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Jack Thorne’s introduction to “Lord of the Flies” came early in life, not through formal education, but via a copy from his mother, a substitute English teacher.
The well-worn novel bore the inscription: Portway English Department.
“I quite like the fact that my Lord of the Flies copy was a stolen copy,” he remarked, with a hint of amusement.
William Golding’s narrative of schoolboys marooned on an island who succumb to savagery, profoundly impacted Thorne. Decades later, he is adapting the seminal work into a four-part series for the BBC.
Thorne observes that the title itself has become synonymous with the “evilness of boys,” yet he insists that the story and its characters possess far greater nuance.
The screenwriter describes his adaptation as “a remarkably tender portrait” of young boys grappling with circumstances beyond their control, leading to moments of profound personal loss.
Thorne has garnered recognition for his intricate portrayals of masculinity and violence, notably earning an Emmy and Golden Globe for his series Adolescence, a series employed in UK schools to foster discussions surrounding toxic masculinity and online radicalization.
With this latest endeavor, Thorne aims to deepen the understanding of the boys’ actions in “Lord of the Flies,” showcasing both their cruelty and vulnerability.
Director Marc Munden expresses his hope that the series will illuminate the ease with which situations can “go badly wrong” and the inherent fallibility of individuals.
“The world remains populated by these same confused young boys, now men, perpetuating chaos. Hopefully, this microcosm will aid in understanding this phenomenon,” he added.
William Golding’s Nobel Prize-winning “Lord of the Flies” centers on a group of schoolboys evacuated from an unspecified war, whose plane crashes on a deserted island without adult supervision. Their initial attempts at establishing a civil society ultimately devolve into a brutal and savage conflict.
Thorne asserts that his understanding of the story has “completely” shifted as an adult, affording him a more nuanced perspective on the boys’ behavior.
Upon his initial reading, the character of Jack, the instigator of the hunts on the island, represented the “epitome of evil” for Thorne.
“He embodied everything I loathed in the boys around me,” he recounted.
Now, Thorne perceives him as a complex individual, possessing both “loving and hateful” qualities.
Thorne intends to convey this complexity in the new series, with each episode focusing on a different character’s perspective as the island descends into anarchy.
He describes this approach as a “relay race” between the main characters, beginning with Piggy (David McKenna), the intellectual voice of reason, followed by Jack (Lox Pratt), the choir leader, then Simon (Ike Talbut), the sensitive and introspective boy, and finally Ralph (Winston Sawyers), the group’s elected leader.
He emphasizes the importance of Jack’s episode, in particular, for understanding the story, arguing that conveying his internal conflict “allows the story to flower in a completely different way because you are literally looking into the eyes of someone that is fighting themselves”.
Munden points out that while the insights into these characters offered in each episode do not “excuse” their actions, they do promote a greater understanding.
He hopes that this adaptation will allow viewers who previously perceived the story as “brutal and pessimistic” to recognize the “lot of love” that Golding and Thorne infuse into their portrayals.
Thorne hopes that the new series encourages young viewers to communicate with their parents about their personal struggles.
The screenwriter likens television to an “empathy box” that facilitates dialogue and encourages open discussion of sensitive topics.
“I grew up watching EastEnders with my mum – and sitting on the sofa with her afterwards and talking about it are some of the clearest memories of my childhood,” Thorne explains, adding that he would often use plot lines from the show to broach difficult subjects with his mum in a comfortable setting.
He hopes that “Lord of the Flies” will offer a similar experience, aiding young people in navigating “the most difficult period of life”.
Thorne also emphasizes the “crucial” importance of revisiting and understanding Golding’s story as we navigate uncertain times and seek to “stop our own cruelty from emerging”.
Munden highlights the “tragic truth” inherent in the ease with which the society depicted in the story can descend into chaos.
The director aimed to create a “sense of unease” throughout the series, believing the backdrop of an ongoing war in the novel to be “a metaphor for what we’re all experiencing, which is somewhere not that distant from us, the potential for conflict is just on the edge”.
“Lord of the Flies” will air on BBC One at 21:00 GMT on Sunday, February 8th, and will also be available on iPlayer on the same day.
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