Lord of the Flies Alternate Ending & Epilogue

Think you have a better idea of how to end Lord of the Flies than William Golding?

Leave a comment with your alternate ending or an epilogue (a brief description of what happens to the characters after the ending of the book--you can imagine them right after they get back to "civilization" or years later... up to you!).

Have fun!

The Bystander Effect

Here is an article about the man who was pushed onto the Q train tracks earlier this week, which I mentioned yesterday in class:  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/06/nyregion/police-arrest-naeem-davis-in-subway-death.html?ref=nyregion

For me, this brought up questions about the diffusion of responsibility:  why didn't anyone help him?  What does that say about human nature?

I think there are also some connections to Lord of the Flies, especially relating to the fact that no one really wanted to take responsibility for Simon's death.  Even if Ralph and Piggy weren't actively involved in his murder (though this is arguable), why didn't they try to help him?

What causes us to freeze up in these moments, rather than help our fellow citizens?  If you have comments, please post them!

Lord of the Flies Chapter 11 Notes

Chapter 11

Key Characters

Ralph: Faced with the fact that they no longer have Piggy's specs to start a fire, Ralph furiously tries to rekindle flames from the fire the allowed to die out the night before but fails. Piggy encourages Ralph to call a meeting (with the only kids they have left), at which Ralph expresses his frustration: Jack didn't need to steal anything, they would have shared the fire. Ralph continues to lose his train of thought frequently, which Sam and Eric notice. Ralph, however, remembers Simon's assertion that he'll "get back all right," and regains some hope. He ultimately agrees to accompany Piggy to Castle Rock to meet with Jack. There, he gets into a fight with Jack and tries to make a final point about getting rescued to get the boys back on his side, but is met by silence. The futility of trying to reason with Jack's tribe is confirmed when they capture Sam and Eric and kill Piggy. The chapter ends with Ralph fleeing for his life.

Piggy: With no other option besides blindness, Piggy suggests the boys go to Castle Rock with the conch to reason with Jack.  Piggy realizes he isn't as strong as Jack but hopes he can show him the difference between right and wrong. Piggy is passionate about doing this "against all odds." When they reach Castle Rock, Piggy is allowed one final speech in which he makes another plea for reason. Roger answers by heaving an enormous boulder at Piggy.  Piggy is knocked off the narrow strip of rock and falls 40 feet to his death. He is killed instantly and swept out to sea by the waves.

Roger: recalling an earlier scene, Roger begins throwing rocks again, at first "aiming to miss" though he feels a dark "source of power" (most likely our violent nature, "the beast") begin to "pulse" in him.  He eventually heaves a huge boulder off the top of Castle Rock (100 feet up), which kills Piggy. No longer are the rules of society holding Roger back! In fact, he almost shoves Jack as he walks by him and the narrator confirms that he has a "nameless authority," which likely refers to his willingness to submit to his own "inner beast."

Jack: He shows up at Castle Rock on the same level as Ralph since he was out hunting. They get into a physical fight but it breaks momentarily as Piggy reminds Ralph why they are there (to remind Jack about the importance of the rescue fire and "playing fair"). Once Ralph finishes his speech, Jack orders Sam and Eric to be captured and tied up, leaving Ralph completely on his own.

Key Things and Moments

The Conch: Piggy would like to believe that the conch, with its symbolism of rational society and democracy, still has power. It does afford Piggy the authority for one last speech, but it is shattered by the boulder that kills him. This is, of course, very bad symbolic news. The conch and the civilized society it represents is gone forever. The outlook for Ralph looks bleak.

Castle Rock/The setting: understanding this chapter relies heavily on understanding how the setting is, well, set up.  The full description is on p105-106.

Castle rock is a rock formation about 100 feet tall. To get to it, you need to cross a narrow strip of rock that extends into the ocean, and is beaten by the water on both sides (though on one side, when the waves recede, another large flat rock is revealed, which is where Piggy falls). This narrow strip is about 40 feet in the air and is where Piggy, Ralph, Sam, and Eric are standing in this scene.

To get to the top of the 100 foot formation, it is better to edge around it to the other side, where there is a steep incline that is easier to climb than the face of the cliff. At the very top are lots if large boulders that could be pushed off the cliff onto "intruders" below. This is where Roger and some of the other boys are standing.

Away from Castle Rock and on the "island side" of the narrow strip is a grassy area where Jack and his hunters show up after Ralph and the others have crossed onto the strip.

Lord of the Flies Chapter 10 Notes

Chapter 10

Key Characters:

Ralph:  Aware of and willing to acknowledge the fact that they murdered Simon, Ralph turns to Piggy to talk it all through.  However, Piggy is not so willing to be self-reflective and take responsibility.  Ralph ends up going along with this line of thinking.  In fact, when Piggy lies to Sam and Eric, saying they "left early," Ralph remains surprisingly silent.  In fact, Ralph really does seem to be losing hope and direction.  He has more trouble with his memory, specifically relating to why they even need a fire (so they can get rescued)  and also caves in and lets the fire go out over night.  Ralph also appears to be suffering from more intense nightmares.  In a darkly comic twist, when Jack, Maurice, and Roger attack the shelter, Ralph ends up mistakenly fighting with Eric.  This highlights just how out-of-control the situation has gotten and how Ralph has lost his way.

Piggy:  Ever the logical thinker, Piggy insists that Simon's death was an "accident."  Piggy is unwilling to face the truth of the murder and the feelings of guilt, shame, and horror that would go along with it.  This is one of the few times that Piggy is painted as a rather unsympathetic character.  Usually, his logic fits right in and seems to be the best perspective.  Here, it appears callous, especially given how much Simon did to help Piggy over the course of the novel.  The chapter ends with Piggy in a dire situation:  Jack, Maurice, and Roger steal his glasses leaving him essentially blind.

Sam and Eric:  The twins, like Piggy, refuse to acknowledge their participation in Simon's death and simply pretend that they were so "tired" that they left early.  From their cuts and bruises, however, as well as their general awkwardness, it is safe to infer that they were, in fact, participants in the murder.

Jack:  Jack, now secure in his new authority has a random boy beaten for "angering" him.  It was not made clear to the other boys why Wilfred was punished, but it really doesn't matter.  Jack wants to make sure that everyone is clear on who's boss, and that means random punishments.  With regard to the beast, Jack insists that it was not killed and that it had come "disguised."  This notion that the beast had come in disguise seems to confirm that Jack and the others knew that it was Simon, or at least in the "form" of Simon.  Jack and the boys plan to steal the fire from Ralph's camp that evening.

Key Moments and Things

The Raid:  A moment of DRAMATIC IRONY (when we know more than the characters do) occurs when Jack, Maurice, and Roger are about to attack Ralph's shelter.  Ralph and the other boys don't have any idea that Jack had planned to attack them, so they think it is the beast.  The readers know better.  The attack itself is wild, confused, and violent... much like all of the boys at this point in the novel.  The fact that Ralph and Eric are mistakenly fighting each other seems to mirror the idea that we, as humans, are our own worst enemy.  Jack is ultimately successful and steals Piggy's glasses.

