569 lines
34 KiB
Plaintext
569 lines
34 KiB
Plaintext
ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ ÜÜÜ ÜÜÜÜ
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ÜÛ ÞÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛß ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ßÛÜ ßÛÛÛÜÜ ÜÜÛÛÛß ÞÛ ÞÛÛÛÝ ÜÜÛÛ
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ßßßßß ßßÛÛß ßßßßß ßßßßßßßßßßßßß
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ARRoGANT CoURiERS WiTH ESSaYS
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Grade Level: Type of Work Subject/Topic is on:
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[ ]6-8 [x]Class Notes [Chapter by Chapter ]
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[ ]9-10 [ ]Cliff Notes [Summary of Lord of the ]
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[ ]11-12 [ ]Essay/Report [Flies ]
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[x]College [ ]Misc [ ]
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Dizzed: o4/95 # of Words:5585 School: ? State: ?
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ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ>ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ>ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ>Chop Here>ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ>ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ>ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ>ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
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Introduction
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Lord Of The Flies, by William Golding, focused on the development and
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deterioration of a miniature society of boys isolated on a small tropical
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island. The story centred around individuals representing different aspects
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of children and their personalities. Beginning with a child-like innocence,
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the novel brought forth many of the sinister characteristics of human
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nature as the use of violence became more frequent and progressed into an
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ultimate pinnacle. The violence provided a sense of realism in that the
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author did not try to hide the factual harshness of the world by covering it
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with a false softness. The text was very descriptive of the setting and the
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physical and mental appearance of the protagonists and antagonists. The
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style of writing being sometimes simple-minded and not fully aware of "the
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outside world" suited the characters' ages. The book dealt with our true
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nature as revealed by the freedom from the disciplinary boundaries of
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modern society.
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Chapter 1
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The description of the lead character in the beginning of the story, was
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that of a light-coloured boy who was soon given the name Ralph. Ralph
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seemed a typical kid. His fair appearance and size made him likeable and gave
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him an inner-strength of self-confidence. His interaction with Piggy showed
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that he was not ill-natured. Although he laughed at Piggy's name, it was not
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with real malice for he had ridiculed his external appearance. Piggy's rather
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unique attributes had made him an outcast of the mainstream of boys at his
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age, and his lack of self-esteem reflected that. He too seemed good-natured
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as he behaved in a polite fashion. The fact that Piggy was knowledgable and
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well-educated was made apparent by his air of responsibility.
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The conch was presented as a symbol of authority and order. It
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summoned all the boys from the island to the assembly, and it gave its holder
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the right to speak. It also set Ralph apart from the bigger boys and helped
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him to be leader.
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The clothing worn by the boys made them seem more civilized, and the
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inappropriateness of such garments made them very much out of place. The
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uniformed Jack and his choir were seen as a superior power. Being more
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proper, the uniforms created an isolated unity for the choir. The force of
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Jack's authority over his choir and his malicious and arrogant personality
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dwarfed Piggy. Ralph's attempt to defend Piggy being called fatty resulted in
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more embarrassment for Piggy. The childish laughters formed a bond among
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the boys and made Piggy what he had always been, an outcast.
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At their first meeting, all the boys were introduced by their first
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names. The complicated and serious formalities with their last names were
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left out to suit their age groups and perhaps to provide a sense of unity
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among the boys. Jack's insistence on being called Merridew showed his desire
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to be superior among the boys. His defeat after the vote for chief was
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taken uneasily at first (hinted by the imagery of a red facial expression),
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but after being offered the command of his choir, he accepted his status.
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Among the boys in the choir, Roger was first seen as a shy and quiet boy,
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while Simon was introduced as pleasant-mannered and happy.
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Ralph, Simon and Jack's exploration of the island allowed the reader to
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examine the innocent and playful nature of a small group of boys. Their
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playful attitude was clearly evident as they were energetic and
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enthusiastic towards their new environment. They interpretation of their
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surroundings were truthful and simple. Their first encounter of the pig
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ended with Jack hesitating to stab the pig. This demonstrated Jack's
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inexperience as a killer, as compared to what he would become later in the
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book.
