Is ‘Lord of the Flies’ on Netflix different from the book?
Lord of the Flies recently arrived on Netflix US following its February premiere on BBC One, which is an adaptation of William Golding’s 1954 classic novel.
The four-episode series follows a group of 1950s British schoolboys stranded on a deserted tropical island after a plane crash that leaves every adult dead.
With survival at stake, the boys at the centre of Lord of the Flies attempt to form governance and order, which eventually splits the group into two warring factions, capturing the descent from civilisation to savagery as they become victims of loss of innocence.
While the series adaptation is largely loyal to its original source, Lord of the Flies does take some liberty in injecting layers into the character exploration. For instance, Jack practically had no saving grace in the original book. However, the series version portrays the character in an emotional light.
This is what explains his desire and hunger for power and control. But then again, the same doesn’t apply to Simon since he doesn’t capitalise on his isolation to turn into bad.
Additionally, Piggy and Ralph were involved in Simon’s death as well as Piggy’s. Having been cornered by the rising storm and the fear of a lurking “beast,” they also mistook Simon, ultimately killing him. While they did repent their actions, in Lord of the Flies, currently streaming on Netflix, Piggy and Ralph had nothing to do with Simon’s death, although it was not exactly an intentional act of murder.
Meanwhile, when Roger threw the rock on Piggy’s head, he died instantly. However, in the show, the sequence was expanded, subsequently boosting the emotional intensity.
That said, the differences between the book and the series don’t exactly affect the flow of Lord of the Flies. If anything, the series version benefits from them.
Now, coming to the conclusion of the series, like the book, Lord of the Flies ends with the rescue of the boys from the deserted island, just as Ralph is being hunted by Jack and others. The series also lives up to the detailing of one of the naval officers’ chastising Ralph for failing to point out how many more boys needed to be rescued.
What we’re left in the dark about, however, is the aftermath of the rescue and how their actions on the island ultimately shape their lives in reality, or if there are actually consequences to what they’ve done, which honestly leaves one to fend for themselves.