Piggy's Glasses:  Throughout the novel, Piggy's "specs" have been the symbol of logic and the ability to "see" the difference between right and wrong. Of course, Piggy seems to already have lost his vision with his insensitive reaction to Simon's death, but now, it appears to be official.  In addition, the glasses symbolize the way off the island, given that it is the source of the rescue fires.  Now that Piggy's glasses are in Jack's hands, the possibility of rescue seems more and more remote.

Lord of the Flies Chapter 9 Notes

Chapter 9

Key Characters:

Simon:  After his conversation with the Lord of the Flies and his fainting fit, Simon wakes up with a bloody nose in the mat of creepers where he was hiding.  He decides to ignore what the LOTF told him (to not try to reveal the true nature of the "beast," covered in the notes on Chapter 8) and continue on with his earlier quest to go to the mountain and check out the "beast" in daylight.  He ultimately discovers that the beast was simply the rotting corpse of the pilot that ejected from his plane back in Chapter 6.  Simon immediately realizes that he needs to tell the other boys this news.  However, by the time he reaches them, they have already been worked into a blood-thirsty frenzy.  Simon is mistaken for the beast and is brutally murdered.

Ralph:  Ralph realizes that basically all the biguns besides Piggy, and the twins, Sam and Eric have left him to join Jack's tribe.  He insists "I don't care," but this seems unlikely (148).  He ultimately decides to attend Jack's party/feast.  At the party, Ralph realizes that he has lost his authority as chief to Jack.  He almost gets it back by reminding the boys of the shelters, but Jack steps in with his "Kill the Pig Dance" and gets the rest of the kids back on his side.  Though Ralph and Piggy had planned on leaving, they both end up staying for the dance and participating in the murder of Simon.  The narrator mentioned that both boys wanted to "take a place in this demented but partially secure society," (153).  So, even though they realize what they are doing is wrong, they take comfort in being part of the crowd.

Piggy:  Piggy shows some character development when he fights back against Ralph's teasing on page 147.  Piggy is no longer the "meek" character he was at the beginning of the novel.  Also keep in mind that it was Piggy's idea to go to Jack's party and Ralph followed Piggy's lead on that decision.

Jack:  Jack has truly fashioned himself as THE chief.  He has his little minions bring him food and water and is seated on a "throne."  In this chapter, Jack has officially taken over as the leader.

Key Things & Moments:

Simon's Death:  With all the boys caught up in their savage dance, Simon unfortunately becomes the victim.  He is truly painted as a martyr and Golding even characterizes him as somewhat angelic, given the way that his dead body is carried out to sea surrounded by the bright phosphorescent creatures (plankton).  Simon's place as the only "good soul" on the island seems to be solidified by this final image of him that Golding leaves us with.

The Dance:  After building up to this moment over the course of the novel (with each dance scene increasing in intensity), the hunters' dance finally gets out of control.  The boys have truly turned "savage," unable to see the difference between Simon and "the beast."  It appears that the boys actually do, on some level, understand what they are doing.  Simon, though he is covering his face, certainly looks like a human figure, and even tries to speak to the boys.  Unfortunately, it is too late.  They are in such a frenzy that no one actually stops to think about the situation at hand.

The Storm: Thunder and stormy weather often serve to foreshadow conflict.  In this case, the storm peaked at the moment of Simon's death.  Golding employed the storm to mirror the savagery, blood lust, and violence of the boys, which finally exploded into reality.

Lord of the Flies Chapter 7 & 8 Notes

Key Characters

Ralph:  In this chapter, Ralph gets his first taste of hunting and... likes it.  He's proud of having speared the boar that came charging at them in the jungle.  However, the other boys didn't seem to care all that much about Ralph's success.

Simon: Simon tells Ralph emphatically that "I just think you'll get back all right" (111).  Simon seems very sure of himself that Ralph, at least, will one day get off the island. Later, in Chapter 8, after Ralph and Jack "confirm" the existence of the beast, Simon suggests that they go back to the mountain to really make sure that the beast is there (he's still doubtful that it exists).  Everyone ignores him, so he goes off to find the beast himself--on his way he sees the entire scene in which Jack and his new tribe kill the mother pig.  (See "Simon and the Lord of the Flies for more info).

Key Things and Moments

The "Game":  They boys start a new game where one of them pretends to be a pig and the others make a ring around him and "hunt" him down.  Robert happens to be the first fake pig, but the game gets a bit out of hand.   Even Ralph gets sucked in to the violence, with the narrator noting that "the desire to... hurt was over-mastering" (115).  This isn't the last time you'll see this game in the text, so watch out for it.

The Beast: By the time the boys hike from The Castle, hunt the pig, play the new game, and get to the mountain, it is dark.  Jack goes ahead of the other boys to see if the "beast" is actually there, like Sam and Eric said.  Again, foiled by the darkness, Jack says he sees "a thing bulge on the mountain," (121).  When Ralph, Roger, and Jack go to get closer, the wind picks up, the dead pilot's body lifts and they get an obscured glimpse at his decomposed face.  Since it's too dark to actually see that this "beast" is just the body of a shot-down pilot, they think they have confirmed that the beast exists.  In the meeting in Chapter 8, Jack says that the beast is hunting them (even though there is no evidence for this).

The Signal Fire:  Now that the "beast" rules the mountain, the boys believe they can no longer have the signal fire up on the mountain (the most visible place for it).  Of course, the symbolic connection makes sense. The beast (though not actually real) is impeding their efforts to get off the island:  just like their "inner" beasts push them to want to hunt and indulge in violence rather than try to get back to civilization.  In Chapter 8, Piggy has the idea to move the signal fire to where they camp out, near the bathing pool.

The Meeting & Split in Chapter 8: Jack again tries to usurp Ralph's authority, saying that the latter was too scared to go see the beast.  (Even though Roger stayed back too, Jack doesn't mention this).  In the meeting, Jack asks "Who thinks Ralph oughtn't to be chief" (127).  Once again, Jack is humiliated, as none of the boys raise their hands.  However, this time, Jack storms off, saying he is going to create his own group that will hunt on its own. Maurice, Roger, and Bill are the first to leave Ralph to join Jack's group (surprise, surprise).

Mamma Pig:  During Jack's first hunt as chief of his own separate group, the boys come across a mother pig nursing her little piglets.  The boys hunt down the sow (female pig) and brutally kill her--even shoving a spear up her rear end and smearing the blood from her cut throat on their faces.  This is a brutal killing that has elements of rape in it.  Considering that the sow is the only female mentioned in the book, (beside Piggy's auntie), what happens to her is significant.  The boys' extreme disregard for life (they kill a mother nursing her babies) is significant; the fact that it is highlighted in the first hunt with Jack as his own chief foreshadows the violence to come.  Also significant is the fact that the boys cut off the sow's head and put it on a stick as an offering to "the beast":  this becomes the titular "Lord of the Flies".