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Chapter 2
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Already, the smaller boys could be seen segregated from the bigger
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ones. In some instances (in meetings for example), the older boys were like
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the more powerful and decisive adults while the smaller boys were depicted
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as the more playful and less responsible children. The little boy's story of
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the "snake-thing" was not taken too seriously by the older boys. As the
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story progresses on, it dealt less and less with the smaller boys, until near
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the ending, they were almost completely ignored.
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Ralph's leadership was well reflected by his public speaking skills. He
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was able to convey his thoughts clearly and fluently. Jack too seemed quite
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able to speak and was quite eager to do so. His suggestion to make rules
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showed that he wanted to assert control over the "society" of boys. Their
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wanting of order and regularity demonstrated the teachings that they had
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learned from many years of living in a regulated society governed by
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authority and punishment. Nostalgia was present but did not manifested
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itself very strongly. This may have been due to the older boys' ages and
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their wanting to look strong before their peers.
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The boy's reacted to Ralph's idea of making a fire with great
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enthusiasm, perhaps they were overcome with joy at the prospect of being
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free to do something that they were always told not to do. As the crowd of
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boys ran towards the mountain, Piggy was seen as a parental guardian
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running after a group of reckless kids. There rude snatching of his glasses
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again demonstrated the boys' disliking of a different individual. Although he
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was not heard properly, Piggy was the person who could think with a sound
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mind. After their mistake of setting much of the forest ablaze, it was Piggy
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who pointed out their folly and who had tried to make them more responsible
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for their actions. However, even Piggy had not fully realized the
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consequences resulting from setting the entire island on fire.
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Chapter 3
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Jack's hunting skills and his general physical appearance told the
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reader that the boys had been on the island for quite some time. His failure
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to capture his prey meant that he was still not quite a hunter, but his
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improved tracking skills showed that he had come quite a distance. On Jack's
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return to the shelters, the differences between him and Ralph was beginning
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to cause some friction between the two. This could be taken as a
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foreshadowing of their battles later on in the book.
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The lack of helping hands in the construction of the shelters was a sign
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of the deterioration of their bond. In the conversation between Ralph and
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Jack, fear among the littluns was mentioned. They spoke as if they were a
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little scared, perhaps of having to have to fend for themselves. Although,
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Jack and his hunters were not obliged to help in the building of the shelters,
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Simon had decided to assist Ralph. It was as if he had taken a liking to the
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chief and had decided to set himself apart from the hunters, perhaps he had
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taken a disliking to Jack. At the end of the chapter, Simon came to a clearing
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in the forest. He seemed content to be alone, this may have been the reason
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why he had chosen to set himself apart from the other hunters.
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Chapter 4
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The chapter began giving the reader an idea of well the boys had
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adapted to their island. The littluns had now become quite separate from the
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biguns almost being a separate and somewhat more obscure society of their
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own. When Roger decided to throw rocks in the direction of Henry, he dared
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not throw them too close to the littlun for fear that a seemingly
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omnipresent adult would appear to punish him.
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By painting his face, Jack was able to conceal his identity, so that he
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would not be seen as Jack. Originally, Jack wanted to paint himself so that
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he could be camouflaged among the trees and not be seen by the pig. But he
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found that the clay gave him a new external appearance, providing a mask
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perhaps to hide his darker thoughts. The mask gave him a sense of security
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in that he could almost disguise himself as a stranger and not be known as
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Jack. It was also after being painted, that he had his first successful hunt.
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Long hair was used as a sign to show that the boys had become
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progressively less civilized. The exception was Piggy, who was described as
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the only boy whose hair never seemed to grow. Piggy was the only civilized
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or educated person on the island.
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The irresponsible behaviour of the boys was evident again as the fire
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was allowed to die out, especially during the passing of a ship. This was
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extremely irritating to Ralph and made him take a great disliking to Jack, who
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had become quite obsessed with hunting. When Piggy began to protest against
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Jack, the hunter showed more of the violent side of his personality as he
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struck maliciously at Piggy. But even in his fit of rage, Jack still felt
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subordinate to Ralph, as he forced himself to apologize. The imagery of
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redness was used again to show anger and hate. Jack was like a child making
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excuses to cover up his wrong-doing and trying to avoid taking
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responsibility for his actions.
