Lord of the Flies Chapter 1
What is the purpose of the polysyndeton on page 7? How does it compare to an asyndeton? Cite an example.
"Through forest and terrace and sand and lagoon"; The polysyndeton emphasizes all of the different terrains, gives the sentence rhythm; Asyndetons remove conjunctions and have less emphasis on each word.
What "unknown force" has arranged the rocks?
Animals; nature
What is the first act of willful destruction? What is the boys' reaction?
By moving a rock together the boys smash a hole in the canopy of the forest; gave them a sense of accomplishment.
What is the most notable symbol of Chapter One and what does it represent?
Conch shell; symbol of leadership, power, and authority; brought people together
Reread the description of the choir leader on page 13. Discuss Golding's us of color and imagery, or what it may foreshadow.
Describes Jack in negative light foreshadowing that he is serious and may be evil.
On the bottom of page 4, Piggy says, "It wasn't half dangerous..." Again on page 8, he says twice. "You can't half swim." What does Piggy mean by "half"?
Double negative; they cancel out and mean the opposite.
How does the reaction of the fair-haired boy differ from the fat boy's at the realization that there are no adults around?
Fair-haired boy was excited; Piggy was worried
What about Jack Merridew indicates that he is used to commanding?
He bossed everyone around
Why did the boys gather as Ralph blew the conch?
Heard a sense of authority; curiosity as to who else was on the island.
Describe Sam and Eric.
Identical twins; chunky young boys
Describe Jack's emotional state on page 23-24.
Jack seems angry and bloodthirsty about not killing the pig. He's ready to get it next time.
What is the meaning of the word "dumb" in the statement "boys were making their way toward the platform through the hot, dumb sand?
May mean uncommunicative or unuseful
What rhetorical device does Golding use, on page 10, in his description of light and breeze?
Personification
In what sense do Ralph and Piggy complement one another while dealing with the conch?
Piggy was the intellectual and physically incapable, where as Ralph was physically capable but didn't know how.
Who is "the voice" referred to on page 3? What does the voice represent?
Piggy; voice of reason
How do the boys end up on the island?
Plane crash
Why is Ralph chosen over Piggy and Jack to be leader?
Ralph has "attractive appearance", he blew the conch, had a settle personality. Piggy is too wimpy and Jack is bossy.
Describe Piggy.
Short, fat, glasses, asthma, "voice of reason", not used to being alone, worried, insecure
What gives the conch value?
Used to summon the others; symbol of power
Describe the island and explain the significance of its shape.
The island was boat-shaped which is significant because it is a sign of civilization which may foreshadow the characters becoming civilized and building a boat and escaping the island.
The language in the description of Ralph may foreshadow what?
The negative diction foreshadows that Ralph has a bad side.
What is the general goal of the group of boys throughout Chapter One?
Their central goal is getting organized and making plans.
Ralph, after the three explorers reach the top, makes the statement "This belongs to us." What is the significance of this statement?
This is them stating that the island is their's and no one else lives on it and it reveals a sense of pride of their discovery of this new uninhabited island.
What is the first issue of business?
To explore the island.
How old is Ralph?
Twelve years and a few months