Simon and the Lord of the Flies: As mentioned above, Simon saw the killing and beheading of the sow.  This, along with his dehydration, seems to have sent Simon over the edge.  He begins to hallucinate that the sow's head (remember, Jack put it on a stick as an offering to the beast) is talking to him.  This is a little confusing and weird, so pay attention:

Sow's head is called the "Lord of the Flies" (because there are so many flies buzzing around it).  It REPRESENTS our dark nature and is, therefore, the "true beast" of Golding's novel.  In his hallucinations, the Lord of the Flies talks to Simon, telling him he was "just wrong" and that he should "go back to the others" (137).  Basically, the Lord of the Flies is trying to make sure Simon won't give him away.

At the end of chapter 8 (after an interlude in which we check in on Ralph and Jack), the conversation between Simon and the Lord of the Flies (i.e. the pig head on a stick) continues.  The Lord of the Flies argues that it was silly that the boys thought that "the Beast was something you could hunt and kill," and goes on to say that "I'm part of you" (143).  This, of course, verifies what Golding (and Simon) have been saying all along: the Beast is our dark side and it is not something we can hunt or hide from.  The chapter ends with the Lord of the Flies threatening Simon to keep his mouth shut about the true nature of the beast: "I'm warning you.  I'm going to get angry... You're not wanted...We are going to have fun on this island! So don't try it... or else" (144).  Foreboding indeed.  How Simon will react is another question.

Lord of the Flies Chapter 5 notes

Key Characters

• Ralph:  Here, we see the DYNAMIC aspect of Ralph's character.  He started off relatively carefree.  However, with the weight of responsibility, he has begun to grow up and think more logically.  Ralph knows that the boys are on the edge of chaos and that he must have a stern meeting to bring them back to a civil lifestyle.  Unfortunately, he is unsuccessful.  In fact, at the end of the chapter, he almost decides to give up being the chief.  However, Piggy and Simon convince him otherwise.

Key Things and Moments

• The Meeting:  Ralph knows that this meeting will be extremely important--that he needs to reign in the boys and make them understand that they need to follow the rules to survive.  He brings up 4 major points:

1. The boys need to follow through with their promises (keeping coconuts full of fresh water, actually helping to build the shelters)
2. The boys should not just "do their business" anywhere they please, they should go to the bathroom at the rocks by the bathing pool.
3. They must work together to keep the rescue fire going.  The fire should only be located on the mountain (no one is allowed to make small cooking fires).
4. The Beast: Ralph feels like the boys really need to talk through this:  what are they afraid of?  What do they think the "beast" is?  Ralph hopes that talking about it will cure the boys' irrational fear.  

Unfortunately, the meeting ends in chaos, with Jack saying "Who cares" about the rules (91).  Ralph has failed in his attempt to have an orderly and meaningful meeting.

• The Beast:  At the meeting (as mentioned above) Ralph brings up the idea of the Beast.  We hear some interesting ideas from the characters that foreshadow later events:
• Piggy says the beast or "fear" could be of "other people," (84).  The boys laugh at this idea, but Golding puts this detail in for a reason!
• Simon furthers Piggy's point by saying that maybe the beast is "only us," (89).
• Ralph still wants to believe that there IS no beast:  he truly wants to believe that we are inherently good.
• The other boys all seem, now, to think that the beast is, in fact, a ghost.

Lord of the Flies Chapter 3 & 4 Notes

Make sure to post your questions!!

Key Characters:

• Jack:  The chapter starts off with Jack in an intense hunting scene.  He is neglecting other responsibilities to their small community in favor of his hunting obsession.  Chapter 4 ends with an uneasy shift in power:  Jack has literally brought home the bacon and the question of who should be leader is the elephant in the room.

• Simon:  At first, this kid probably seemed pretty negligible to you:  he faints and smiles a lot and went on the initial excursion with Jack and Ralph.  Big deal.  However, he gains importance in these chapters.  In Chapter 3, Simon puts words to what everyone has been feeling:  there's something wrong going on on this island.  In a rather creepy scene that dominates the end of the chapter, Simon sneaks off into the forest and crawls into a dense "mat" of plants that keeps him completely hidden.  He even appears to stay here, alone, overnight. The question is: what is Simon hiding from?

• Roger:  Roger begins to truly show his "dark side" in Chapter 4.  He intentionally kicked over the littleuns' sand castles (along with Maurice, who is the only one to show remorse) and amuses himself by hiding and throwing stones at Henry (another littleun).  Golding really makes a point to characterize Roger as potentially dangerous noting his "gloomy face [that] made what had seemed at first an unsociable remoteness into something forbidding," (60).  This is pretty strong language for talking about an 11 year old!  Later, when Jack interrupts Roger at his game, Golding says "a darker shadow crept beneath...his skin" (62).  This is, of course another hint: Golding wants us to watch out for Roger.

Key Things and Moments

• Man v. Man conflict:  Annoyed with Jack's hunting obsession, Ralph is starting to feel the weight of responsible leadership.  The latter thinks it is most important to build shelters, while the former is more concerned with "getting meat".  Though at this point neither wants full confrontation, Golding will definitely develop this conflict.

• The Beastie:  In their discussion of the shelters, the boys note that the "littluns" are having nightmares.  Simon asserts that perhaps this is a "bad island" and that the "beastie" may in fact exist (even if solely in their heads).

• Hunting vs. Fire/Rescue:  In my Chapter 2 post, I mentioned that the fire symbolized the potential and desire for rescue.  In chapter 4, this symbolism pays off.  In their excitement over hunting, Jack and his cohorts forget to keep the fire going.  As a result, the boys miss out on being rescued by a passing ship.  This, of course, is also symbolic:  Jack is already joining the "dark side,":  he'd rather hunt in the wild than tend to the fire (and ultimately be rescued).  In fact, Jack is successful on this hunting trip and the night ends on a feast of roasted pork.  The boys seem to be losing their desire to go back to civilized life.  This is highlighted by what happens to Piggy's glasses (specs)...

• Piggy's Glasses: When Jack punches Piggy, Piggy's glasses fall off and one of the lenses break.  As the symbol for rational vision, the fact that one lens has broken shows that the boys' sense of reason is already becoming cracked.  (Side note:  the glasses (symbolizing "reason/logic") are what the boys use to make the fire (symbolizing "potential/desire for rescue" see how it's all connected??!)

• The Littleuns:  Golding spends considerable time developing the life of the youngest of the survivors at the beginning of Chapter 4.  Most significant is the moment with Henry, who, in his own power grab, tries to control the tiny sea creatures that flood in with the tide.  Golding appears to assert that the desire for power is present in even the youngest of our species...

• The Civilizing Effect of Society:  Both Maurice and (surprisingly) Roger seem to feel this.  After kicking the sandcastles "Maurice still felt the unease of wrongdoing," because "in his other life" he had been punished for a similar act (60).  Similarly, the only reason Roger doesn't actually hit Henry when he is throwing stones at him is the "invisible yet strong... taboo of the old life," (62).  Thanks to the civilizing effect of society, Roger isn't quite as cruel as he could have been and Maurice feels some guilt.  However, these effects are wearing off day by day.  Golding appears to believe that the only thing that keeps us from being cruel is the rules of society.

