Lord of the Flies Flashcards
According to Golding’s essay ‘Fable’: ___ produces ___ as a ____ produces
“Man produces evil as a bee produces honey.”
Which author coined the phrase “White Man’s Burden” to describe the European attitude to colonialism?
Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936), best known as the author of The Jungle Book (1894).
What historical event led Golding to his pessimistic view of human nature?
World War II (1939-1945).
What did Golding say when asked why he wrote Lord of the Flies about boys instead of girls?
“I think women are foolish to pretend they are equal to men — they are far superior and always have been.”
___ ___, is the title of a 1997 book arguing that the study of the Great Apes shows violence to be a distinctively male trait?
Demonic Males
Which character represents Golding’s earlier belief in the “perfectability of social man”?
Ralph.
Which character represents the instinct of savagery? (Thomas Hobbes instead of Jean-Jacques Rousseau)
Jack.
Which character is often described as a Christ-like figure, and represents natural human goodness? (Jean-Jacques Rousseau instead of Thomas Hobbes)
Simon.
The Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to Golding for Lord of the Flies in what year?
1983.
Lord of the Flies is an imaginary story that tries to teach us about real-world issues. What is this type of fiction called?
Allegorical fiction.
The society that emerges in Lord of the Flies is very frightening and oppressive in a variety of ways. This makes it an example of what type of fiction?
Dystopian fiction.
The debate about the condition of human life in the ‘state of nature’ is often associated with which two Enlightenment era European philosophers?
Thomas Hobbes (1588-1678) and Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778).
Piggy is physically deficient in three respects. What are they?
- His weight.
- His asthma.
- His eyesight.
How does Piggy suggest that the conch be used?
As a horn for initiating group meetings.
How old is the youngest boy on the island? How old is the oldest?
The youngest is six. The oldest is twelve.
Why does Ralph appoint Jack leader of the hunters?
To placate his anger at losing the election.
Chapter 1 describes the formation of a social order on the island. What are the early signs of its impending breakdown?
- Teasing of Piggy
- Power struggle between Jack and Ralph
What does Ralph say when he, Simon and Jack reach the top of the island? What is the significance of this quote?
- “This belongs to us”.
- Claiming of ownership over land is characteristic of civilisation, perhaps also of colonialism.
Why is Ralph elected chief? What is the significance of this?
- “his size, and attractive appearance; and, most obscurely, and yet most powerfully, there was the conch”.
- Shows the importance of symbolic items in establishing social order: think of police uniforms, a ceremonial mace in parliament or a crown on a king.
- Note the contrast from the leadership characteristics assigned to Jack (leadership experience) and Piggy (intelligence).
What explanation does Jack give for his failure to kill the pig in Chapter 1?
“I was choosing a place”.
By what name is the plane wreckage known?
“The scar”.
How does Ralph suggest that the group determine whose turn it is to speak in meetings?
Right of speech is given to the holder of the conch shell.
What does the young boy tell the group that he saw the night before?
“A beastie”.
How does Ralph propose that the group signal their presence to any passing ships?
By starting a fire atop the mountain.
How does Jack start the first fire?
By stealing Piggy’s glasses and using them as a lens.
What reason does Jack give for following the rules?
“[W]e’re not savages. We’re English, and the English are best at everything”.
Piggy scolds the group for prioritising the fire so much. What did he think was more important?
Building shelters.
How does Piggy’s attempt to count and name all the boys on the island fare?
Unsuccessful - the little ‘uns scattered too quickly.
Which boy is found to be missing at the end of Chapter 2?
The one who had informed them about the “beastie”.
Out of Ralph, Jack and Piggy, who is generally the most optimistic and has the most calming effect during disputes between the three?
- Ralph.
- This suggests that he is the best leader of the three.
What book, referenced at the start of Chapter 2, is Lord of the Flies written in reaction to?
The Coral Island.
What does Jack use instead of a spear to hunt the pig?
A stick.
Why does the task of constructing the huts irritate Ralph?
No one other than Simon helps him.
What are “creepers”?
Vines.
What does the description of Jack’s appearance at the start of Chapter 3 suggest about the passage of time?
They have been on the island for at least a few weeks.
What does Ralph say would happen if he called a meeting and told everyone off for not working?
“they’d work for five minutes, then wander off or go hunting”.
What happens to Jack he describes going on hunting by himself?
“The madness came into his eyes again”.
What distracts Jack when he and Ralph and discussing if the signal fire is strong enough?
Thoughts about hunting a pig.
What does Simon do when wandering through the jungle alone?
Helps the littluns get fruit that they cannot reach, before admiring the beautiful scenery.
How is Simon, the most innately good character in the novel, described by Ralph?
“He’s queer. He’s funny.”
N.B. “Queer” historically just means strange or unusual, and at the time Golding was writing had no strong association with sexual orientation.
What job did William Golding take up after World War II?
He was a school teacher.
