Lord of the Flies

1. Lord of the Flies Chapter 6-7

2. Chapter 6-7 Quiz 1. What is the second beast, and what events brought it to the island? 2. Who discovered the second beast? 3. Where do the boys search for the beast first? 4. At the boys’ first stop, who is the first to climb in search of the beast? 5. At the beginning of Chapter 7, what prediction does Simon make that eases Ralph’s mind ? 6. What does Ralph accomplish for the first time in Chapter 7 that gives him a feeling of pride, and a new found respect? 7. Where do the boys find the beast ? 8. What questioned, inspired by Piggy’s logic, does Ralph ask Jack that makes him uncomfortable? 9. Which three boys went up to investigate the Beast? 10. What do the boys do when they see the face of the Beast?

3. Irony of the Situation “I wish they could send of a sign.” Ironic that the boys that wanted a sign from the adults for guidance, receive a dead body as a sign of how adults deal with strife. It is also interesting how the titles work out as a beast from “water” and one from the “air” as if it were a military attack. What is the beast on land?

4. The Dead Airman “Bowed and sank, and bowed again. (p 96)” “The thing that bowed” Why does the author make it bow? Dichotomy of the Beast from the Sea being imaginary, but the airman is a tactile symbol of death.

5. Interesting images Page 97-98 contain an interesting description of the progress of their fire. The proliferation of weapons mentioned on page 99 “Where are the SPEARS?” The island breathing around its heart.105 What is the significance of a breathing island?

6. Sam n Eric What is the purpose of the twins? Given a vivid description of sharing one mind What metaphorical purpose do twins usually serve in literature?

7. Importance of Sleep and Dream Sleep and Dreams are a huge part of evolving characters. Sleeping characters go through a transition in their unconscious as they sleep. Sleep usually strikes characters after a stressful time. Dreams are messages from the unconscious. They are guides to direct where we ought to go or warn us of our chosen path.

8. Cycle Disturbed Note the loss of the pleasant morning with the onset of fear “an interminable dawn faded the stars out, and at last light, sad and grey,” Required the Apollonian sun that rises to make organization possible (p 100) Note how fear leads to preparation for violence- Cold War, Nazi Science, (Foo Fighters) Notice the boys, when scared, grab their spears and face out to where their “sharpened spears of wood were like a fence.” Connect to countries arming themselves for fear of their neighbor.

9. Littluns Left behind “Sucks to the littluns.” The powerful are unmindful and uncaring of their affect on the weak.

10. Shift in Leadership Dynamic “ We don’t need the conch anymore. We know who ought to say things.” Power struggle What side is Golding taking in his analysis of governments? Are either Jack or Ralph right? Fear vs. Hope- Jack holds control over the fear of the beast, but Ralph holds onto the hope of being rescued. What is the significance of the above observation in terms of gender symbols? What would be rescued mean aside from going home? What sort of transition must take place?

11. Simon and the Beast Simon pictured the beast as “human at once heroic and sick. (p 103)” Significance? He fears speaking in front of the group- similar to many teachers through the ages- ex. Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt Chapter 7- Simon tells Ralph “You’ll get back alright.” However, he does not say “we.”

12. Ralph’s initiation into Hunting Wants others to recognize that he hurt something else-needs others to appreciate his masculinity What is the significance of the builder of shelter and democracy to enjoy his foray into hunting and masculine dominance?

13. Castle Rock A pink peak that is separated from the island from a long thin stretch of peach. “What a place for a fort!” Masculine claim- a place to monitor and defend one’s territory while keeping the unworthy out. Notice the different reactions from Ralph and Jack in response to the castle 106 Jack plans his defenses as the boys pursue the masculine practice of destroying that around them Ralph finally has to yell to make them descend the castle, and its promise of power.

14. Chapter 7 Ralph begins remembering the rituals he had forgotten, and notices and unusual heat- heat is typically a forecast into the volatility of the emotion Notices that they are all perpetually dirty. It was now the norm (110).

15. The Duality of the Island The side they lived on provided mirages- glimpses of hope. It protected them with the lagoon- a feminine figure. On the other side of the island, one notices the infinite barrier of the ocean. “This was the divider. This was the barrier.”

16. Play Time Ralph hits a pig for the first time and finds himself basking in their respect. The boys begin reliving their hunt with Ralph Their ritual becomes vulgar and dangerous (114-115) “The desire to squeeze and hurt was over-mastering.” Reminiscent of human sacrifice to gods The suggestion of adding a drum and fire “You want a real pig because you’ve got to kill him… Use a littlun.”

17. Visiting the Beast Ralph, Jack and Roger ascend the mountain- Why does Roger go? The Beast’s lair happens to be the area of the mountain the boys burned with their fire- covered in Ashes They ascend at night- Jack is the first to go up alone Notice the syntax- “devils of dust,” “a stain in the darkness” a “slithering noise,” “the mountain punched a hole in the blackness,” “the creature lifted its head”

18. Read Ch. 8 by Thursday PSAT Wednesday

19. Beast from Air • Remember the Beast symbolizes irrational thinking and fear • The chapter opens with a dead man parachuting to the top of a hill- Ironically, this happens after the boys were discussing how peacefully adults handle conflicts. • Sam and Eric discover the beast after letting the fire go out. • Once told of the Beast’s existence the group is left to decide whether to fight or hide. • They decide to hunt the Beast, but they are left with the decision of what to do with the littluns. • “Somebody has to look after them.” • “Nobody has so far.”

20. Beast from the Air Piggy is left to guard the littluns Jack claims that they no longer need the conch; that some people should not have a say in the decisions. Ralph orders him to sit down- Jack relents. Ralph points out that it is not a normal hunt because the Beast does not leave tracks, and falls back onto his trump card, “Don’t you want to be rescued?” As Simon thought of the Beast, he pictured mankind at once both heroic and sick Simon is left to wonder why other people can speak clearly and confidently to a crowd, and he cannot.

21. Beast from the Air Ralph is the first to head up Castle Rock- a sign of his courage, and a sign of a more confident leader Ralph never expected to see a Beast on Castle Rock and would not know to do if he did. Jack follows Ralph up the mountain. Ralph finds the rock a “rotten place” while Jack is excited about turning it into a fort. Once they determine the Beast is not there, the boys want to play at the rock. Ralph demands they return to the mountain to find the Beast and re-light the fire. The boys fall “mutinously” in line behind Jack.