Lord of the Flies Chapter 2 Notes

Key Characters (in Chapter 2):

• The boy with the "mulberry colored birthmark":  A seemingly inconsequential "youngin," this six-year-old first introduces the idea of the "beastie" (aka, the "snake-thing").  He ostensibly dies in the enormous forest fire the boys set off.

Key Things and Moments

• Piggy's Glasses:  Used to start the fire, Piggy's glasses also symbolize his wisdom and ability to "see" the "proper" thing to do.  Keep an eye (pun intended!) on them throughout the story as their symbolic value will continue to grow.
• The Beastie:  A product of the younger children's fear of the dark, the Beastie or "snake-thing" does not physically exist in real life (unlike in Lost!).  However, it is an important symbol of the evil lurking in all human beings and our inherent fear of our own potential for violence.  
• The Uncontrolled Fire:  The boys make their first fire (to signal passing ships).  However, it rages out of control.  This first specific fire symbolizes the destructive power of human kind.  Without rules, according to Golding, we rage out of control.
• Fire (in general):  Fire in the book symbolizes the potential and desire for rescue from the island.  Notice which characters are interested in keeping the signal fire going and which are more interested in hunting... this will play an important role in the allegory.

Lord of the Flies Chapter 1/Overview Notes

Overview:

Lord of the Flies is a novel published in 1954 by William Golding.  It is set on an uncharted island on which an airplane full of young English boys (ranging in age from about 6 to 13) crashes.  No adults have survived, so the boys are left to their own devices.

List of Key Characters:

• Ralph: Our protagonist.  "Fair" haired (notice the potential double-meaning here!), tall, natural leader.  Has a "stillness" about him that other characters look up to.  Elected chief.
• Piggy:  Poor Piggy.  This isn't his real name, but Ralph betrays him early on by revealing to the rest of the boys this dreaded nickname.  Unfortunately, it sticks.  Piggy is fat, self-conscious, and, a little annoying.  That said, he's the brains of this operation, feeding Ralph all of his ideas (including the all-important conch).
• Jack Merridew:  The leader of the choir, this guy rules with an iron fist.  He makes the choir members keep their robes on in the stifling heat of a tropical island!  You gotta know that Golding is going for some symbolism when he gives him that fiery red hair and ugly face.  Look out for this guy, he didn't appreciate losing the vote for chief to Ralph.
• Roger:  Not as noticeable as the big three above, but this young man becomes important later on.  Notice that it's his idea to hold a vote and that he is described as having "an inner intensity of avoidance and secrecy".  You might have overlooked him at first, but don't let him sneak up on you!
• Simon: Another seemingly minor character who will grow to play an important role.  He smiles a lot and has an easy laugh, though he's prone to fainting spells.  Ralph also chooses him to go on their first exploration along with Jack.

Key Things and Moments

• The conch:  This is a big seashell that makes a loud, deep sound when blown into.  With Piggy's advice, Ralph uses it to call the other boys on the island to a meeting.  Symbolism alert!  The conch really stands for a democratic rule of society (as whichever boy holds it has the right to speak uninterrupted... a rule that proves difficult to enforce!).

• Ralph, Jack, Simon... and the piglet:  The first chapter ends with an interesting moment.  The three boys come across a baby pig struggling in the brush.  Jack whips out his knife, but hesitates long enough to let the piglet escape.  This moment shows us that these boys still have a sense of their humanity left: they aren't quite ready to kill... yet.

• Look out for how the main characters symbolize different styles of leadership.  This will show up again and again throughout the book.

Character Notes

Here are the group transparencies from class today.

Make sure you have this info in your notebook (especially if you missed something in class or were absent)!  Please do not just print these out:  you need to write the information in your notebook yourself (or type it up, if you prefer!).

Open-note quiz tomorrow covering this material (and the basic plot of Chapter 2):

Period 1 (8B)

Period 3 (8A)

Period 5 (8D)

Period 8 (8C)

Also, here are the notes on Simon.  There won't be anything specific on him on the quiz tomorrow, but you will definitely want to keep him in mind, as he becomes prominent later on.

• First introduced as the “fainting” boy (faints a lot). (20)
• Fainting often may show that he isn’t as physically strong as the other boys.
• Smiles/laughs often
• “smiled pallidly at Ralph,” (22)
• “he stood up, laughing a little,” (24)
• Has an energetic personality
• “vivid little boy,” (24)
• Has straight black hair and is skinny (24)

Lord of the Flies Online

Here's a link to an online version of Lord of the Flies.  This is just in case you forget your book at home or want to do a text search for a specific quote.  Hope this helps!

http://gv.pl/pdf/lord_of_the_flies.pdf

Comma Usage Notes

Do your parents let you win?

This is an interesting article I came across in the NY Times.  Check it out!

Is it better to teach children tough life lessons, like the thrill of victory is sweeter if you have known the agony of defeat? Or is it better simply to let a child win? 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/11/garden/the-role-of-competitiveness-in-raising-healthy-children.html

Structuring Your Essay

Remember, for HW you need to finish the questions on the "Alphabetism" article and finish annotating what kinds of paragraphs the author uses.

Also, you need to write 2-3 sentences explaining YOUR structure (whether it is from my list of essay organizing strategies below or you make up your own "recipe").

Here are types of paragraphs you might use (this can also give you ideas as to how you can expand your essay, if need be).

• Introduction
• Narration/anecdote
• Explanation of argument or opinion
• Definition of major terms or ideas
• Personal example
• Research example 
• Book/movie/game etc. example
• Counter point
• Compare/contrast
• Wrapping it up/Conclusion

Here are different strategies for organizing the order of your paragraphs (you can make up your own name for your special recipe of structure)

• The Chronological:  showing development over time (works great for a personal essay).
• The Traditional:  Start off with an illustrative anecdote, present your argument, give examples, then wrap it up.
• The Traditional Twist:  Like the traditional, but you also address the counter argument and tear it down.
• The Full Circle:  Like the traditional, but you refer back to your initial anecdote in your conclusion.  Such a lovely way to finish off an essay.
• The Step by Step:  You give the reader step-by-step directions (this can be used ironically to great effect)
• The Effect and Cause:  I switched this around because usually you address the effect first then analyze what caused this (this is especially true in our human nature essays).  This should also integrate research as much as possible.

Voice Powerpoint

I had some requests to put the voice slide from my power point up on the blog.  This should just give you an idea of what different voices may look like in word form.  Disclaimer:  these were just some ideas off the top of my head, so this is certainly not a comprehensive list, nor does each "trait" need to look like that in writing.

VOICE

• Your style or personality that comes out in your writing (or any other creative medium you express yourself in)
• Your writing should be a self-portrait, but instead of using different colors or brush strokes, you are using diction, syntax, figurative language etc.
• Are you a no-nonsense kind of person and have a really clear and to-the-point sentence?
• Are you quirky and have an image that sticks out and shows some “out of the box” thinking?
• Are you energetic and have a series of short sentences that build energy?

Can't Get to 700 Words?

