The Modern Novel From A Sociological Perspective: A Re- Reading Of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four And William Golding’s "Lord Of The Flies"

Abstract

In this paper, an effort is made to read two paradigmatic modern English novels with the framework of sociological theory. This is with a view to deconstructing the erroneous claim that the modern novel and sociological theory are strange bedfellows. Thus, two canonical modern novels, George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-four and William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, are used as textual exemplifications. Both texts are subjected to sociological scrutiny by isolating the nexus between the respective stories and the modern world that they depict. In the main, it is critically argued that the two novels reflect and refract the mood and vices of the modern world. It is also established that the selected novels are not mere socio-political comments; rather, they imaginatively chronicle the socio-political impasse in the modern world and the impact of industrialization on the traditional way of life. The novels also depict the unfortunate negative effects of the growth of commercialization in the modern world. It is concluded that the two novelists have looked at the ugly face of much of the modern world, without flinching but with frankness and satirical underpinnings.

Key words: The modern novel, George Orwell, William Golding, Industrialization, Modern world