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The meat had become a bait for the boys to give into hate and evil of
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killing the pigs. Even to Ralph and Piggy, the meat was irresistible. Jack
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being the one who had brought them meat, had become a source of evil, under
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whom the other boys gave in easily to their own innate evil. After the first
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hunt, the desire to kill had become quite apparent among the boys, as they
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talked excitedly of their hunt and sang their chant.
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Chapter 5
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At the beginning of the chapter, Ralph was thinking over his speech for
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the assembly. The image of watching one's feet was used to describe how
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Ralph was beginning to understand the importance of watching what he did.
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His looking back at their first day, made him seem like a teenager or adult
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wanting to be a kid again. It was as if Ralph was undergoing a shortened
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version of growing up. Ralph's recognition of Piggy's intelligence showed
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that he was beginning to rely on Piggy's decision-making skills. It was as if
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Piggy had become a parent to him.
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Ralph's account of the incompetence of the boys gave the reader an
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idea of the order that had been planned in the beginning and of what the
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group of boys had degenerated into. Jack's response to the mention of the
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fear and the beast, showed more of his malevolent personality and his dislike
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of the littluns. His perspective of fear suggested that he was beginning to
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lose his fear of the forest, of the fear of being hunted. When Piggy
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questioned the assembly as to what a beast would eat on the island, the
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response was pig. Piggy then said that they were the ones who ate pigs.
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This suggested that the beast that they feared may have been themselves,
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their own evil. Piggy's remark on how they could begin to fear people
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suggested that he was beginning to suspect the evil within themselves. As
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more ideas of the beast were presented, the beast became more real and
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their fear of it grew. After the vote on the existence of a ghost, Piggy
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mentioned what a grown-up would think of them. This expressed the desire of
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a child to be like an adult, thinking that what an older person did was right.
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Piggy's mention of hunting and the dying out of the fire infuriated Jack,
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and he began to try overtaking Ralph's authority. His increasing violence
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and boldness suggested that he would soon cause trouble. Although Jack had
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come up with the idea of having rules, his hypocrisy was another hint that he
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had changed a great deal.
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As the crowd of boys went out of control, Piggy told Ralph to blow the
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conch, acting as his advisor. Once again Piggy could be seen as a guardian.
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Ralph feeling the burden of responsibility contemplated on quitting as chief.
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It was then that Simon and especially Piggy made him realize what kind of
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character Jack was.
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Chapter 6
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The figure who had parachuted on to the island was described in a brief
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exterior manner, yet it was not difficult to fully comprehend what was
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happening. However, to Samneric the figure became a beast with many
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grotesque features, shaped by their imagination with the aid of the
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mysterious darkness. This is characteristic of children, as they tend to be
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afraid of the dark, and the things obscured in the night are often associated
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with horrible monstrosities that they have seen or heard of.
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In their report, Samneric added some details that to the reader seemed
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false, yet they spoke in a very serious and certain manner. As usual, Jack
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acted boldly and rudely, in accordance with his self-righteous personality.
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Jack was again inconsiderate of the littluns. To stay apart from others of a
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different age group is another characteristic of kids. Jack's outburst of
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banishing the conch rule and leaving decision-making to specific individuals,
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was another indication of his arrogance. His growing rebellious courage to
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oppose Ralph and the proposed rules indicated a confrontation between Ralph
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and Jack to end their power struggle.
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The fire was beginning to seem less and less important to the group of
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boys. Ralph's constant reminder became decreasingly effective. Their desire
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to return to their former lives were gradually forgotten as they became
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accustomed to their new habitat.
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As the biguns made their way to Castle Rock, Ralph was glad to be at the
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rear. Again, the chief was feeling the burden of responsibility. Simon, as he
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was contemplating over the possibility of the beast, it could be seen that he
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was the only one who seemed to make sense. Even Piggy had not considered
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the flaws in Samneric's descriptions in their account of the night. Although
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he had a lot to offer intellectually, he lacked the confidence to speak out
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openly.
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Ralph began having trouble clarifying his thoughts, almost as if certain
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things of importance were being forgotten. Again the significance of having
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smoke signal was being ignored. The disobedience of the boys became more
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apparent, and it made the reader feel that Ralph would soon lose his status
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as chief.
