Leon, you did a wonderful job of showing the meaning of the novel through this picture. I think it was a great choice as many symbols and themes in the novel that are hidden in the text are brought to light in this picture. What I liked about your picture choice was that this picture was abstract, but could still clearly show the main ideas and messages. I agree with your interpretation that the pair of eyes at the top of the picture has a connection with eyes of the boys. I can see how it shows the nature of savagery in the boys and their struggle as they tried to stay civilized.
You made many well thought out connections to the author's message. However, you could also add in more connections to the actual events that you have drawn your conclusion from. For example, you mentioned that ''the beast towers above then all, symbolizing that the "beast" in human nature is lurks within all...." so you could give examples of what kind of 'evil' the boys have done. This could then tie in with the actual text and events in the novel. Overall, I think you did a really good analysis of the picture. All your ideas are clearly stated and are very well thought out. Great Job!
http://lordofthefliesclassic.blogspot.ca/2013/04/picture-1.html#comment-form
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Response to Viji's Blog: Quote 1
Viji, I thought that the quote you chose really highlights the
tone of the novel. It really represented the turning point in the novel. I
think that you did a really good job on describing the events and actions
surrounding this quote. It defined what this chapter was about and the
transition in the boys. You explained what had happened and what caused the
boys to lose control, but I think you could expand on how this affected the way
things progressed. For example how had the experience changed Ralph or Robert
on an emotional level?
http://lordsoftheflies.blogspot.ca/2013/04/quote-1.html
I agree that the events are a result of trauma and stress. You
could see that even Ralph who was usually calm and in control, had become just
as swept up in the moment as Jack or any other boy. However I think that you
could elaborate on what kind of challenges they had faced that had caused them
so much stress and trauma. You said that it was because "...the constant
fear of a beast was getting to them..." but you could also explain the
relationship between the boys. How Jack had become obsessed with hunting and
Ralph disproved of this so they would constantly argue. This would
further emphasize how strong the fear and stress was really affecting them
considering even Ralph had given into the urges.
I thought the connections you made between this quote and the
Hunger Games really showed that you really understood and thought about the
meaning of this quote. Your opinions are logical and are supported by text from
the book. Overall I think that the flow was really good and I absolutely
enjoyed reading your response to the quote.
http://lordsoftheflies.blogspot.ca/2013/04/quote-1.html
Response to Neloy's Blog: Piggy's Journal
Your journal entry is well written. It really gives the reader a sense of what is happening through Piggy's point of view. It is clear what is happening and at what point this journal entry is written. You have incorporated a lot of the scenarios mentioned in the novel, which makes this entry seem more credible. I do think you could give a little more detail on Piggy's thoughts that could foreshadow what is happening in the next few chapters. This would be a good way to express your own ideas on what caused the events to happen the way they did. It would also help the reader connect with what he is feeling.
Your choice to write a journal entry on Piggy is understandable. You give reasons that "...he is the one that handles things with brains..." so you could give more examples that would explain how he has contributed in such ways. The response was good, but you could expand a bit more on how this character is vital to the development of the story. Overall it you did a great job, and I enjoyed reading your journal entry and response.
http://lordofleflies.blogspot.ca/2013/04/journal-entry-3-piggy.html
Your choice to write a journal entry on Piggy is understandable. You give reasons that "...he is the one that handles things with brains..." so you could give more examples that would explain how he has contributed in such ways. The response was good, but you could expand a bit more on how this character is vital to the development of the story. Overall it you did a great job, and I enjoyed reading your journal entry and response.
http://lordofleflies.blogspot.ca/2013/04/journal-entry-3-piggy.html
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Glossary
efflorescence: 1. a flower, the process of blooming 2. the greatest point, at the height of something
"It was clear to the bottom and the bright with the efflorescence of tropical weed and coral.
uncommunicative: 1. not talking or giving out information 2. not responding
"He passed his tongue across dry lips and scanned the uncommunicative forest. Then again he stole forward and cast this way and that over the ground".
Although this word is quite common, the way it is used in Lord of the Flies is different. Usually uncommunicative is used to describe a person or an animal but here, it is used to describe the island. It makes the statement even more powerful.
contrite: 1. an expression of regret or remorse. 2. the felling of guilt and sorrow from a sin
"Simon's contrite face appeared in the hole"
mimicry: 1. to mimic or imitate someone else for entertaining purposes 2. resemblance to one another
"Jack's voice sounded in butter mimicry".
swathe: this word can also be spelt as swath 1. to wrap or enclose something 2. covering something in layers of material
"Ralph was already clambering over the first smashed swathes of the scar".
"It was clear to the bottom and the bright with the efflorescence of tropical weed and coral.
uncommunicative: 1. not talking or giving out information 2. not responding
"He passed his tongue across dry lips and scanned the uncommunicative forest. Then again he stole forward and cast this way and that over the ground".
Although this word is quite common, the way it is used in Lord of the Flies is different. Usually uncommunicative is used to describe a person or an animal but here, it is used to describe the island. It makes the statement even more powerful.
contrite: 1. an expression of regret or remorse. 2. the felling of guilt and sorrow from a sin
"Simon's contrite face appeared in the hole"
mimicry: 1. to mimic or imitate someone else for entertaining purposes 2. resemblance to one another
"Jack's voice sounded in butter mimicry".
swathe: this word can also be spelt as swath 1. to wrap or enclose something 2. covering something in layers of material
"Ralph was already clambering over the first smashed swathes of the scar".
