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5 Million Americans are Unemployed.
Hoover's promise that the Depression would end quickly seems hollow to the many Americans struggling to support their families.
This could have influenced Golding because it shows how people can lose faith in leaders when they become unsatisfied. A quote that proves this is when Ralph and Piggy say, "'Piggy? Are you the only one left?' 'There's some littluns.' 'They don't count. No biguns?' 'Oh-Samneric...'" (Golding 232). This shows how mostly everyone left Ralph because they were unsatisfied. -
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Dust Bowls in the Great Planes.
It was a period of terrible dust storms that severely damaged the ecology and agriculture in America.
This could have influenced Golding because it showed how nature can have a large negative effect on humans. -
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People steal from a grocery store in Minneapolis to steal food.
This could have influenced Golding because it shows the extent people will go to when circumstances call for it.
This can be proven when Ralph and his people break into Piggy and Ralph's shelter to steal Piggy's glasses. The text states, "He was a chief now in truth; and he made stabbing motions with his spear. From his left hand dangled Piggy's broken glasses." (Golding 252). This shows that since he needs fire for food and power, he fights other survivors for it. -
Adolf Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany.
Hitler talks about eradicating all opposition to the Nazi party. This could have influenced Golding because it shows the capacity of evil people have in the world. -
Gresford Mine Disaster kills 266 in North Wales
This could have affected Golding because it shows how easily disaster can arise. -
The Nazis revoke German citizenship for all Jews
This could have affected Golding because it showed how evil leadership can affect the victims and how evil humans can be as a whole. -
The Hindenburg, a German airship planning to attend the Queen coronation explodes, killing 36 people
This could have affected Golding because it shows how deadly accidents can be. This is proven when he writes, "'That little 'un that had a mark on his face-where is he-he now? I tell you I don't see him.'" (Golding 71). They accidentally spread the fire into the forest killing one of the children. -
Kindertransport
A total of 10000 Jewish children between the ages of five and 17 were sent from Germany, Austria, and Czechoslovakia to Britain between December 1938 and the outbreak of war in September 1939.
This could have affected Golding because this is how the kids got on the island in the first place. The text states, "'The plane was shot down in flames. Nobody knows where we are. We may be here a long time.'" (Golding 53). This shows that they were in a war and a plane of mostly children were escaping. -
Hitler Annexes Austria
This could have affected Golding because it shows how evil people can truly be with the right intentions and circumstances. -
WWII Begins.
After Adolf Hitler invades Poland, war is declared. This could have affected Golding because it really showed that Hitler was willing to start a war for his evil causes. -
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Germany first open Auschwitz
These camps would brutally murder over 1.1 million people.
This could have affected Golding because it showed that even though everyone is human, they can be extremely evil, especially with power and specific circumstances. -
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The Katyn Forest Massacre
In Russia, 22,000 killings would be conducted. This could have affected Golding because it showed how in certain circumstances people will kill others. This is proven when the text states, "...Simon's dead body moved out into the open sea." (Golding 231). This shows that Golding believed even kids could kill each other. -
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The Battle of Britain.
This was an airborne battle where Nazis bombed London and other areas. This could have affected Goldings because it showed how people were willing to hurt civilians for the purpose of war. This is proven when the plane carrying the children got shot down. -
Chinese leader Ho Chi Minh founded the Communist Viet Minh in Vietnam
This event could have further pushed Golding to believe that people will do what they want for their own self-interests no matter the harm. -
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Bibi Yar Massacre
Nazis killed over 33,000 Jews from Kyiv in a ravine in Ukraine; killing would continue for months involving over 100,000 people.
This could have affected Golding because it showed how evil people were and further pushed the tone of savagery onto him. -
Bataan Death March
72,000+ American and Filipino prisoners of war were sent on a death march by the Japanese where 7,000-10,000 soldiers died.
This could have further pushed the evil of the world onto Golding showing him how people could not care about others unless it helped themselves. This is proven when Jack steals Piggy's glasses and the text states, "From his left hand dangled Piggy's broken glasses." (Golding 252) He endangered everybody for the glasses that could create fire. -
The Manhattan Project
The project of creating nuclear weapons could have influenced Golding by revealing that humans will do evil and create weapons of mass destruction for the sake of doing harm to others. -
D Day
The Allies land in Normandy on the way to liberate Europe from the Nazis. With all of the deadly weapons being used on each other, this could have influenced Golding by exemplifying how humans will go to drastic measures for what they believe is right. -
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Hiroshima and Nagasaki
The USA detonates two nuclear weapons over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This is the first and only use of such a weapon against enemies. This could have influenced Golding because it killed many innocent civilians. It revealed that humans would do unspeakable things for their efforts even when it comes to killing millions. This could have affected the kid's plane getting shot down and the savagery on the island. -
Ghandi Assassination
Gandhi was assassinated just months after gaining independence from Britain. This could have affected Golding because it showed that even people only wanting to do good are not safe from the evils of man. This is proven in the text when it states, "Simon's dead body moved out towards the open sea." (Golding 231). Even when Simon was just trying to tell everyone information about the beast he was mistaken for the beast and murdered. -
President Truman approves Hydrogen bomb construction
This could have affected Golding because it showed that if people have enough motivation they could do immoral things. America already used an atom bomb twice and planned to build more. -
The Korean War Starts
This would be the first action of the Cold War. After recently seeing the sights of WWII this could have influenced Golding by showing how humans will always have conflict; it is inevitable and can be heightened with the right circumstances. -
116 miners who were trapped in a landslide were saved in Ayrshire, Scotland
This could have influenced Golding by showing how people can come together and overcome nature. This is proven when the text states, "'His specs-we can use them as burning glasses!'" (Golding 63). Despite Piggy's resistance, people overcame getting stuck on an island and creating fire to survive. -
President Truman signed the peace treaty with Japan, ending WWII
This could have influenced Golding by showing him that there is light in the world full of evil. Even though there is a lot of conflict in "Lord of the Flies" at the end of the day they are all just trying to survive and get rescued. -
King George VI died, Queen Elizabeth II becomes the new monarch
This could have affected Golding because it shows a shift of power. This is similar to the novel when the text states, "'I gave you food,' said Jack, 'and my hunters will protect you from the beast. Who will join my tribe.'" (Golding 226). Here it shows a shift of power as most of the children are leaving Ralph's leadership and joining Jack. -
Britain tests an atom bomb on the coast of Western Australia
This could have influenced Golding because it revealed that the world was gaining access to deadly war weapons. It showed how people can do wrong given the right reasons. -
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The Great Smog
This smog killed thousands. This could have influenced Golding by showing how the actions of man can destroy nature and itself. This is proven when the text states, "Acres of black and yellow smoke rolled steadily to the sea." (Golding 68). The fire that they created destroyed the environment and killed one of their own. -
The first atomic submarine was launched: U.S.S Nautilus
This could have influenced Golding by showing how humans can take big risks like using a nuclear source that could hurt the environment for their gain. -
Segregation was made illegal in Brown vs. Board of Education
This could have influenced Golding by showing how humans have started to end racism and see past the color of someone's skin. This is accentuated because the kids in the novel treat Simon like a normal kid. -
Rationing in Britain ended
This could have affected Golding by accentuating the theme of food in the novel. After needing to fast the idea of food could have been more accentuated in the novel since the kids like meat so much.