One of the main reasons I notice that students fall short on word count (especially when it's as small as 700) is that they have not supported their ideas with ACTUAL evidence or examples.

Here's the fix:  Do some research!

1.  Go here
2.  Sign in (username and password are both neistm)
3.  Click on "My Products Page"
3.  Type your topic (Santa Claus, Jersey Shore, humor, hoarding etc.) in the search box
4.  Click on "Full Text" right underneath the search box.
5.  Click the magnifying glass to search

Once you find your article, you can integrate what the author is saying into your own essay, showing that you aren't the only person with this idea.  You can also tear down people you disagree with.  In any case, adding actual research to your essay will beef it up and make it more credible.

For example, when I looked up "reality tv" I found this article:

Reality TV's Effect on Teens

Kolich, Heather N. Listen64. 8 (Apr 2011): 16.

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Cheryl Dellasega, a professor at Pennsylvania State University, links the abundance of reality TV "mean girls" who benefit from bad behavior to a real-world rise in relational aggression (bullying) among teen and adolescent girls. Jon KraszewsM, assistant professor of broadcasting and film at Seton Hall University, thinks MTV's The Real World uses casting, editing, and production choices to construct a reality- and support a particular ideology - for its authence.

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Reality TV aims for coarseness and shock Value. Viewers get a glimpse at the lowest aspects of human behavior: greed, cruelty, promiscuity, betrayal, rudeness, and deceit beyond imagination. There's little that's actually real in manufactured, highly edited gamedocs, docusoaps, and reality sitcoms. But for entertainment, you can suspend your disbelief and imagine your friends or yourself acting like the characters from a particular show.

The brains and experiences of younger viewers aren't developed enough to process many of the prefabricated settings and situations posed by reality TV. Older teens have an easier time dismissing the antics of the actors as fiction. But do you get away scot-free? Or does the descent into depravity linger in your perceptions andinteractions with the real world?

Cheryl Dellasega, a professor at Pennsylvania State University, links the abundance of reality TV "mean girls" who benefit from bad behavior to a real-world rise in relational aggression (bullying) among teen and adolescent girls. Laurie Ouellete and Susan Murray, editors of Reality TV: Remaking Television Culture, state in the introduction that reality TV "encourages viewers to test out their own notions of the real, the ordinary, and the intimate against the representation before them." This includes spying on others, accepting being watched by surveillance cameras as we go about our business, and posting homemade reality episodes on the Internet.

Jon KraszewsM, assistant professor of broadcasting and film at Seton Hall University, thinks MTV's The RealWorld uses casting, editing, and production choices to construct a reality- and support a particular ideology - for its authence. President of Media Research Center Brent Bozell claims that MTV's reality show lineup promotes sexual liberation, experimentation, and adopting new sexual identities. The programming pushes distorted sexuality on teens and kids as young as 12, most of whom don't want to ask an adult for the straight scoop.

The negative effects of reality TV go beyond emotional and psychological. If you're like most teens, you spend an average of 23 hours per week watching television. This has relationship, physical, and academic consequences. When you're watching the tube, you're disengaged from family and friends. Every hour spent idly watching as a couch potato increases your risk of obesity by 2 percent, further distancing you from the idealized stereotypes depicted in reality TV. And watching more than one or two hours of television daily lowers your academic achievement, particularly in reading.

Copyright Review and Herald Publishing Association Apr 2011

Rousseau, Fromm, Locke

Here are the major points you should have in your notes for both of these thinkers.

***Remember, do not copy these verbatim into your notebook.  Use them as a guide to add to your notes in your own words!  You cannot use a print out of this on the quiz (nor can you use them if you copied them exactly into your notes!).

Jean Jacques Rousseau

1.  Similarities between humans and animals:

• We have similar needs (food, water, shelter)
• We are treated alike by nature (no one animal is favored over another)
• We all have a sense of self-protection
• We all have thoughts/ideas

2.  Differences between humans and animals:

• Humans are less strong and agile
• Humans have a "better constitution" (means we are more resilient and hardy)
• Humans sample from the instincts of all the other animals (so we can pick and choose what works best for us)
• Humans are "free agents"-- we have a choice to either follow our instincts or not (whereas animals always follow their instincts)
• Humans have more complex ideas:  we make connections where animals do not

3.  Humans have brought many of their problems upon themselves, including:

• Inequality
• Laziness amongst the rich
• Overwork amongst the poor
• Superficial desires
• Problems with digestion (for those who can afford "rich" foods)
• Hunger
• The torment of every day living
• War
• Murder

4.  Natural state of humanity for Rousseau:

• No speech
• No buildings
• No industry
• No war
• We are self-sufficient
• We only work to satisfy our "true needs"
• No progress of intelligence
• No progress of culture (art, music etc.)
• No education
• (For Rousseau, "progress" is not worth all of the problems it causes in #3)

5.  Origin of inequality:

• Inequality came about when people began to gather
• At gatherings, humans would begin to form bonds
• These bonds led people to develop preferences
• Example: people began to judge how "well" others sang and danced
• The judgement is what created the inequality

Erich Fromm

1. Origin of human nature:

• Human nature comes from the "social process" -- our nature develops based on our interactions with other people and our integration into the society in which we live.

2. How human nature has changed:

• We now want fame
• We now notice the beauty of nature
• We now are obsessed with work

3. Human nature is “malleable”

• malleable (definition):  moldable (changeable)
• Fromm means…most of what makes up our nature can change.  HOWEVER, it is not 100% changeable.  There are aspects that do not change, no matter what (our instinct for survival, which involves our need for food, water, shelter)

4. Static adaptation

• Define:  A change you make to adapt to a situation that does not change your personality
• Example:  Eating with a fork and knife rather than chopsticks

5. Dynamic adaptation (In this part, the example is given first, then the definition)

• Define: A change you make to adapt to a situation that changes your personality
• Example: Reacting to an overbearing parent (which may make you resentful and perhaps change you into a more defiant person)

6. Characteristics that differentiate people from each other (some people may have more of one of these traits than another, but this all depends on your interactions with others and the society you live in):

• love
• destructiveness
• submission
• sadism
• desire for power
• detachment
• desire to make yourself seem better than you are
• tendency to want to save money
• enjoyment of sensual pleasure
• fear of sensuality
• THESE ARE FLEXIBLE DURING CHILDHOOD

7. According to Fromm, the main thing that determines how we act is our need for self-preservation or survival:

• In order to stay alive, we need to eat, drink, sleep, and protect ourselves
• In order to do this in our world, we must work
• The type of work is determined by society we live in, and we can’t change this.  (In other words, if you are a teacher, you have certain responsibilities and expectations, you must change yourself to fit these, because otherwise you won't have the money to eat, have home etc.  The changes you need to make to become a teacher could influence your nature)
• The work we do (and the society we live in) determines our  nature or character because need for self-preservation/survival forces us to accept the conditions we live in.

8. Human beings need community

• Because…we need to feel connected and not alone.  We all have a need to feel as if we belong.