Sam's Journal
We have been on this for so long, I don't even know what day it is anymore. I really miss mum and dad, but at least I have Eric. The other boys cry at night, I can hear them crying and screaming at night. They used to be cries for mum but now I think they are from nightmares.
Ralph and Piggy keep telling us that the 'beastie' is not real but I am not really sure. The 'littluns' really think so and I am beginning to wonder so myself. I used to feel safe around Ralph but nowadays, I am not sure even Ralph is really sure of himself. At the beginning, Ralph would always say there is no beast but now it is really just Piggy. Not that people really listen to him, so he doesn't really count. Jack seems to think he can kill the beast. He says he knows where it is hiding, but no one really knows what the beast looks like. No one really listens to use and sometimes this is frustration. Jack always talks about hunting and Ralph keeps insisting on keeping the fire. Then there is Piggy, he just wines, it actually does get annoying after a while. The rest of the 'bigguns' don't really know what to do. The choir hunts, and the 'littluns' just play, but what about the rest of us?
I thought it would be more fun on the island. More time to play and have fun, now that there are no adults to tell us what to do. I think it ma be worse here. There is nothing to do, no books, no games. At first we played on the beach and in the water. That was kept us entertained for awhile but now, we are all just tired and dirty.
Eric and I are tending the fire right now.We are suppose to take shifts as one of us sleeps while the other stays awake. It was Eric's turn to stay awake, but somehow, he still ended up as the one asleep. It is eerily quiet at night. I wonder whats is happening everywhere else on the island. I can hear the wind howling and sometimes I think I hear other noises, but I have no idea what they are. I really hope we get rescued soon. The fire is a good idea, but what if something happens and we are stuck on this island forever?
When Jack began to gain power, this feeling of safeness is weakened. Sam and Eric did end up joining Jack's tribe even after Jack tortured them. It shows how most people will "cheer for the winning team". As soon as they no longer felt safe with Ralph, their support weakened.
Ralph and Piggy keep telling us that the 'beastie' is not real but I am not really sure. The 'littluns' really think so and I am beginning to wonder so myself. I used to feel safe around Ralph but nowadays, I am not sure even Ralph is really sure of himself. At the beginning, Ralph would always say there is no beast but now it is really just Piggy. Not that people really listen to him, so he doesn't really count. Jack seems to think he can kill the beast. He says he knows where it is hiding, but no one really knows what the beast looks like. No one really listens to use and sometimes this is frustration. Jack always talks about hunting and Ralph keeps insisting on keeping the fire. Then there is Piggy, he just wines, it actually does get annoying after a while. The rest of the 'bigguns' don't really know what to do. The choir hunts, and the 'littluns' just play, but what about the rest of us?
I thought it would be more fun on the island. More time to play and have fun, now that there are no adults to tell us what to do. I think it ma be worse here. There is nothing to do, no books, no games. At first we played on the beach and in the water. That was kept us entertained for awhile but now, we are all just tired and dirty.
Eric and I are tending the fire right now.We are suppose to take shifts as one of us sleeps while the other stays awake. It was Eric's turn to stay awake, but somehow, he still ended up as the one asleep. It is eerily quiet at night. I wonder whats is happening everywhere else on the island. I can hear the wind howling and sometimes I think I hear other noises, but I have no idea what they are. I really hope we get rescued soon. The fire is a good idea, but what if something happens and we are stuck on this island forever?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sam and his twin brother Eric are often known as Samneric, like one person, because they do everything together. They were part of the older boys known as the 'bigguns' and they usually were the ones that were suppose to keep watch of the fire. If the fire went out, then it was their responsibility. Sam always seeks comfort in Eric and vice versa. They seem to need the moral support and the reason they supported Ralph was because they felt safe. Ralph was so sure that they would be rescued and he convinced the other boys so too. This provided them with a sense of security.When Jack began to gain power, this feeling of safeness is weakened. Sam and Eric did end up joining Jack's tribe even after Jack tortured them. It shows how most people will "cheer for the winning team". As soon as they no longer felt safe with Ralph, their support weakened.
Pictures
"A picture is worth a thousand words"
When there is a visual, many details that that are usually overlooked can be seen. Readers also tend to be more attracted to media which have pictures and colours rather than something with a lot of text. Having a visual along with text can really help the reader understand the text and make connections between the picture and text. Text can sometimes be very rigid while a picture leaves room for the viewer to interpret the meaning themselves.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Piggy's spectacles represent wisdom, and knowledge.The spectacles were used to start the first fire on the mountain. Then when Piggy suggested they bring the fire down to the beach, the spectacles were used once again. The fire is really important because it is their only hope of getting rescued and without fire, they can't cook the pig and they wouldn't have light and warmth in the dark. Without glasses, Piggy can't see either so when Jack stole their fire and the spectacles, he left Piggy handicapped and left Ralph and the others helpless too. They couldn't start a fire without the spectacles. The only way the camp would be able to survive was for Ralph to go to Jack and ask for them and this gave Jack something to hold over Ralph. It gave Jack even more leverage than before. This is part of the reason why Ralph eventually lost all his power.
Jack had tried another time to forcefully take the spectacles from Piggy. The last time, Jack had shattered one of the lenses. This shows that without laws and people to enforce these laws, a society will not be able to prevail. In the end, brute force will triumph logic and knowledge.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This picture belongs to abc media.
