lord of the flies

Not everyone went to Quannah McCall Sixth Grade Center, but if you were lucky, you did. Why were you lucky? Because you got a front row seat to fist fights and bomb threats all while walking in the fresh air outdoor hallways to get to class to read Where the Red Fern Grows and realize one of your friends loves Bon Jovi so much she got her hair cut like his. 

Wherever you went for your first experience outside of the haven of elementary school, you could probably tell a couple of stories. Maybe you realized that your freckles are cute or not cute. Maybe you felt tall until everyone else had a series of growth spirts but you didn't, so you couldn't seem to speak up anymore. Maybe you were the one who got beat up, and maybe, just maybe, you were the one fighting on the island for the all-powerful conch—like me. One thing you never think to consider though is who is deciding who the cool kids are. You just act and get acted upon. You get run over or run others over without knowing, picking on the people who are different all while being extraordinarily different yourself. 

Junior high or middle school, whichever you want to call it, is like a live-action, continuous retelling of Lord of the Flies. Written in 1954, William Golding captures the adolescent psyche with such style and adventure, you don't quite realize what's happening until boys who once were mild mannered choirboys are hunting down other boys and fighting over territorial rights until someone is killed.

Leadership is established. Tribes are organized. Things should be good. Right? Well, not with a Jack on the island.

Ralph, Jack, and Piggy represent the leaders and followers, the protector, hunter, and prey we all have been during our formative years as young people. Because we can't all be choirboys who crash land on a deserted island, nor can we all attend Quannah McCall Sixth Grade Center, reading this book is a must-read for teens and teachers of teens. Vicarious learning in cases such as this are preferable.