A Teacher’s Odd Lesson Disproves the Point She Was Trying to Make About a Classic Book

When a teacher teaches from the same books every year, it can get boring. This teacher tried to bring Lord Of The Flies to her students a little differently, and it ended up backfiring on her in a way she didn’t see coming.

Surely, you remember Wiliam Goldman’s Lord Of The Flies—it’s the story about a group of young boys who get stranded on a desert island. In the absence of adults and, in a disastrous attempt to govern themselves, they must choose between morality and immorality.

Every middle to high school student reads this book, and this particular year, this teacher wanted to make it more interesting. She brought in a few props to illustrate her point.

Since no one knew what to do, they waited and chatted.

The experiment would end with the teacher’s return.

But she saw something she didn’t expect.

The balloons began popping, but her point wasn’t made.

The real-life kids’ kindness showed through in a way the book doesn’t reflect.

Some readers say her lesson didn’t work because she misunderstood Lord Of The Flies herself.

While others felt she did teach the lesson to the right effect—the events that transpired after she told the class to pop the balloons are reflected in the book.

People gave her props for trying something new in class. Lord Of The Flies is an intense book—bringing in the balloon and pencil gave students a logical detachment from which to view the work.

One grandmother, however, didn’t get the lesson or the book—she just wanted cannibalism.

What did you think of this teacher’s lesson—did it make the intended point?

Let us know in the comments below!