This picture, is clearly a picture of the plane crash that resulted in the boys being stranded on this island. There was nothing any of the passengers on the plane could have done anything to prevent it. They were in the middle of the results and to the rest of the world, they were just simple casualties that contributed to a greater cause. They were not soldiers, simply innocent school boys, but they still had to suffer form decisions made by their superiors. In a sense, this plane was their death ship which carried them to an ultimate end. Everything the boys had to go through was because of the war. If there had been no war, the boys could have been all safely at home with parents tucking them into bed every night.
It was also another way for Golding to deliver his message that there was evil in everyone. The boys had based their miniature society on the society they were raised in. As Piggy said, "We did everything just the way grownups would have Why didn't they worked. The answer is actually in their faces. The society run by grownups had resulted in a nuclear war, so by trying to copy everything the grownups did, they were ultimately setting themselves up for failure. It was never bound to work even if the circumstances had been better.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The lord of the flies is what this whole novel was about. It was about the inner savageness and evil of men. The boys should have been afraid of the beast, and they were, for the most part of the novel. It was only when Jack set his mind to kill the beast, did the mood change. He was no longer afraid of the beast, he was only more eager to kill it than before. This change prompted a series of events, that eventually corrupted their society. For example, by trying to hunt the beast, they accidentally killed Robert
I chose this picture because it represented the boys' decline to savagery. The sow on a stick was meant as a peace offering to the beast. It seemed as if the boys no longer wanted to kill the beast, and instead they were going to worship it. It also made the hunters think they were invincible of sorts and that the beast could not hurt them. They never once thought that by thinking that way, they were in fact, turning into the beast itself.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The island was first seen as something pure. It represented the innocence in the boys. The beauty of this island had blinded the boys at first sight and they were all en captivated by it. It was the perfect place to have an adventure without parents, or so it seemed. When stories of the beast were introduced, the description of the island turned sinister as well. Only Simon was able to still enjoy the nature of the island. He was constantly roaming the island and visiting a place where he could relax and enjoy the serene nature. Then after he was killed, no one was level head enough to figure out that there was no beast. The island soon became more and more scarred. The forest fire destroyed half the island, and was described as "an animal unleashed by the boys eating and growing."
The burning fire was an metaphor of the island turning into Hell. The burning of the forest could have symbolized the final loss of innocence in the boys. I think it was a vital part to the novel and really helped prove Golding's message. In the novel, this was the moment when the reader realized that they could not be helped even if theses boys were to return to civilization.The evil had finally consumed them just like how the island had been consumed by fire.
Piggy's Journal
The island is a mess! None of the boys want to do any work. Jack just wants to hunt all day and the 'littlus' just want to play. Alas, there are still so many things we have to do. We have to build shelters, keep the fire going and keep our selves well organised. How else are we going to get rescued? There is no time to run off and play in the forests as Jack so often wishes to do.
I thought that on this island, I would have a fresh start. Nobody knew who I was so I might actually be able to make friends. I was wrong, everything is still the same as before. I thought I could trust Ralph when I told him that people used to call me Piggy but he was just like everyone else. He told everyone and now once again, I am an outsider. I know that I am overweight and with my asthma and poor eyesight, I don't have what it takes to be a hunter but they don't even let me go with them to explore and instead make me some kind of babysitter. Then they have the nerve to say that the disorganization is my fault. Ralph tries to help sometimes, but he is constantly arguing with Jack. Them two never stop really, it seems like they always have something to disagree over.
There is so much we could do on this island. We don't need adults to survive, but if only the others listened to me. I think Ralph hears what I have to say but it really is only half-hearted and just stares at me after. The other day I said we should find a way to keep track of time and the days and Ralph completely rejected the idea. I read somewhere that it was important to keep track of time as then you have something to hold onto. That is why I am writing things down. It keeps me occupied too and it will help me remember, If you can forget how long you have been on the island, how long is it before you forget everything?
There is so much we could do on this island. We don't need adults to survive, but if only the others listened to me. I think Ralph hears what I have to say but it really is only half-hearted and just stares at me after. The other day I said we should find a way to keep track of time and the days and Ralph completely rejected the idea. I read somewhere that it was important to keep track of time as then you have something to hold onto. That is why I am writing things down. It keeps me occupied too and it will help me remember, If you can forget how long you have been on the island, how long is it before you forget everything?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This journal entry is of Piggy is from the beginning of the novel. Before the climax of the story. I chose Piggy because he is exactly what and adult in the eyes of a child is. He has rules and ideas that are so foreign to the rest of the children. Most of the time, we see Piggy as an adult figure but all the same, he is still as a child. He has these great ideas, but he can't get the others to listen. This causes him frustration and he expresses this by whining or complaining. Of course the other boys only find this annoying.Ralph's Journal
Last night, a few more boys snuck away to join Jack's tribe. They think I don't know what they are thinking, but I have to admit, the prospect of meat is tempting. It has been so long since we have had a truly filling meal. I think if I wasn't chief, I may have gone too, but I can't be thinking like that. Jack and his rowdy group of boys are causing chaos. Jack doesn't care about rules or anything any more. All he has left is his obsession with the beast.
In England, I grew up constantly being pestered about my manners. My parents always said to me, "say please". The teachers all told me to always say "sir". There were always rules, and I always followed them. We would spend time learning how to behave in front of adults, how to dress like proper English boys. Oh if only they could see us now... All the things that used to be important only make me laugh. None of that is important now, and quite useless. They tried to make us 'proper' and now, we are like animals. I am dirty and mentally exhausted. All the other boys feel the same, none of us know what clean feels like. Our old lives seem so easy and simple, like a dream compared to right now. I don't know how long I can hold myself together. Everyday, I have this feeling of dread. The expression on the other boys faces, have almost caused me to break down. They look up to me for and answer or reinsurance that everything is going to be okay, but I have nothing to say to them.
