Flies is about as straightforward as you can get. How about I give it to you in four words? That’s coming up…next.

Power, Pigs, Fire, Fighting. There are your four words.

Let’s say six words if you want the start and the finish: Power, Pigs, Fire, Fighting, Wreck, Rescue.

You want more? How about this: Lord of the Flies is about the building and breakdown of civilization.

A group of schoolboys, shot down over a deserted island, try to recreate what they know. (Wreck)

They elect a leader and a chief hunter. (Power, Pigs)

They explore, build a signal fire, try to keep the fire from going out. (Fire)

But it wouldn’t be a tale of survival if things didn’t go wrong. The leader and the chief hunter clash. (Fighting)

Fear sets in.

Which leads to four more words: Terror, Tribes, Despair, Death.

That’s the plot: Wreck, Power, Pigs, Fire, Fighting, Terror, Tribes, Despair, Death.

At least the last word is Rescue, right?