Half #1- Lord of the Flies

 Half #1- Lord of the Flies

Synopsis

·         Plane crashes on an island

·         Ralph and Piggy meet

·         Ralph and Piggy find the conch shell and use it to reunite the other boys

·         Jack is introduced and voted the leader of the hunters (choir)

·         Ralph is voted the chief or leader of the boys

·         Simon is introduced and explore the island with Jack and Ralph

·         The conch shell is used as a “power to speak” object

·         A younger child speaks of a snake-like creature or “beastie.” The “littluns” become frightened but the older boys try to convince them its fake and just a nightmare.

·         The boys build a signal fire on the mountain which spreads among the wind and leaves on the ground to other trees.

·         Jack and Ralph argue about hunting pigs and the importance of building huts on the beach.

·         A ship is seen out on the water, but the signal fire was out. Jack forgot about the fire and comes back from hunting with a pig. Ralph and jack argue once again.

·         Ralph holds a meeting where he discusses the importance and necessities of survival and getting rescued with the signal fire.

·         Dead parachuter falls and lands on the mountain. He resembles a monster towards Sam and Eric.

Character Development

Ralph is considered to be the leader. Piggy is the one with the brains and knowledge about survival and Jack is the one who likes to have a good time, go hunting and do things his way.

Characters Introduced

Ralph is the protagonist of the book Lord of the Flies. He is a round and static character. He leads the group as their chief.

Piggy is the supporting character. He helps out the protagonist. He is a round and static character as well.

Jack is the antagonist of the story, who opposes Ralph. He is also the FOIL character and the opposite of Ralph. They both have disagreements. He is a round and static character.

Simon is a flat and static character.

Sam and Eric are twins and are referred to as one name: Samneric. They are both round and static characters.

Point of View

The point of view is omniscient and in third person. The characters feelings and thoughts are expressed through their interactions on the island which allows the reader to experience the boys’ survival.

Setting

The story takes place during the time of the war. The boys are stranded on a deserted and isolated island. This makes the boys have to work together to survive. The tone is tragic because of the plane crash and their isolation.

Notables on William Golding’s Writing Style

The book is challenging to read because he uses a wide variety of words. The words he uses in the dialogue express the boys’ identity. The story is also very descriptive.

Statement of Themes

In the first quarter of the book “Lord of the Flies,” William Golding portrays the invisible feud between Ralph and Jack, who each represent survival and disorder.

Quote: “Indignation took away Ralph’s control.” Chapter 3, p.55

Other ideas for themes: Government and Democracy versus Mayhem and Disorder