I remember when I first met Piggy and we found that conch. The first time I blew it, all the boys came from all directions. Now, I don't think even half of the boys would answer my call. I wonder what went wrong? We did everything we were suppose to but it didn't end up the way I thought it it would. We have split among ourselves and we are no longer working together.
Piggy seems to still think that we can still continue as things were before. We moved the fire from the mountain to the beach a couple of days ago but that only gave myself a distraction. I try to hold on to that last bit of hope, but my grip is slipping. Right now, it is morning, the sun just rose but the heat has already set in. I am exhausted just thinking of the day that I have a head of me. I just have to keep trying and remember that we will be rescued. However when, will that be, I have no idea.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ralph is one of the main characters in this novel. He was the first character introduced and the last mentioned. Ralph was the leader until Jack ran away to create his own tribe. After that, Ralph slowly lost his control over the situation on the island. Piggy was Ralph's closest confidant and always supported Ralph even when Ralph did not always support Piggy's ideas.
This entry is from the middle of the novel, when things begin to fall apart. As mentioned in the journal, many of the boys have left to join Jack and Ralph is starting to loose hope. I think at this point, Ralph started to have conflicting thought within himself. At the beginning, he was so sure of everything and that was why all the boys trusted him. Now you can see that he sees that something went wrong. He is starting to reflect on what went wrong but ha can't really figure it out. He was suppose to lead the boys but he had no idea which direction to lead.
Jack's Journal
I have been at this school for half a year now, but that doesn't mean I have grown to like it any much better. The teachers are horrid and always send me to see the dean. They believe I have "behavior" problems but I honestly think it only means that I am right and they have no idea how to respond to what I have to say. I don't even know why they let these idiots teach here, they might as well hire me. The dean is now threatening to kick me out of the choir. Can you imagine the choir without me? They would sound worse than nails against a chalkboard!
The only slightly great thing at this school is the choir and it is probably the only reason I haven't made father switch me to another school yet. They made me assistant choirmaster today, so basically when Sir is gone, I am in charge. I don't understand why they didn't promote me earlier, as I am clearly the best singer there but I guess Johnson didn't want to give up the spot. Well Johnson had an 'accident' and fell down the stairs this morning and cracked his skull. He isn't very serious, but he won't be back to school for a good 4 months and by then the school year will be over and he would have graduated. He swears that I had pushed him down but the doctors said that one of the side affects of brain damage is that his brain might recreate false scenarios so no one will actually believe him. That sucks for him but the good thing is that with him gone, there is no one else to really challenge my place in the choir.
When I first came to this school, everyone thought I was a scrawny little kid who could be messed with. Then one day I got in an argument with and upperclassmen and he didn't think I would be able to be chose for the choir. I decided that the only way I could prove myself at this school was if I managed to get in the boys choir. However still people didn't really take my authority seriously. Now that I am choirmaster I think that people will really respect me more. I mean I have earned it haven't I? I finally proved to everyone that I was good for something. The new power I have is exhilarating and intoxicating at the same time, but in a good way. I will no longer be looked down on and father might finally be proud at me for once.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jack is the primary antagonist of this story. Although at first he does not come off as evil or sinister, as the novel continues, his behavior becomes more erratic and hostile. Through the conflicts that have arose on the island, Jack's ability to co-operate is tested to the point where one day, he finally breaks. I think that his change in personality is not just the result of his tie on the island. I believe it his character traits have always been there as a child even, but it was only when chaos broke out, that he stopped caring. He figured out that he no longer had to pretend to be civil. Years of anger within him broke out and after that, no one could redeem him to the boy he once was.
I chose to write this journal entry from before Jack's experiences on the island. This journal entry is from when he first became leader of the school choir and got a taste of power. I tried to show in my writing how even early on in his school years, Jack began to show hints of malice and his disobedience for authority. At that time, he was not completely cruel as he still had to abide society's rules.
Map
This is what I think the island on which the boys were stranded on looked like. I am not much of an artist, but I tried draw in all the locations mentioned in the book. In the novel, the island is supposedly in the shape of a boat. A boat is commonly the symbol of civilization. Meaning that this island was a fresh start and new hope for civilization. So when the boys first arrived at the island, it is undamaged but by the time Ralph is rescued, the island is wrecked.
Piggy's death not only symbolized the end of order, but it also showed how the island really changed the boys as the boy's behaviors grew more and more erratic. The first time a boy, Simon, was killed, it was because of excitement and adrenaline, but it was still an accident. The second time, when Piggy, died, it was because Roger no longer cared about rules. It didn't matter to him what the consequences were because he realized no one could punish him.
Many places on the island are tainted by murder and split blood. Simon was killed after being attacked and falling over the cliffs and Piggy is murdered at Castle Rock which Jack later turned into his fortress. The scar, which is a damaged strip of land where the plane crashed and there is the beach which became dirty and stinky as the boys cared less and less about personal hygiene.
This map gives you a visual representation of the island, so when you read descriptions of it in the book, you have a sense of direction. It is easier to visualize the description from the text because now you have a picture to base it off of. The map also somewhat shows how secluded the island really is. There are no buildings no harbor, nothing, just land.
Important Quotes
"He says he say a beastie, the snake-thing, and will it come back tonight?"
