Fear Flashcards
How is fear overall presented in the novel?
through various means, including the boys’ primal fear of the unknown, embodied by the “beast,” and the fear of pain, death, and losing control
What sparks the initial fear amongst the boys?
a littlun announces that he saw a snake-like beast in the forest
this claim, though vague, is enough to plant a seed of fear in the minds of the older boys
How does fear drive the boys into their descent of savagery?
in “Lord of the Flies,” the boys’ fear, particularly of the “beast” and the unknown, fuels their descent into savagery
this fear, coupled with the absence of adult supervision and societal constraints, allows their primal instincts to take over, leading to violence, the breakdown of order, and ultimately, the death of Simon and Piggy
What is the most prominent expression of fear amongst the boys?
the most prominent expression of fear is the boys’ fear of the “beast,” a manifestation of their primal anxieties and a symbol of the unknown and the potential for evil
this fear initially stems from the littluns’ nightmares and gradually spreads to the older boys, who are also haunted by the fear of the dark and the possibility of never being rescued
How is there a fear of physical pain amongst the boys?
the island itself presents a source of fear due to its dangerous terrain, the hot sun, and the boys’ hunger
this fear of physical pain is amplified as they begin to inflict harm on each other, with incidents like Sam and Eric being taken prisoner serving as stark reminders of the potential for violence
How is there a fear of death amongst the boys?
the boys’ fear of death is evident in their anxieties about being hunted by the beast and in the final scene where Ralph is hunted down by Jack’s tribe
this fear is further fuelled by the boys’ increasing brutality and their willingness to resort to violence
How does the fear of losing control act as a key driver in the boys’ descent into savagery?
as the boys’ civilization crumbles, they exhibit a growing fear of losing control, which is particularly evident in Ralph’s attempts to maintain order and in Jack’s power struggles
this fear of losing control is a key driver in their descent into savagery
How does Jack manipulate the other boys through fear?
Jack, in his pursuit of power, uses the boys’ fear of the beast and the unknown to manipulate them, creating a cult-like following that prioritizes hunting and violence over safety and reason
this manipulation highlights the destructive power of fear and its ability to corrupt even the most innocent minds
What is a symbol of fear in the novel?
the beast
How does fear drive the plot of the novel?
fear is a driver
it drives plot, pace, tension, and emotion—which, when you combine those elements, creates the climax of the story
What is Ralph’s biggest fear on the island?
the fear of not getting rescued
(shown by Ralph scolding Jack and his hunters when they allow the fire to go out as well as choosing to join Jack’s tribe, which doesn’t prioritise getting off the island, over his)
What does Ralph’s fear of not getting off the island ultimately lead to?
this fear results in his obsession with the signal fire
Ralph’s obsession with the signal fire leads to a heated argument between Jack and Ralph which ultimately divides them apart and made them both rivals throughout the novel due to their differences in priorities
At the beginning of the novel, how does fear almost help the boys?
at first, fear in Lord of the Flies causes some boys to snuggle together at night and make new friends, so they do not feel alone in the dark
How does fear end up ruining the boys?
fear causes them to try to create order with a makeshift government to prevent chaos
however, fear also causes them to break off into rival groups and fight each other
What is Jack’s source of power?
fear
How does fear lead to violence in the novel?
the boys threaten to skewer each other to make others fear them
they also abuse each other
lastly, the boys are so afraid of this creature they formed in their minds, they become violent and physically harm each other
How does Simon recognise the boys’ fear?
Simon recognizes the boys’ fear not through a physical beast, but through a realization that the beast they fear is actually their own savagery
he understands that the boys’ fear stems from the darkness within themselves, their potential for brutality
this is further emphasized by his vision with the Lord of the Flies, where he realizes the beast is not an external entity but a symbol of their own inherent evil
How does fear drive the characters of Ralph, Jack and Simon?
this novel depicts fear and paranoia as driving forces in Lord of the Flies by connecting the island’s bleak symbolism to Ralph’s fear of insanity, Jack’s fear of failure, and Simon’s inherent lack of fear that leads to his tragic demise
What does Piggy fear?