9. Summary of overall argument:  Human nature is shaped by

• Our need for…survival (basic instincts that do NOT change)
• Our need for…community (which can change our nature since we need to submit to the rules of the community we live in, and that may result in "dynamic adaptation")

John Locke:

1. The metaphor Locke uses is that our mind is a blank piece of paper

• Locke means…that when we are born, we have no personality or nature at all.  We are a blank slate that can be written upon.

2. Our character ultimately comes from: experience.

Parent Packet

Dear Parents,

Below you will find links to the information distributed at Curriculum Night for English 8.  I look forward to meeting you at Parent Teacher Conferences.

Best,
Vanessa Snowden

English 8 Parent Packet
Edmodo Parent Accounts

Hobbes & Nietzsche

Major Points on Hobbes & One Introductory Point on Nietzsche's "Will to Power"

Note:  You cannot print these and use them for the quiz tomorrow.  You may use these notes as a guide to make sure you have all the major arguments.  Do not copy them verbatim, or you will not be allowed to use them.  The point is to utilize the following as a supplement to class notes (not to copy them mindlessly).

1.  Hobbes argues that everyone starts off pretty much equal mentally and physically.  This leads to conflict because:

• People on the same level will naturally compete
• People who have the same abilities will likely have the same goals or desires and will compete over them.

2.  Hobbes argues there are three major causes of conflict amongst people who are equal

• Competition (see above)
• If someone lacks confidence he/she may try to attack someone else before they can attack him/her
• People who are equal will try to get a better reputation or more recognition from peers; they may try to gain this by “beating” someone else at something.

3.  According to Hobbes, when everyone is competing (what Hobbes calls a “state of war”) we can’t make progress as a society (culturally, socially, and economically):

• People do not create new ideas/inventions/products, because they are uncertain that anything good will come of it when it's every man for himself.
• People are so afraid of death that there is no room for anything else.
• This results in Hobbes stating his most famous quote: If we have no government to keep us in line,  "the life of man solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short" because we are all fighting against one another.

4.  Hobbes believes we don’t trust one another at all

• We travel “armed” (this may not seem as true to you now,  but Hobbes would argue that that is because we have a strong government and laws.  That said, some people still carry mace with them, and many students at my former school carried weapons to protect themselves when they walked home, since they lived in dangerous neighborhoods...)
• We lock our doors because we think people may try to steal our belongings or harm us.
• Inside our houses, we lock cabinets, drawers, (to relate this argument to the modern world, we password-protect documents, phones etc.) because we don’t even trust our own family members!

5.  Hobbes believes that if there is no law against something, it is not a “sin” to do it.

• People don’t actually understand the difference between right and wrong.  
• We need laws to tell us the difference.
• Therefore, if there are no laws, there’s basically no such thing as right and wrong.  If there is no law against murder, it’s not wrong to kill someone!  We simply don’t know any better.

6.  Nietzsche believes that everyone strives for power

• He argues against the idea that people want happiness or pleasure (well, we DO want that, but on a more fundamental level, we want power, since we are only happy when we actually have power).
• If you have power, happiness and pleasure are the result (so you may think you want happiness, when really what you want is power)
• All of our actions, whether conscious or not, are geared towards gaining power.
• Nietzsche is, however, more concerned with complete power over oneself and one's life than power over others.  
• His theories were misconstrued by the Nazi party to further their antisemitic agenda.

Vocab - Hobbes & Rousseau

If you want to double-check your definitions, here are some notes on the words you are working on for this unit:

1. selfish:  used to describe someone only cares about him/herself
2. warlike:  used to describe something or someone that/who is prepared for war or has the characteristics of war (strategic violence, battle, use of weapons etc.)
3. naturally: an adverb to describe an action that happens without having to think or learn about it.
4. complex:  used to describe something with many different parts—often can be considered complicated or difficult to understand.
5. corrupt: used to describe someone or something that is dishonest, wicked, or even evil.
6. purity: used to describe the state of being pure, or untainted by anything “bad."  Could also be related to innocence.
7. nature: someone’s fundamental characteristics; also used to describe the universal characteristics we share when used in the context of "human nature."
8. inclination: a liking or preference of something.  When you are drawn to doing something.
9. content: satisfied with what you have.
10. conflict:  to be in disagreement or to be contradictory
11. solitary: alone
12. brute/brutish: Noun: usually someone who is insensitive or crude.  Adjective: to be like a beast or with animal qualities.
13. society: a group of people organized by common rules (religious, political, cultural etc.) and a common identity.
14. civilization: an “advanced” living condition in which there is culture, science, government, and business pursuits.
15. idle: inactive or not doing anything.
16. instinct: a behavior that people/animals occurs without thinking.  A natural impulse.
17. savage: For Rousseau, he is talking about an "uncivilized" human being.  Keep in mind, though, that Rousseau considers civilization as a corrupting force, making someone who is not civilized actually better off than someone who is civilized. That said, Rousseau's argument has been criticized for its rather racist (or at the very least, condescending) overtones.
18. diffidence: not confident, timid.
19. awe: an extreme feeling of admiration and even fear.  Usually produced by something overwhelmingly powerful.  For Hobbes, he definitely means FEAR.
20. tendency:  a predisposition or urge to act in a particular way (that is acted upon frequently). (The way I see the difference between a tendency and an inclination is that a tendency actually happens: you complete the action that you are drawn to with a degree of frequency.  On the other hand, you can have an inclination to do something, but not necessarily act on it.  Those are my thoughts on this--though let me know if you had other ideas on differentiating these two words.)

Welcome and First HW

Hello and welcome to English 8!

Here is the link for the Online Anticipation Guide HW assignment due Friday, September 7th.  (Link will become active this Thursday).

Also, remember that the first part of the summer assignment, the Philosopher Packet and Essay are due this Monday, September 10th.

Additionally, the New York Times extra credit assignment is also due Monday, September 10th.

Final Exam

In-class essay, 45 minutes

You will need to know

Title, author of major texts this year (Night, LOTF, Maggie, Tempest)

Major characters, events, symbols in the texts

What each text says about human nature

Hobbes, Rousseau, and Locke’s conceptions of human nature

Book Survey HW

We are sending our book to press this week!  Please fill out this survey so we know how many copies to order and what to expect at our Launch party.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGhXZVJNWk1hME1BekRNYWMtSmIwcFE6MQ#gid=0

Thanks!

Book Submission Requirements

Formatting

• 12 pt Times New Roman (EVERYTHING should be this size and font)
• Poems single-spaced (with an extra space between each stanza)
• Prose double-spaced
• Final submission does not need to be a full 2 pages long (you can cut out material as you revise)
• A thoughtful and interesting title!
• Do not include the prompt at the top of the page.  You need to make your ideas evident to the reader without writing the prompt out.
• At the top of the page, write your full name
• At the top of the page, also write the category your piece fits into (see below)
• PERFECT spelling and grammar 

How to submit

• Print out a hard copy – print on only one side of the paper (so no double-sided printing) and DO NOT staple.
• Paperclip to your hard copy any art you would like to submit with your piece
• Email your piece to nestmgrade8book@gmail.com
• The subject of the email should be the category of your piece
• Copy and paste your submission into the body of the email
• ALSO attach the document to your email (the document name should be your last name only)
• Scan any artwork and attach it to your email

Categories

• Research/Philosopher
• Love
• Religion/God
• Want vs. Need
• Making judgments/prejudice
• Literary (about a book)
• Pop Culture/Current Events
• 24 hours/death
• Nature vs. Nurture
• Jealousy
• Obedience/Fear
• Hope

State Test Woes & Extra Credit

Ellen Sands and I were talking about this week's ELA test and she mentioned an extra credit project she was offering to her 7th grade students that might interest you as well.  I'll follow the same parameters as Ellen.   Here's the deal:

Your Task:  Write a FORMAL email to the directors of The New York State ELA.