"But there isn't a beastie!"
"He says in the morning it turned into them things like ropes in the trees and hung in the branches. He says will it come back again tonight?"
"But there isn't a beastie!"
-Chapter 2
The fear of the ''beastie'' started as something childish and imaginary that the little boys fabricated out of their fears. Logic told them that there was in fact no beast but the irrational side convinced them that the beast was real and this put them into hysterics This was the beginning of the 'beast'. No matter what the 'bigguns' said, they could not control the fear and soon even they were convinced of a beast. It passage shows the transition between hope and fear." Hope is the only thing stronger than fear" from the Hunger Games. In the Hunger Games, this quote is said by President Snow. He uses fear to control the districts but he always allows room for hope. Hope is what keeps the people going but when that hope grows to big, they can no longer be controlled. In Lord of the Flies, it is reversed. The boys started to loose hope so the fear overtook them.
There is also a biblical connection in this quote. The island can be compared to the Garden of Eden. It seemed so surreal and perfect, the boys were all captivated. They played in the water, and explored the forests. In chapter 2, the beast is thought to be a snake-like creature.The snake mentioned in the quote is a reference to the bible. The snake which is 'Satan' tried to convince Eve to eat the apple which eventually got Adam and Eve both thrown out of the garden of Eden. The boys are in a similar situation. Then talk of a beast arises and things begin to go South.
"Roger gathered a handful of stones and began to throw them. Yet there was a space round Henry, perhaps six yards in diameter, into which he dare not throw. Here, invisible yet strong, was the taboo of old life. Round the squatting child was the protection of parents and school and policemen and the law."
-Chapter 4
This excerpt displays the cruelty in Roger. He seems to feel the need to torture Henry, but he still shows some restrain. Instead, he only frightens him by throwing rocks near enough to startle him not not enough to actually hit him. At this point, Roger still feels bound by rules of society.He thinks that Henry, is protected by authoritative figures such as parents, policemen and law. He does not become completely ruthless because his first instinct is still to follow the rules.Later on in the novel, Roger no longer holds back because he discovers that on this island, no one can punish him for his actions. After that, he quickly looses his morals and soon becomes much more violent and even murder begins. This just shows how important laws and morals are. Without them, there would be no order and no one would ever feel safe. In nature, animals will become aggressive in each other when angered and even kill one another over territory So what prevents humans from doing the same? How come we get angry, we don't go on killing sprees? It is because we are brought up with morals that tell us that killing is wrong. We also have laws and law enforcers that make sure that those who break the law do not get away with it.
"What I mean is..Maybe, it's only us..."
-Chapter 5
Ralph calls an emergency assembly to discuss the 'beastie'. The little ones are getting increasingly frightened and things are starting to fall apart. At first everything was well and they were happy but then ''...people started getting frightened...''. One of the 'littleuns', Phil has a dream of the beastie. He tells everyone of his nightmare and even though Ralph tells him that is was only a dream, not everyone is convinced. The boys are starting to really believe in the beast, confusing their nightmares with reality. Simon tries to explain his theory that perhaps there is no beast at all and that they are all imagining it but all the boys just laugh and scoff at him. None of them truly process what Simon is trying to say. They fail to realize that Simon may actually be right.
"Ralph went for the end of innocence, the darkness of man's heart, and the fall through the air of a true, wise friend called Piggy."
-Chapter 12
This quote is from near the end of chapter 12. It is from when Ralph is finally rescued by the officer. He is relieved that he is rescued, but is also distressed. Instead of jumping for joy, he ends up weeping for the other boys. He realizes that in the end, he is the only one truly left. All the other boys are either dead or have no intention of returning to civilization. When Ralph first arrived at on the island, he was an optimistic child. He thought that his father would rescue him and in the meantime, he and the other boys would have a 'fun time'. However his time on the island ended up costing him his innocence.
Throughout the novel, Piggy was Ralph's confidant and always believed in Ralph even when Ralph didn't. For Ralph to watch Piggy being killed and them he himself hunted was a horrible experience. Even though he is now safe and is returning to civilization, he will never be the same again. "...the darkness of man's heart..." is what every boy loss their innocence to. After the corruption of his mind and soul, there is no going back. He lives the rest of his life knowing what mankind is truly capable of doing. This connection can be made with victims of war and hate crimes. In world war two, thousands of Jewish people were murdered because of their race. The people who killed them were brought up in social well being but they were still able to do such things. This ties in with the two main themes of the book which were the 'evil' present in everyone and the end of innocence.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Author's Message
Lord of the Flies Vs. Our Society
William Golding believed that deep down, everyone was evil. The evil and social injustices portrayed in this novel were based on Golding's personal experiences from World War II. Many of the injustices portrayed in Lord of the Flies were based on society back the. After the war, he began teaching again and wrote Lord of the Flies. Golding took these boys and put them on this uninhibited island with no parents, rules or laws. The boys set up a system, by assigning jobs and maintaining a signal fire and thus creating their own little society. It was bound to fail because in the end, they could not control their natural impulses. While the group of boys in the novel were brought up in a civilized manner, after a few weeks on their own, the have descended to savagery. This is the main dystopian aspect of the story which is that no matter how much we try to achieve democracy and equality, there is no "perfect" society.
