Beyond Evil: New Adaptation Explores Lord of the Flies' Complexity

Screenwriter Jack Thorne, deeply impacted by William Golding's "Lord of the Flies" since childhood, is bringing the classic novel to life as a four-part BBC series. Thorne, who previously explored complex masculinity in his Emmy and Golden Globe-winning series "Adolescence," perceives "Lord of the Flies" as a "remarkably tender portrait" of young boys facing loss of control.

This new adaptation aims to delve beyond the surface-level interpretation of the "evilness of boys," highlighting their cruelty as well as their fragility. Director Marc Munden hopes the series will illuminate how situations can "go badly wrong" and expose human fallibility.

The series adopts a unique structure, dedicating each episode to a different character's perspective as chaos unfolds on the island. This "relay race" approach, moving from Piggy to Jack, Simon, and Ralph, is designed to foster a deeper understanding of their motivations and internal struggles.

Munden suggests that while these character insights do not excuse their actions, they provide crucial context. He believes the adaptation reveals the "lot of love" in Golding's and Thorne's portrayals, potentially shifting perspectives from "brutal and pessimistic" to empathetic. Thorne hopes the series will encourage young viewers to discuss their experiences, using television as an "empathy box" to navigate life's challenges.

Revisiting Golding's story is deemed "crucial" by Thorne, especially during uncertain times, to "stop our own cruelty from emerging." Munden echoes this sentiment, noting the "tragic truth" in the novel's descent into chaos and drawing parallels to the ever-present potential for conflict in the modern world. The series premiered on BBC One on Sunday, February 8th, and is also available on iPlayer.