When the Rules No Longer Apply

Reviewing Joseph Conrad’s ‘Heart of Darkness’ and William Golding’s ‘Lord of the Flies’

What happens when the rules no longer apply? That question nudged me toward Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. I read them back-to-back over a couple of days last week; as I closed first, I opened the second.

Both explore the darker side of human nature—if such a thing even exists; I’m not always sure it does. Than…