The conch was the most important symbol that Golding used in the novel. Originally, whoever held the conch, they had the right to speak. In the novel, it represented their society as freedom. When Ralph and Piggy had first found the conch, it a beautiful shell. When blown, all the boys would respond to it. This was when their civilization was still intact. Then as is started to fall apart, the colour of the conch starts to fade. When Piggy tried to voice his opinions, he was ignored, regardless of the fact that he had the conch. In many societies, people can not voice their thoughts and express themselves. They are judged by what they say and their opinions. Women in many countries do not have a voice. They are controlled by the male figure in their life, unable to speak or act their mind. They don't have that right and Golding described that injustice with the conch. The fact that while it may seem like the boys had a perfect system, they began to corrupt it and it was no longer a democracy.
In our world, Ralph and Jack would represent the different political parties and the "littluns" would be the scared, and confused general public. In times of crisis or fear, the general public do not know how to react, or how to deal with the major issues. During wars, natural disaster, or economic depression, the public are almost helpless and it is up the people in charge or government to do something. In the novel, the boys built their miniature society to mimic the larger society in which they came from. Despite the fact that their society is how they ended up on the island. Their society had ended up in nuclear warfare and that was the reason why they had to evacuate.
Jack sought out power. From the beginning he wanted to be chief but was overruled by the other boys. Instead, he was made leader of the hunters. Nevertheless, that was not enough for him, he took every opportunity to sway the power that Ralph had over the boys over to him. Ralph was a natural leader and always tried to think in a positive manner while as the novel progressed, Jack only became more barbaric and cruel. In the end, Jack used fear and violence to gain control. In our society, dictators have used the same strategy to gain power over a group of people. Power and freedom, do not mix together. There was no way that the boys could have any democracy if Jack could control them. Ironically though, the signal fire that ended up saving Ralph was not the one he had tried so hard to maintain in order to maximize their survival chances. Instead, it was the fire that Jack had created in the middle of the Jungle. Here Golding implied that perhaps, that civilization and savageness are not so different from one another. In fact, they have more in common than one would think.
While Golding wrote this book right after World War II when mass amounts of 'evil' was committed. many of the social injustices in Lord of the Flies are still present in our current societies. They are different nowadays, but they are still there. Hundreds of crimes are committed everyday and there are many corrupted government systems but while the issues them selves, will be resolved, new ones will always arise. Civilization will only disguise and mask our savage impulses, not remove them.
The message the author is trying to deliver is very direct and effective. Every aspect of the story seems to have a hidden message and that is what makes this story so fascinating. The characters all have strong personalities that shadow and represent different parts of humanity. The message is still clear to the reader and it really gives us a different view on society. The part I found very effective was the fact that Golding used children to tell the story. This makes the impact of the message even stronger because children are born innocent. When they are young, they know of nothing except what the adult figures in their life tell them. They learn their ways from society. None of the boys were older than 13 but still they were capable of murder and cruelty towards each other. So to see the development of their behaviour through out the book was disturbing, but it helped me understand the author's message.
Jack represented violence and man's carnal nature.
Piggy represented reason and rescue.
Ralph represented government and the old life in England.
Simon represented the spiritual.
William Golding believed that deep down, everyone was evil. The evil and social injustices portrayed in this novel were based on Golding's personal experiences from World War II. Many of the injustices portrayed in Lord of the Flies were based on society back the. After the war, he began teaching again and wrote Lord of the Flies. Golding took these boys and put them on this uninhibited island with no parents, rules or laws. The boys set up a system, by assigning jobs and maintaining a signal fire and thus creating their own little society. It was bound to fail because in the end, they could not control their natural impulses. While the group of boys in the novel were brought up in a civilized manner, after a few weeks on their own, the have descended to savagery. This is the main dystopian aspect of the story which is that no matter how much we try to achieve democracy and equality, there is no "perfect" society.
The conch was the most important symbol that Golding used in the novel. Originally, whoever held the conch, they had the right to speak. In the novel, it represented their society as freedom. When Ralph and Piggy had first found the conch, it a beautiful shell. When blown, all the boys would respond to it. This was when their civilization was still intact. Then as is started to fall apart, the colour of the conch starts to fade. When Piggy tried to voice his opinions, he was ignored, regardless of the fact that he had the conch. In many societies, people can not voice their thoughts and express themselves. They are judged by what they say and their opinions. Women in many countries do not have a voice. They are controlled by the male figure in their life, unable to speak or act their mind. They don't have that right and Golding described that injustice with the conch. The fact that while it may seem like the boys had a perfect system, they began to corrupt it and it was no longer a democracy.
In our world, Ralph and Jack would represent the different political parties and the "littluns" would be the scared, and confused general public. In times of crisis or fear, the general public do not know how to react, or how to deal with the major issues. During wars, natural disaster, or economic depression, the public are almost helpless and it is up the people in charge or government to do something. In the novel, the boys built their miniature society to mimic the larger society in which they came from. Despite the fact that their society is how they ended up on the island. Their society had ended up in nuclear warfare and that was the reason why they had to evacuate.
Jack sought out power. From the beginning he wanted to be chief but was overruled by the other boys. Instead, he was made leader of the hunters. Nevertheless, that was not enough for him, he took every opportunity to sway the power that Ralph had over the boys over to him. Ralph was a natural leader and always tried to think in a positive manner while as the novel progressed, Jack only became more barbaric and cruel. In the end, Jack used fear and violence to gain control. In our society, dictators have used the same strategy to gain power over a group of people. Power and freedom, do not mix together. There was no way that the boys could have any democracy if Jack could control them. Ironically though, the signal fire that ended up saving Ralph was not the one he had tried so hard to maintain in order to maximize their survival chances. Instead, it was the fire that Jack had created in the middle of the Jungle. Here Golding implied that perhaps, that civilization and savageness are not so different from one another. In fact, they have more in common than one would think.
