Lord of the Flies Music Power Playlist
- Shaun Barrowes
- Feb 13
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 4
William Golding’s Lord of the Flies is a haunting exploration of human nature, civilization’s fragility, and the descent into savagery. To deepen your engagement with the novel, this playlist features pieces that reflect its intense themes and pivotal moments.
These selections help readers, students, and teachers connect more deeply with the novel’s psychological and thematic depth while making key scenes even more immersive.
1. The Plane Crash & The Island (Chapter 1)
Theme: Isolation, awe, and an eerie sense of adventure
"Lost But Won" – Hans Zimmer (Rush OST)
"The promise" – Michael Nyman (The Piano)
"Welcome to Jurassic Park" – John Williams (Jurassic Park)
"Cloud Atlas Main Theme" – Tom Tykwer (Cloud Atlas)
These pieces capture the initial wonder and fear as the boys arrive on the deserted island, unaware of the chaos to come.
2. Ralph’s Leadership & The Conch (Chapter 2)
Theme: Order, hope, and fragile civilization
"Main Theme" – The Pacific (Hans Zimmer)
"Gabriel’s Oboe" – Ennio Morricone (The Mission)
"The King's Speech" – Alexandre Desplat (The King's Speech)
"Promentory" – Trevor Jones (Last of the Mohicans)
These selections evoke Ralph’s attempt to establish order, the conch’s significance, and the fleeting hope for structure.
3. Jack’s Hunting & The Allure of Power (Chapter 3-4)
Theme: Primitive instincts, obsession, and dominance
"Those we Don't Speak of" – James Newton Howard (The Village)
"The Fire Rises" – Hans Zimmer (The Dark Knight Rises)
"In the Hall of the Mountain King" – Edvard Grieg
"The Kraken" – Hans Zimmer (Pirates of the Caribbean)
These tracks reflect Jack’s growing obsession with hunting and the seductive power of savagery.
4. The Beast & Growing Fear (Chapter 5-6)
Theme: Paranoia, darkness, and the fear of the unknown
"The Nature of Daylight" – Max Richter
"Lux Aeterna" – Clint Mansell (Requiem for a Dream)
"Mountains" – Hans Zimmer (Interstellar)
"Dies Irae" – Giuseppe Verdi
The music mirrors the boys’ growing fear of the "beast," symbolizing their descent into paranoia and darkness.
5. Simon’s Death (Chapter 9)
Theme: Chaos, innocence lost, and tragic beauty
"An Ending (Ascent)" – Brian Eno
"Agnus Dei" – Samuel Barber
"Adagio for Strings" – Samuel Barber
"Song for Bob" – Nick Cave & Warren Ellis
These hauntingly beautiful pieces reflect the tragedy of Simon’s murder, his Christ-like figure, and the irreversible loss of innocence.
6. Piggy’s Death & The Shattering of the Conch (Chapter 11)
Theme: Brutality, lawlessness, and the end of order
"Journey to the Line" – Hans Zimmer (The Thin Red Line)
"Götterdämmerung – Siegfried’s Death & Funeral March" – Richard Wagner
"Death is the Road to Awe" – Clint Mansell (The Fountain)
"O Fortuna" – Carl Orff (Carmina Burana)
These tracks underscore the moment Piggy is killed and the last symbol of order is destroyed, marking the point of no return.
7. The Hunt for Ralph (Chapter 12)
Theme: Panic, desperation, and near-death
"The Host of Seraphim" – Dead Can Dance
"The Battle" – Hans Zimmer (Gladiator)
"Requiem in D Minor" – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
"Molossus" – Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard (Batman Begins)
This high-energy and intense selection mirrors Ralph’s desperate flight for survival as Jack’s tribe hunts him like prey.
8. The Naval Officer & The End (Final Scene)
Theme: Shock, relief, and overwhelming grief
"The Wings" – Gustavo Santaolalla (Brokeback Mountain)
"Ashokan Farewell" – Jay Ungar
"Together We Will Live Forever" – Clint Mansell (The Fountain)
"Samuel’s Death" – James Horner (Legends of the Fall)
These sorrowful yet reflective pieces capture Ralph’s shock at his rescue and the novel’s final tragic realization of lost innocence.
This playlist enhances the Lord of the Flies reading experience, allowing you to feel the emotional highs and lows in a deeply immersive way.
Comments