Step One:  Read these articles about testing:

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/talking-pineapple-question-state-exam-stumps-article-1.1064657

http://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2012/04/pineapple-and-hare-pearsons-absurd.html?spref=fb&m=1

http://www.pinkwater.com/pzone/

http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/159741/-pineapple--question-on-state-english-exam-mystifies-many-city-students

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/students-required-9-hours-english-math-exams-state-dummy-questions-article-1.1063239#ixzz1sQTbTOun

Step Two:  Write your email

• Address them as Mr. Katz, Ms. Shyer, Ms. Wallis
• 1st paragraph: Introduce yourself (name, age, grade, school, dates you took the exam, title of the exam you took)
• Body paragraph (s): Your concerns.  BE VERY SPECIFIC
• Closing: thank them for  their time and that you look forward to hearing back from them
• Sincerely, Your Name

Step Three:  PROOFREAD / SPELLCHECK YOUR LETTER BEFORE SENDING

Step Four:  Print out a copy of the email for me, so that you will  get your extra credit

Link to their emails:

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/apda/contact-apda.html

Literary Terms to Review

Below you will find a list of literary terms with which you should be familiar for the state test.

Here is a link to a reliable website for definitions:

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072405228/student_view0/fiction_glossary.html

Literary Terms to Review:

Character
Characterization
Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution
Dialogue
Figurative Langauge
Flashback
Foreshadowing
Hyperbole
Imagery
Irony
Literal Language
Metaphor
Mood
Narrator
Onomatopoeia
Plot
Point of View (and the different types)
Protagonist
Setting
Theme
Tone

State Test Prep, Part I

Here's a link to all the past English 8 State Tests.  We've done parts of some in class, but most of the multiple choice should be new to you.  Email me with any questions!

http://www.nysedregents.org/Grade8/EnglishLanguageArts/home.html

Pop Culture and War

Is war inevitable?  What do our representations of war in film, video games, and books tell us about ourselves?

Check out this excerpt from the Brian Lehrer show:

http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/2012/mar/22/end-war-war-culture/

(Click on "listen")

Given the success of The Hunger Games (and our focus on human nature in class), I thought this might be of interest to some of you.  The part about The Hunger Games starts around 16:45. Enjoy!

For Hunger Games Fans

This is a cool representation of the history of dystopian fiction.  Those of you who liked The Hunger Games trilogy will probably enjoy some of the books described here...

http://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/351-the-dystopian-timeline-to-the-hunger-games-infographic

Your Brain on Fiction

See, reading really IS great for your brain.  Even scientists say so!

Check out the article:  http://nyti.ms/xUl3a8

Lord of the Flies, Chapter 7 & 8

(Since we read Chapter 6 in class, I didn't post the notes on the blog)


Key Characters


Ralph:  In this chapter, Ralph gets his first taste of hunting and... likes it.  He's proud of having speared the boar that came charging at them in the jungle.  However, the other boys didn't seem to care all that much about Ralph's success.

Simon: Simon tells Ralph emphatically that "I just think you'll get back all right" (111).  Simon seems very sure of himself that Ralph, at least, will one day get off the island. Later, in Chapter 8, after Ralph and Jack "confirm" the existence of the beast, Simon suggests that they go back to the mountain to really make sure that the beast is there (he's still doubtful that it exists).  Everyone ignores him, so he goes off to find the beast himself--on his way he sees the entire scene in which Jack and his new tribe kill the mother pig.  (See "Simon and the Lord of the Flies for more info).

Key Things and Moments


The "Game":  They boys start a new game where one of them pretends to be a pig and the others make a ring around him and "hunt" him down.  Robert happens to be the first fake pig, but the game gets a bit out of hand.   Even Ralph gets sucked in to the violence, with the narrator noting that "the desire to... hurt was over-mastering" (115).  This isn't the last time you'll see this game in the text, so watch out for it.

The Beast: By the time the boys hike from The Castle, hunt the pig, play the new game, and get to the mountain, it is dark.  Jack goes ahead of the other boys to see if the "beast" is actually there, like Sam and Eric said.  Again, foiled by the darkness, Jack says he sees "a thing bulge on the mountain," (121).  When Ralph, Roger, and Jack go to get closer, the wind picks up, the dead pilot's body lifts and they get an obscured glimpse at his decomposed face.  Since it's too dark to actually see that this "beast" is just the body of a shot-down pilot, they think they have confirmed that the beast exists.  In the meeting in Chapter 8, Jack says that the beast is hunting them (even though there is no evidence for this).

The Signal Fire:  Now that the "beast" rules the mountain, the boys believe they can no longer have the signal fire up on the mountain (the most visible place for it).  Of course, the symbolic connection makes sense. The beast (though not actually real) is impeding their efforts to get off the island:  just like their "inner" beasts push them to want to hunt and indulge in violence rather than try to get back to civilization.  In Chapter 8, Piggy has the idea to move the signal fire to where they camp out, near the bathing pool.

The Meeting & Split in Chapter 8: Jack again tries to usurp Ralph's authority, saying that the latter was too scared to go see the beast.  (Even though Roger stayed back too, Jack doesn't mention this).  In the meeting, Jack asks "Who thinks Ralph oughtn't to be chief" (127).  Once again, Jack is humiliated, as none of the boys raise their hands.  However, this time, Jack storms off, saying he is going to create his own group that will hunt on its own. Maurice, Roger, and Bill are the first to leave Ralph to join Jack's group (surprise, surprise).

Mamma Pig:  During Jack's first hunt as chief of his own separate group, the boys come across a mother pig nursing her little piglets.  The boys hunt down the sow (female pig) and brutally kill her--even shoving a spear up her rear end and smearing the blood from her cut throat on their faces.  This is a brutal killing that has elements of rape in it.  Considering that the sow is the only female mentioned in the book, (beside Piggy's auntie), what happens to her is significant.  The boys' extreme disregard for life (they kill a mother nursing her babies) is significant; the fact that it is highlighted in the first hunt with Jack as his own chief foreshadows the violence to come.  Also significant is the fact that the boys cut off the sow's head and put it on a stick as an offering to "the beast":  this becomes the titular "Lord of the Flies".