The message the author is trying to deliver is very direct and effective. Every aspect of the story seems to have a hidden message and that is what makes this story so fascinating. The characters all have strong personalities that shadow and represent different parts of humanity. The message is still clear to the reader and it really gives us a different view on society. The part I found very effective was the fact that Golding used children to tell the story. This makes the impact of the message even stronger because children are born innocent. When they are young, they know of nothing except what the adult figures in their life tell them. They learn their ways from society. None of the boys were older than 13 but still they were capable of murder and cruelty towards each other. So to see the development of their behaviour through out the book was disturbing, but it helped me understand the author's message.
The Dystopian Society of Lord of the Flies
Lord of the flies began as a utopia. The boys were in this new
environment without any adults and rules hence they could do whatever they
liked. There was food, water, and all that they needed to survive. Although they thought that they would be rescued soon, they made
rules and elected a chief. The rules of their society were fairly simple. The chief,
Ralph, held assemblies where everyone could voice their
thoughts, and problems were discussed. Only the person who held the conch could
speak at the assemblies.
What turned their society into a dystopia was a series of events
that slowly made their society crumple. It started with greed and then followed
with the urge to hunt and kill. It was the slow transition in the boys, combined
with the fear of the "beast” that completely destroyed Ralph's well-kept
society. When Jack, leader of the hunters, created his own tribe, he used the
boys' weaknesses against them by telling them that he can hunt the beast. Even
though they felt safe that Jack could kill the beast, they were still scared.
Why? Because Jack became the beast, he abused them and tortured them to control
them with fear.
Jack went on his first pig hunt in chapter three and even sharpened
a stick to create a makeshift spear. When Ralph confronted Jack about choosing
to go hunting over building the shelters, they got into a heated argument. Jack
said that they needed meat, not shelters, while Ralph believed that Jack was
simply using hunting as an excuse to not do the other work. This was when the
power struggle between Ralph and Jack became more noticeable.
As the days went on, Jack became more and more obsessed with
wanting to kill and even began to paint his face with clay and charcoal. In
chapter 4, Jack went on a pig hunt joined by a couple of other boys. This
caused the signal fire to go out and a passing ship to ignore the island. When they
originally lit the fire, they were hoping to be rescued, meaning that they still
wanted to return to civilization. However it now seemed that Jack would rather
kill than get rescued. This was the beginning of how the boys ended up turning
from a democracy like civilisation into complete chaos.
While the daily tasks were being neglected, so was the power of
the conch. The conch was the symbol of order and law in their
society. Every time, it was blown, the boys would answer this call and
gather down by the beach. Whoever held the conch, could speak while everyone
else was quiet and attentive. However on more than one occasion, when Piggy had
the conch, he was ignored. Piggy, overweight and weak, was quickly made an
outcast by the other boys. He was even punched in the face by Jack because even
though Piggy had the conch, he wouldn't shut up when Jack told him to. In
chapter 5 the issue of a "beast" is brought back up at one of the
assemblies. Jack immediately declared that if there was a beast, he and his
hunters would kill it. After that, the meeting, became complete chaos as the boys followed Jack and ran off dancing and chanting with him. While Piggy and Simon
encouraged Ralph to blow the conch to get the boys to return, Ralph refused as
he fears that if he does, they would simply ignore it.
The first time Ralph went on a pig chase was in chapter 7. Although
Ralph was usually against hunting, he got caught up in the excitement of the
chase just like all the other boys. He threw his spear at the boar only
managing to graze its snout but nonetheless was just as proud. The boar managed to get away but the boys are still re-enacting the events among
themselves long after the chase. Robert was the boar in the re-enactment
with all the boys dancing and chanting around him jabbing the end of their
spears at him. The boys began to beat him and they nearly kill Robert before
they seemed to remember that this was a human they were hitting, not a
pig. Robert suggested that next time they should use a real boar in
the re-enactment but Jack said that they could just use a
"littlun". So far, none of the boys had actually considered killing
one another until Jack brought it up. Although, he didn't carry out his plan,
the fact that he had though to kill a child for such purposes is horrifying
enough. The moment when the boys, Ralph included, went on that hunt, the part
of them where the urge to just become savages surfaced.
The twins, "samneric" (Sam and Eric) claimed to have
seen the "beast" back in chapter 6 at the top of the mountain where
the signal fire. However they did not realize that the "beast" was actually a
fallen paratrooper. Since they were both asleep at the time, they had
not seen the soldier fall from the sky and instead they only saw a dark figure
looming in the shadows. When Ralph, Jack and Roger went to the top of the
mountain to see if there really wass a beast, they had gone in the night.
Therefore, they also failed to see that there wass no beast and like
"sameneric" they mistook the dead soldier for the "beast"
Jack held an assembly thinking that Ralph should be replaced by him. The other boys refused to vote Ralph out of leadership so Jack, furious, ran away and created his own tribe where he was Chief. Without Ralph or Piggy to stop him from doing anything, him and a couple of other boys who have joined him go hunting. This was where the ''Lord of the Flies'' was created when they impaled the head of a sow they killed on a stick and stuck in in the ground. They had intended it as an ''offering'' to the beast.That night, more boys sneaked away to Jack's camp as they were unable to resist the offer of meat at the feast.