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Chapter 7
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Ralph's longing to have his hair cut and to have himself fully cleaned
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again expressed his desire to live a civilized life. He was not entirely
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comfortable with his living conditions, even though he had become quite
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accustomed to them. His daydreams at start of the hunt were further signs
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that he was clearly nostalgic.
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On their brief and unsuccessful hunt, Ralph had his first opportunity to
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throw his spear at a boar and attempt to kill it. He was able to only wound
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the animal, but the feeling from just that overwhelmed him. He began to
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share the desire to kill that the other hunters had enjoyed. When Maurice
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pretended to be a boar, Ralph joined in without hesitation. He too gave way
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to his own innate evil. The seriousness of the "play-hunt" reflected on how
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close Jack and his hunters had come to being able to kill a human being.
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As they continued after the beast, the image of feet trodding a path
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was used again. The trail the boys went on was difficult, just as Ralph was
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encountering difficulties in their society as chief. Simon again volunteered
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to venture alone back towards the shelter. His loner-personality always
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seemed to set him socially apart from the other boys.
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There was another power struggle between Jack and Ralph as Ralph
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began to replace Jack as the leader of their expedition. Ralph revealed what
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Piggy had known about Jack's feelings towards Ralph. When the other boys
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heard this, they were momentarily jarred. Although they had known that it
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was true, simply saying out in public made it difficult to hide such
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unpleasantries.
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As they laboured on into the night, Jack pushed on furiously, wanting to
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prove that he was better than Ralph. But as the three remaining boys drove
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on through the burnt patch, Ralph having more sense, realized how immature
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he had allowed himself to be, as a result of Jack's impetuous arrogance. As
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Jack left them, Roger was again described as a silent boy who was hard to
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reach. Perhaps he had stayed because he wanted to earn the favouritism of
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Jack, the leader of the hunters, and who was slowly gaining the status as
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chief.
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The night was described a darkness in which it was difficult to see.
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This black sensation was strengthened by the dark ashes, a reminder of the
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boys' carelessness. Black and darkness were used to depict empty-headed
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confusion. On their way to the mountaintop, Ralph's voice that had covered
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his inner fears and confusion, his exterior voice was silent. So that inside
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him, he could remember what Piggy would have thought of him at that time. He
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could also remember how silly they were being. A dentist's chair was used to
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describe the uncertainty amplified by the unsuggestive darkness. It was like
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sitting on a dentist's chair, wondering if he would be pulling out a tooth. The
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cries and roars of nature added to the mention of confusion to create a
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sensation of terror around the boys who fled at the sight of their own
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imaginative fears.
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Chapter 8
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When Ralph admitted that they were beaten by the beast, conceivably, he
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was beginning to give up. He was starting to tire from all his struggles.
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Jack then boldly called an assembly, trying further to take the role as chief.
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The suggestion that the beast was a hunter. Jack remembered his fear of
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being hunted in the forest. The author may have tried to say what Frederich
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Nietzsche had said. As Jack hunted the animals and the beast, he became the
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monster he was after, and perhaps, the monster that they feared, was
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themselves, as Simon had said earlier. Jack tried to make Ralph seem
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unlikeable, and by saying that Roger and him went on at the mountain, he may
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have begun to favour Roger. Jack's unskilled blowing of the conch and his
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discomfort suggested that he was not fully confident that the other boys
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were supportive of him as the new chief. His tears showed that he was still
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a boy and that the other boys still respected Ralph's rank. But after Jack
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left, the number of boys seemed lessened. Names of the individuals such as
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Maurice, Roger, Robert or Bill were not mentioned very frequently.
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The fuel they gathered for their new fire was not as good as the wood
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they had burned on the mountaintop. Overall, the great joy in the building of
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the first fire was less evident in the building of their new one. Their
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society seemed to be deteriorating. The fire they built began to die out as
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there were less people to share the work. After the intimidation he had
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suffered from the assembly, Simon went to his "secret" place on the island,
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to be alone again.
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Jack's idea of giving the beast an offering was like the start of some
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religion worshipping the beast as though it was a god. Their hunt of the big
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sow, was vividly described with much detail to the terror and blood. The
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brutality of the hunt and cruelty of the hunters were powerfully expressed
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through the harm they had inflicted upon the drove of pigs.
