Lotf Ch7-8
How does Ralph feel about the rest of the boys as Chapter 7 opens? Howe does Simon attempt to console Ralph?
Ralph feels disillusioned at the state of the boys. He feels a lack of control and feels the boys might slip into complete savagery. Simon is able to sense these feelings in Ralph and assures Ralph that he (Ralph) will make it off the island.
Describe Simon's confrontation with the "Lord of the Flies". What is the "Lord of the Flies"? What could this symbolize?
Simon comes face to face with the pig's head on a stick. It is the Lord of the Flies or manifestation of Beelzebub (Devil). The Lord of the Flies speaks to Simon in the voice of a Headmaster. It is an extension of the dark side that Golding thinks exists in all of us. Only Simon has the faculties to recognize it. In the end, Simon has one of his epileptic fits and passes out.
What terrifying discovery do the boys make at the end of the chapter? What could this be symbolic of? What could this foreshadow?
At the end of Chapter Seven, the boys come upon the dead pilot's body. Although, they do not know what it is.... to the boys, it's the beast. Even Jack and Ralph are afraid. The monster, as it seems to the boys, foreshadows what will become the complete break down of civility on the island.
Describe Jack in this chapter. How does he react to Ralph's control of power on the island? How do Jack's actions potentially impact the rest of the story?
Jack is able to play upon the fear of the boys. He realizes that it is in his best interest that the boys believe in a beast. Jack's "protection" from the beast makes him look strong and Ralph, who is more rational about the beast, look weak. Jack is able to take Ralph's power away through manipulation of the boys' fear.
At the beginning of Chapter 8, the boys are frightened of "the beast". What could the beast represent symbolically?
The beast represents their own fears as well as their own darkness. As Simon pointed out, the only beast on the island is within the boys themselves, "What I mean is . . . maybe it's only us" .
Describe the instincts the boys are using throughout Chapter 7. How does this tie into the theme of savagery versus civilization?
The boys are using their hunter-gatherer instincts to track pigs. This is a far cry from the civilization they came from. The boys lack discipline even though they come from a British military background. They argue and they bicker with each other. They have been deconstructing themselves ever since they arrived on the island.
Discuss the symbolic nature of the ocean at the beginning of this chapter. What could the ocean represent here?
The ocean represents the vastness of the world and how impossible it seems that they will be saved. The vast ocean represents Ralph's feeling of isolation on an island where he is quickly losing control.
Describe in detail the pig hunt that takes place in Chapter 7. What is different about this hunt?
The pig hunt is action packed and exhilarating. Jack is wounded, the hunters become frenzied and evermore violent. What makes this hunt different is Ralph's participation and enjoyment.