Simon was the only person who realized that there was no "beast". That the only reason the boys thought there was one was because they chose to believe there was one. However just as he is about to tell all the boys, he is killed by Jack's tribe. They see Simon but they thought that it was the beast, so they attack him with their bare hands and teeth. Simon tried to tell them that its just him but the boys could not come out of their trance. Simon tripped, and fell over the rocks and the boys who land on him, ended up killing him. When Simon died in such a brutal way, it just showed how chaotic things had become. The only proof that there was no beast was gone. Ralph and Piggy had lost all control over the situation and Jack could now rule with absolute power.
When the conch was crushed by Roger, who was the least
understanding of the concept of civilization, it marked the 'end' of any equality.
Piggy who was the "adult-type figure" on the island, the rational
one, the one with the intellect was crushed by a boulder, also released by
Roger. Ralph was chased by Jack's "tribe" and only barely manages to
escape a violent death. Any trace of boys who grew up in social well-being is
gone. They have managed to completely forget all the rules of society in which
they were raised in. Instead they have succumbed to their violent nature.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Lord of the Flies Review
Rating:
This book, first published in 1954, was William Golding's first and probably most well known novel. It was one of the first dystopian novel oriented around children, that seem to be very popular nowadays, such as Hunger Games or Divergent. The journey of a group of boys as they try to remain civilised while stranded on an unsupervised island is both adventurous and tragic. With a twist in the middle that adds a whole new dimension to the plot, this book will completely captivate you. Golding takes this seemingly, a children's adventure tale and explores the darker side of humanity in everyone.
The novel takes place on an unnamed island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean in the the middle of an unspecified nuclear war. A British plane crashes on the uninhibited island and the only survivors are boys all under the age of 13. The boys are united by the sound of a conch blown by Ralph. Without any adult supervision on the island, they decide that the only to survive they will have to build shelters, gather food, and keep a fire going to signal any nearby ship for rescue. The boys are split into the "biguns", the older boys around the age of 10-12 and the "littluns" which are around the age of six. While the "bigguns'' try to build shelters and keep the fire going while the "littluns" are suppose to collect any edible foods, they mainly go off to play. A group of hunters are created from a boys choir while led by their leader, Jack Merridew, they explore the island and hunt for meat. While Ralph was elected as chief with the support of everyone except the choir, it is clear that Jack wants to be leader. Jack wants to hunt for meat while Ralph's main priority is to keep the fire going. This causes a lot of disputes between them and in the end results in Jack luring other boys from their jobs, sacrificing the task of keeping the fire going and even missing a chance at rescue to go on a pig hunt. While Jack starts to turn more and more boys against Ralph, the rest of them become more and more restless tension and fear is among everyone. The littluns dream of this "beast" that not even the bigguns can reassure them. However the more they talk of the beast, the more they are eager to kill it.
Golding manages to show the transition as the boys turn from civilised British school boys to almost primitive beings with great skill. The development of each character is well planned out and that just makes their lost of inoccence even more intriguing. The fact that all of the boys were under 12 is what makes them so inoccent because they have not fully grown and they are not adults, but they have minds of their own. While the story at times can be confusing, the symbols and hidden meanings in this novel only makes it more fascinating. This book isn't some light read for the beach but its a riveting book with a truly unique plot that will interest many teens and adults.
This book, first published in 1954, was William Golding's first and probably most well known novel. It was one of the first dystopian novel oriented around children, that seem to be very popular nowadays, such as Hunger Games or Divergent. The journey of a group of boys as they try to remain civilised while stranded on an unsupervised island is both adventurous and tragic. With a twist in the middle that adds a whole new dimension to the plot, this book will completely captivate you. Golding takes this seemingly, a children's adventure tale and explores the darker side of humanity in everyone.
The novel takes place on an unnamed island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean in the the middle of an unspecified nuclear war. A British plane crashes on the uninhibited island and the only survivors are boys all under the age of 13. The boys are united by the sound of a conch blown by Ralph. Without any adult supervision on the island, they decide that the only to survive they will have to build shelters, gather food, and keep a fire going to signal any nearby ship for rescue. The boys are split into the "biguns", the older boys around the age of 10-12 and the "littluns" which are around the age of six. While the "bigguns'' try to build shelters and keep the fire going while the "littluns" are suppose to collect any edible foods, they mainly go off to play. A group of hunters are created from a boys choir while led by their leader, Jack Merridew, they explore the island and hunt for meat. While Ralph was elected as chief with the support of everyone except the choir, it is clear that Jack wants to be leader. Jack wants to hunt for meat while Ralph's main priority is to keep the fire going. This causes a lot of disputes between them and in the end results in Jack luring other boys from their jobs, sacrificing the task of keeping the fire going and even missing a chance at rescue to go on a pig hunt. While Jack starts to turn more and more boys against Ralph, the rest of them become more and more restless tension and fear is among everyone. The littluns dream of this "beast" that not even the bigguns can reassure them. However the more they talk of the beast, the more they are eager to kill it.
Golding manages to show the transition as the boys turn from civilised British school boys to almost primitive beings with great skill. The development of each character is well planned out and that just makes their lost of inoccence even more intriguing. The fact that all of the boys were under 12 is what makes them so inoccent because they have not fully grown and they are not adults, but they have minds of their own. While the story at times can be confusing, the symbols and hidden meanings in this novel only makes it more fascinating. This book isn't some light read for the beach but its a riveting book with a truly unique plot that will interest many teens and adults.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
New Cover!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)