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The pig's head was referred to as the Lord of the Flies. The flies
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buzzing over the remains of the sow symbolized evil and filth. The Lord of
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the Flies was a great emblem of the malevolence the human boys on the island.
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During the brief conversation between Ralph and Piggy, Ralph revealed
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that he wanted to quit, that the burden of responsibility was wearing him
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down. Piggy was supportive and understood his pains.
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Jack returned naked and covered with paint. He was addressed as the
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Chief. His followers were for the first time, referred to as savages. At his
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earlier departure from Ralph's boys, he welcome anyone to join. But now
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having regained his confidence, he spoke saying that he would be more
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selective of newcomers. Once again, his mask of paint made him a true
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savage, not having to have to abide to any of the rules from his former life
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as a British boy. Ralph subsequent speech was handicapped by the shutter in
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his mind covering his thoughts, so that he could no longer think straight. His
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lame speech took away what little respect the other boys had for him as
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chief. Once more meat as a temptation to give into the evil was strong over
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all the boys who remained with Ralph.
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Simon was hallucinating, but the voice of the Lord of the Flies was
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speaking for some of the thoughts inside Simon's mind. It spoke of the beast
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and what it actually was. The beast was evil, and the evil was inherent
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among them. Perhaps Simon was aware of those things unconsciously. The
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voice also spoke of how he had wanted to be part of the others, and that he
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feared how Ralph and the others would think he was crazy. The blackness in
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the pig's mouth engulfed him as he became unconscious from dehydration.
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Chapter 9
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The bad weather was a foreshadowing of the foul events that would be
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taking place. The flies crowded around the figure on the mountain. The beast
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feared by the boys was a result of fear of themselves. Their evil allowed
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|
their imagination to fashion such a monster into their existence. When Simon
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|
discovered the truth behind the beast, he understood what the beast
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|
actually was.
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|
|
|
As Ralph squirted water at Piggy, instead of retreating shyly, he
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|
splashed water at Ralph. Without the presence of Jack or some boys to
|
|
intimidate him, Piggy could regain his self-confidence. The two talked of the
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|
reasons why the others went off to join Jack and his savages. Then Piggy
|
|
suggested that they went themselves, perhaps they too were succumbing to
|
|
the desire to give in to the evil.
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|
|
|
Jack's assertion as chief made Ralph completely powerless among the
|
|
boys and savages. Piggy was scared and urged Ralph, who was also a bit
|
|
scared to back away. The descriptions of the sky became gradually more
|
|
violent until lightning broke and the heavy rain started. Then the ritual
|
|
dance began. It was wrought with the vehemence experienced from the pig
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|
killings. The littluns fled in terror for they did not understand the evil
|
|
within the biguns as they were still protected by their young innocence. But
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|
Ralph and Piggy joined the circle, wanting a sense of belonging into the group
|
|
of boys and savages. The chanting and the acting brought forth their desire
|
|
to kill. When Simon made his untimely appearance, the savages were driven
|
|
mad with frenzy and in the obscure darkness, they brutally murdered who they
|
|
thought was the beast. The killing was told almost entirely through the
|
|
viewpoint of the savages. This helped the reader a little to understand the
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|
madness inflicted upon the Jack and the others.
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|
|
|
The beast from the mountain was freed from its imprisonment at its top
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|
by the storm and drifted into the sea. Just as Simon was carried by the
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|
waves from the ocean into the waters. The waves washed away the traces of
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|
the rain, the stains of Simon's blood and the remains of his body, just as the
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|
storm washed the beast away. Simon had allowed the figure to be free of its
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|
beastly positions, had tried to reveal the truth he had learned, but the
|
|
savages crazed with their own evil and blinded by the dark confusion stopped
|
|
and killed him. The chapter ended with his body slowly and gracefully carried
|
|
away towards the sea. Simon's final and peaceful rest brought a sense of
|
|
sadness as it did not involve the blind evil that had killed the boy, it had
|
|
nothing to do with the evil that ignored its casualties. The quiet ending
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|
allowed the reader to assess what had been lost and also to feel the loss.