Piggy recognizes the inherent savagery within the boys, particularly Jack, and worries about their descent into primal behaviour
he fears this will lead to the breakdown of order and the suppression of reason
How does Piggy fear about his vulnerability?
Piggy’s asthma, weight, and poor eyesight make him physically inferior, leading him to be bullied and ostracized
his glasses, symbolizing his intellect and ability to see clearly, are also a source of vulnerability
What does Piggy fear instead of the beast?
while Piggy doesn’t fear a literal beast, he fears the unknown, the darkness, and the potential for nightmares and fear itself to consume the boys
he also fears that fear itself can be a dangerous force, potentially causing the boys to fear each other
Why does Piggy not fear the beast?
some of the boys fear that there is a beast after them but Piggy dismisses both the Beast and fear as unscientific
he is a very practical person, finding solutions where he can
Why does Piggy fear Jack?
Piggy clearly fears Jack, who bullies him and the other boys, and recognizes that Jack’s desire for hunting and power is a threat to the boys’ survival and their chance at civilization
What theory does Piggy express about fear?
Piggy’s character makes him sceptical of the existence of a physical beast, and his mind gives him the idea that what they fear may soon become the boys themselves
although Piggy has warned the boys of this possible occurrence, they laugh at him and brush off his theory as they commonly do
Why do the boys descend into savagery?
without adult supervision and conventional society as well as the fear of the beast, the boys socially devolve and succumb to primitive instincts. Jack leads the boys into savagery
PIGGY
‘Is it safe?…Don’t leave me Ralph?’
Am I safe?
(expresses Piggy’s fear without his glasses and he recognises his vulnerability)
PIGGY
‘If you don’t…, we’ll soon be…’
blow
animals anyway
(Piggy is desperately trying to lead through Ralph as he knows what is about to happen)
PIGGY
‘Give me my…’
specs
(Piggy is fearful without his glasses)
RALPH
‘I’m frightened of us, I want to go…,Oh God, I want to…’
home
go home
(Ralph fears what the boys have become)
RALPH
‘The fire’s the…’
most important thing on the island
(Ralph prioritising the fire as his biggest fear is not getting off the island)
RALPH
‘That was Simon. That was…’
murder
(Ralph fears what the boys have become)
ABOUT JACK
‘The boy who…, he shouted an…’
controlled them
order and they halted
(from the beginning of the novel the boys fear Jack)
ABOUT JACK
‘He looked around…, daring them to…’
fiercely
contradict
(Jack is a character that the boys fear because of his intense aggression)
ABOUT JACK
‘struck his…into Piggy’s stomach’
fist
(Jack’s use of violence to make the boys fear him)
ABOUT JACK
‘his laughter became a…’
bloodthirsty snarling
(Jack has transgressed so far that the boys view him as an animal)
ABOUT JACK
‘Jack had him by the hair and was…’
brandishing his knife
(even in a re-enactment of the killing Jack takes it so seriously which scares the boys)
ABOUT JACK
‘the face of red and…’
white and black
(the paint colours symbolise something that the other boys should fear)
JACK
‘We’ll close in and beat…’
and beat and beat
(repetition to emphasise the brutal verb ‘beat’ to display the savage nature of Jack in his dialogue’)
SIMON
‘Maybe there is no beast,…’
maybe it’s only us
(Simon does not fear the beast and he recognises mankind’s essential illness)
ABOUT SIMON
‘Simon became…’
inarticulate in his effort to express mankind’s essential illness
(Simon understands that there is no beast and his understanding about the nature of humankind gives him assurance and maturity that is not shared by any other members of the group)
ABOUT SIMON
‘It was crying out with…’
abominable noise
(the violence that the boys can inflict on each other is fearful)
