Double Link Up: Theme Thursday Freedom, What We Are Reading Wednesday, And This Title Isn't Quite Long Enough, So Happy Fourth of July!

 Let

 Freedom

Ring

Like I said in the title, double linking up with Cari for Theme Thursday: Freedom, and Housewife Spice's inaugural linkup of What We Are Reading Wednesday, which said Cari strongarmed Jessica into creating in the first place. So glad she did!

So what are we reading? Conveniently for the Theme and for my above pictures, us Bigguns of the Family Es are reading Lord of the Flies by William Golding. (SEE!!! ISAAC WITH A CONCH!) 

I picked this up at Target when we first arrived at the new house simply because it was there and I knew the big boys would get a kick out of it, especially as we are living on an island and all, and they are wild and barbarous. But once they started reading and talking about it, I couldn't resist, and had to re-read it for myself.

Basic synopsis, although I'm pretty sure this is generally known: British boys, escaping war by an airplane that is shot down, find themselves alone on an island. Ranging in ages from 12 to perhaps 5, the boys attempt order, survival, escape, and fun. Their island adventure brings out both the best and worst in them, and the plot unfolds as the worst of them takes over. 

Made for some excellent discussions with the boys concerning the nature of humanity, nature of civilization, nature of survival, nature of fear, nature of pig hunting. I am always so pleased when I am able to find something to use as a springboard to talk about deeper and more complicated issues with the boys, and this book definitely helped us think about character attributes and what brings out the best in ourselves. And because Golding kind of annoyingly imbued just about every aspect of the book with symbolism and just about every motif he could muster, I also enjoyed talking the boys' ears off about literary devices and book-nerd happiness. What fun!

But last week at Mass I was so struck with how LOTF so aptly demonstrates the Second Reading, as St. Paul tells the Galations:

For you were called for freedom, brothers and sisters.
But do not use this freedom
as an opportunity for the flesh;
rather, serve one another through love.
For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement,
namely, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
But if you go on biting and devouring one another,
beware that you are not consumed by one another.

And spoiler alert: * yeah, that happens*.

So doesn't that all just tie a little too nicely together? Freedom, Conches, Lord of the Flies, Devouring, Clan Donaldson, Housewife Spice? 

I admit it, I'm good.