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|
|
|
|
|
Chapter 10
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|
|
|
Ralph was thinking of Simon. He was fully aware of the murder, and so
|
|
was Piggy. Ralph had the strength to bring out the truth as he had liked
|
|
Simon. Piggy however avoided the truth and tried to make it seem an
|
|
accident. He did not want to share the guilt of killing Simon. He wanted to
|
|
believe that there was nothing they could do. He also touched on the notion
|
|
that perhaps Simon was not really dead. Although the twins also tried to
|
|
hide from the truth, all four boys were fully aware of the past night's event.
|
|
|
|
In the conversation between Roger and Robert, the two boys showed
|
|
their admiration for their new Chief. But news of the beating of Wilfred
|
|
brought suspicion of abuse of power to Roger, who dismissed those thoughts
|
|
rather quickly.
|
|
|
|
The tribe's discussion of the beast was clearly the start of a new
|
|
religion as rules dealing with the beast were established. Even strange
|
|
thoughts about the beast were being conceived of. Some said that the beast
|
|
disguised itself, and the Chief kept insisting that the beast was immortal.
|
|
From now on they would make it a custom to leave the head of their quarry as
|
|
an offering for the beast. Their fear of this new demigod was genuine and
|
|
their believe in its powers was strong. When Bill asked of the fire, the
|
|
Chief's blush was hidden by his clay mask. This was another instance where
|
|
the paint served to hide Jack's thoughts and emotions.
|
|
|
|
The fire had become a sacred item to Ralph and his few boys. The
|
|
importance of the fire was slowly being shut up inside Ralph's mind. His
|
|
leadership had deteriorated along with his followers. Before the fight in
|
|
the shelter, the Ralph and his boys had thought that the beast was coming
|
|
after them. They too had fear of their won belief. After Jack and his
|
|
hunters' intrusion, Piggy once again thought that they had come for the
|
|
conch, still thinking that the conch was the symbol of power and authority.
|
|
The loss of his glasses made him seem less potent than before as an advisor.
|
|
Now bent by his lack of vision, Piggy could give less aid to Ralph.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chapter 11
|
|
|
|
Piggy was going through a very emotional stage. He had lost his
|
|
glasses to a savage boy he hated. The injustice done upon him was severe as
|
|
he had to suffer the turmoil it wrought. He was at a point where he could no
|
|
longer tolerate the cruelty and so decided to confront Jack even though he
|
|
would get hurt. His courageous outburst, his tears and his helplessness
|
|
provided the reader with a way to share his anger and pains.
|
|
|
|
Ralph had suggested that they go to the savages looking more civilized.
|
|
This was one of the differences that set them apart from Jack and his
|
|
savages. Instead of giving easily into the freedom of savagery, the
|
|
liberation from the rules and habits of their civilized past identities. But
|
|
even Samneric showed some longing for the paint which Ralph, being a rather
|
|
honest person, rejected.
|
|
|
|
When they arrived at the Castle Rock, the four boys instinctively hid
|
|
from sight. Although they had planned to go boldly to the savages, their
|
|
inner fear of their power drove them momentarily into hiding. As the faces
|
|
of the savages appeared, they were described as "painted out of
|
|
recognition". The author was saying that the savages had changed and the
|
|
paint, giving them new identities, were by then, quite different from the boys
|
|
they had originally been. Among his friends, Piggy's anger had given him the
|
|
fortitude to say out loud what he wanted to do about Jack, infront of the
|
|
savages, Piggy was reduced to a scared and helpless child. By then, Roger
|
|
had gained more confidence in himself and feeling more powerful (especially
|
|
among his fellow savages) was not at all frightened of Ralph and his meagre
|
|
group of boys. The savages' laughers intimidated Ralph's bold words and made
|
|
them feeble. As Samneric were tied up and Ralph was ignored by sheer
|
|
laughter, it could be seen how helpless the four boys were in comparison to
|
|
the greater group of savages. Then Piggy's destruction signalled Ralph's
|
|
final developmental phase for he was now on his own. He was like a young
|
|
adult who had to grow and become independent of his parents. The conch was
|
|
destroyed. It had been a symbol of order and authority, and the boulder that
|
|
killed Piggy had destroyed the conch.