Simon and the Lord of the Flies: As mentioned above, Simon saw the killing and beheading of the sow.  This, along with his dehydration, seems to have sent Simon over the edge.  He begins to hallucinate that the sow's head (remember, Jack put it on a stick as an offering to the beast) is talking to him.  This is a little confusing and weird, so pay attention:

Sow's head is called the "Lord of the Flies" (because there are so many flies buzzing around it).  It REPRESENTS our dark nature and is, therefore, the "true beast" of Golding's novel.  In his hallucinations, the Lord of the Flies talks to Simon, telling him he was "just wrong" and that he should "go back to the others" (137).  Basically, the Lord of the Flies is trying to make sure Simon won't give him away.

At the end of chapter 8 (after an interlude in which we check in on Ralph and Jack), the conversation between Simon and the Lord of the Flies (i.e. the pig head on a stick) continues.  The Lord of the Flies argues that it was silly that the boys thought that "the Beast was something you could hunt and kill," and goes on to say that "I'm part of you" (143).  This, of course, verifies what Golding (and Simon) have been saying all along: the Beast is our dark side and it is not something we can hunt or hide from.  The chapter ends with the Lord of the Flies threatening Simon to keep his mouth shut about the true nature of the beast: "I'm warning you.  I'm going to get angry... You're not wanted...We are going to have fun on this island! So don't try it... or else" (144).  Foreboding indeed.  How Simon will react is another question.

Lord of the Flies, Chapter 5

Key Characters

• Ralph:  Here, we see the DYNAMIC aspect of Ralph's character.  He started off relatively carefree.  However, with the weight of responsibility, he has begun to grow up and think more logically.  Ralph knows that the boys are on the edge of chaos and that he must have a stern meeting to bring them back to a civil lifestyle.  Unfortunately, he is unsuccessful.  In fact, at the end of the chapter, he almost decides to give up being the chief.  However, Piggy and Simon convince him otherwise.

Key Things and Moments

• The Meeting:  Ralph knows that this meeting will be extremely important--that he needs to reign in the boys and make them understand that they need to follow the rules to survive.  He brings up 4 major points:

1. The boys need to follow through with their promises (keeping coconuts full of fresh water, actually helping to build the shelters)
2. The boys should not just "do their business" anywhere they please, they should go to the bathroom at the rocks by the bathing pool.
3. They must work together to keep the rescue fire going.  The fire should only be located on the mountain (no one is allowed to make small cooking fires).
4. The Beast: Ralph feels like the boys really need to talk through this:  what are they afraid of?  What do they think the "beast" is?  Ralph hopes that talking about it will cure the boys' irrational fear.  

Unfortunately, the meeting ends in chaos, with Jack saying "Who cares" about the rules (91).  Ralph has failed in his attempt to have an orderly and meaningful meeting.

• The Beast:  At the meeting (as mentioned above) Ralph brings up the idea of the Beast.  We hear some interesting ideas from the characters that foreshadow later events:
• Piggy says the beast or "fear" could be of "other people," (84).  The boys laugh at this idea, but Golding puts this detail in for a reason!
• Simon furthers Piggy's point by saying that maybe the beast is "only us," (89).
• Ralph still wants to believe that there IS no beast:  he truly wants to believe that we are inherently good.
• The other boys all seem, now, to think that the beast is, in fact, a ghost.

Lord of the Flies, Chapter 3 & 4

Make sure to post your questions!!


Key Characters:

• Jack:  The chapter starts off with Jack in an intense hunting scene.  He is neglecting other responsibilities to their small community in favor of his hunting obsession.  Chapter 4 ends with an uneasy shift in power:  Jack has literally brought home the bacon and the question of who should be leader is the elephant in the room.

• Simon:  At first, this kid probably seemed pretty negligible to you:  he faints and smiles a lot and went on the initial excursion with Jack and Ralph.  Big deal.  However, he gains importance in these chapters.  In Chapter 3, Simon puts words to what everyone has been feeling:  there's something wrong going on on this island.  In a rather creepy scene that dominates the end of the chapter, Simon sneaks off into the forest and crawls into a dense "mat" of plants that keeps him completely hidden.  He even appears to stay here, alone, overnight. The question is: what is Simon hiding from?

• Roger:  Roger begins to truly show his "dark side" in Chapter 4.  He intentionally kicked over the littleuns' sand castles (along with Maurice, who is the only one to show remorse) and amuses himself by hiding and throwing stones at Henry (another littleun).  Golding really makes a point to characterize Roger as potentially dangerous noting his "gloomy face [that] made what had seemed at first an unsociable remoteness into something forbidding," (60).  This is pretty strong language for talking about an 11 year old!  Later, when Jack interrupts Roger at his game, Golding says "a darker shadow crept beneath...his skin" (62).  This is, of course another hint: Golding wants us to watch out for Roger.

Key Things and Moments

• Man v. Man conflict:  Annoyed with Jack's hunting obsession, Ralph is starting to feel the weight of responsible leadership.  The latter thinks it is most important to build shelters, while the former is more concerned with "getting meat".  Though at this point neither wants full confrontation, Golding will definitely develop this conflict.

• The Beastie:  In their discussion of the shelters, the boys note that the "littluns" are having nightmares.  Simon asserts that perhaps this is a "bad island" and that the "beastie" may in fact exist (even if solely in their heads).

• Hunting vs. Fire/Rescue:  In my Chapter 2 post, I mentioned that the fire symbolized the potential and desire for rescue.  In chapter 4, this symbolism pays off.  In their excitement over hunting, Jack and his cohorts forget to keep the fire going.  As a result, the boys miss out on being rescued by a passing ship.  This, of course, is also symbolic:  Jack is already joining the "dark side,":  he'd rather hunt in the wild than tend to the fire (and ultimately be rescued).  In fact, Jack is successful on this hunting trip and the night ends on a feast of roasted pork.  The boys seem to be losing their desire to go back to civilized life.  This is highlighted by what happens to Piggy's glasses (specs)...

• Piggy's Glasses: When Jack punches Piggy, Piggy's glasses fall off and one of the lenses break.  As the symbol for rational vision, the fact that one lens has broken shows that the boys' sense of reason is already becoming cracked.  (Side note:  the glasses (symbolizing "reason/logic") are what the boys use to make the fire (symbolizing "potential/desire for rescue" see how it's all connected??!)

• The Littleuns:  Golding spends considerable time developing the life of the youngest of the survivors at the beginning of Chapter 4.  Most significant is the moment with Henry, who, in his own power grab, tries to control the tiny sea creatures that flood in with the tide.  Golding appears to assert that the desire for power is present in even the youngest of our species...

• The Civilizing Effect of Society:  Both Maurice and (surprisingly) Roger seem to feel this.  After kicking the sandcastles "Maurice still felt the unease of wrongdoing," because "in his other life" he had been punished for a similar act (60).  Similarly, the only reason Roger doesn't actually hit Henry when he is throwing stones at him is the "invisible yet strong... taboo of the old life," (62).  Thanks to the civilizing effect of society, Roger isn't quite as cruel as he could have been and Maurice feels some guilt.  However, these effects are wearing off day by day.  Golding appears to believe that the only thing that keeps us from being cruel is the rules of society.