Everything you forgot about 'Lord of the Flies' ahead of Netflix show

April 30, 2026Updated May 1, 2026, 2:15 p.m. ETThis isn't a test, but it would be helpful if you remembered a few things you learned in high school.Netflix and the BBC have brought the literary and English class classic "Lord of the Flies" to our television screens, a deeply relevant story for the complicated and brutal world of 2026. It's a gripping and superb adaptation that just might make it the best show of the year.And while it's a book most of us probably have read and is endlessly referenced in other popular culture, you may not remember the salient details of the story. But don't worry: From Piggy to a pig's head on a stick, we break down everything you need to remember about "Flies" before you watch the series. And you really should watch the series.What to know about the book 'Lord of the Flies'Written by English author William Golding and first published in 1954, the novel follows a group of English schoolboys whose plane has crashed on a deserted island amidst a wartime evacuation. Alone without any adults, the boys try to organize themselves to get food, water, shelter and fun. They elect a chief, Ralph (Winston