|
|
|
|
Their fear of their chief was displayed by Roger who looked with fear
|
|
at Jack's angry face. The prodding with a spear at their ribs was scary thing
|
|
that gave the reader a good impression of the situation Sam and Eric were in
|
|
and how frightened they were. The Roger came up to them and further
|
|
demonstrated his new status by looming over them with his new height.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chapter 12
|
|
|
|
Ralph's thoughts about Bill told the reader that Ralph could see how
|
|
the boys had changed from the clothed and proper kids they started out into
|
|
the painted and violent savages they were. Again, there was an attempt to
|
|
make the killings seem like accidents as if to ignore the malice. This time it
|
|
was from Ralph, who perhaps did not readily accept the evil that had
|
|
overcome Jack and his savage tribe.
|
|
|
|
Samneric's surrender into the tribe was one with shame hidden partially
|
|
by the night. They made some effort to assist Ralph, but their fear of Jack
|
|
and Roger was overwhelming. Ralph found out that he would be hunted. His
|
|
feelings were confused as he wondered why he was so hated. Ralph's
|
|
innocence made their hatred seem like meaningless madness. His telling the
|
|
twins his intended hideout showed that he still trusted them. Sam's gift of
|
|
meat was a final token of their friendship. As Sam imparted that Roger had
|
|
sharpened a stick at both ends, the reader can now deduce that the savages
|
|
want to cut Ralph's head off and hang it on the stick, perhaps as an offering
|
|
to the beast. The malevolence in this act was somewhat shocking even after
|
|
all the evil cruelty displayed by the savages in the previous chapters.
|
|
|
|
When the twins' betrayal became evident Ralph became completely alone,
|
|
friendless. There, the mean personalities of Jack and Roger were revealed
|
|
again. As Ralph was being hunted, he became a prey running from the hunters
|
|
for his life. During the times he was hidden from the line of savages, he had
|
|
a few brief moments to think desperately of his situation. He tried to
|
|
remember what Piggy would do. The text progressed quickly and read easily
|
|
to give the reader a sense of how fast time was passing for Ralph, the
|
|
hunted. With the whole island ablaze and the line of hunters coming behind
|
|
him, it seemed that there was no escape for Ralph, and the entrance of the
|
|
naval officer was completely unexpected. It was however, a great relief from
|
|
the suspenseful tension built up from all the periods of waiting Ralph was
|
|
put through.
|
|
|
|
In comparison to the clean and very much civilized naval officer, Ralph
|
|
was no cleaner than the filthy savages gathering around. The mature
|
|
authority and seriousness of the officer's questions made Ralph's short and
|
|
simple answers seem child-like and made Ralph seem much smaller than he was.
|
|
As Ralph declared himself Boss, Jack made no attempt to assert himself as
|
|
Chief. Remnants of his regulated past may have made him feel guilty before a
|
|
full-grown adult.
|
|
|
|
Given a calm moment to reflect back at the past tragic events, Ralph
|
|
began to weep for the loss of his friend Piggy from whom he had learned a
|
|
great deal. The idyllic tropical island was consumed by the flames set by the
|
|
hatred of a group of savages. Ralph wept for the end of his innocence as he
|
|
had learned of the evil inside humanity, of the evil inside himself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Conclusion
|
|
|
|
Lord of the Flies was like a thought experiment conducted to see what
|
|
would happen to a group of young boys, not fully educated and hardened into
|
|
civilized men, if they were placed on an isolated island by themselves. It
|
|
also suggested how some primitive cultures may have evolved their religions
|
|
and customs. Although in a normal environment, it is almost impossible to
|
|
even imagine young boys being able to commit murders and commit the cruel
|
|
acts of terror as shown in the novel, the inner evil inherent within all of us
|
|
was brought out by the freedom from society and its laws. The first
|
|
chapters of the book provided an image of the boys in their ordered and mild-
|
|
mannered states. They seemed normal by our standards. As the pages passed
|
|
by, the boys became gradually more and more savage. The began to adapt to
|
|
their new environment and their personalities became more violent. It
|
|
became more and more easy to kill pigs, until finally in the last chapters, the
|
|
savages found it possible to kill fellow human beings. The book was well-
|
|
written in the simple but direct style of the young boys while the complexity
|
|
was also present to give in-depth study into this horrible nature of man.
|