Lord of the Flies - Characters Flashcards
Give a quotation for Ralph’s good nature and explain it.
- ‘There was a mildness about his mouth and eyes that proclaimed no devil.’
- The description suggests that he has no unhealthy characteristics or evilness, also ‘mildness’ suggests innocence.
Give a quotation that shows Ralph becoming more evil towards the middle of the novel and explain it.
- ‘a darkish figure against the shimmer of the lagoon.’
- The juxtaposition shows Ralphs character becoming more evil compared to the beauty of nature on the island.
Give a quotation to show Ralph losing power and explain it.
- ‘Ralph stood among the ashes of the signal fire, his hands full of meat, saying nothing’
- This quotation uses the image of ashes to show the remnants of Ralph’s strong leadership at the beginning of the novel as he indulges in the meat that Jack has gotten.
Give a quotation to show Ralph’s ultimate regression towards the end of the novel and explain it.
- ‘Ralph too was fighting to get near, to get a handful of that brown, vulnerable flesh.’
- This shows that Ralph like Jack and the hunters has been over powered by the innate evil and wants to inflict pain.
Give three quotations for Jack and analyse them.
- ‘The off-hand authority in Meridew’s voice’
Phrase off-hand implies that authority and control is second nature due to his social class. - ‘compulsion to track down and kill that was swallowing him up’.
The noun ‘compulsion’ highlights Jack’s addiction to his basic primal instincts.
The militaristic imagery in the phrase ‘hunt down and kill’ emphasises the inner evil of man as these are traits not associated with a child.
Metaphor ‘swallowing him up’. - ‘Power … chattered in his ear like an ape’
The verb chattered creates an image of an annoying sound repeated over and over emphasising Jack’s obsession for power.
The simile emphasises the ever-present want for control and power in man.
Give two quotations for piggy and analyse them.
- ‘The fat boy hung steadily at his shoulder.’
The fact that Piggy is known as the fat boy indicates how he is not valued amongst the group despite providing intellect.
The verb hung creates the image of Piggy as unwanted and how Piggy was in Ralph’s shadow from the beginning of the novel emphasised by ‘at his shoulder’.
- ‘Piggy’s glasses were misted again this time with humiliation’
This metaphor emphasises how despite helping the group Piggy is made fun of, this is shown through his glasses a symbol of intellect.
What does Ralph represent in LotF?
- Ralph represents leadership and the upholding of society and civilization.
What Jack represent in LotF?
- Jack represents violence and the evil of human nature.
What does Piggy represent in LotF?
- Piggy represents rationality and intellect.
What does Simon represent in LotF?
- Simon represents wisdom and kindness.
Give two quotations for Simon and analyse them.
- ‘dim with the cynicism of adult life’
For Simon the beasts eyes are like this; this metaphor shows the reader that Simon unlike the other boys knows that adults are not civilised and capable of only good. - ‘Maybe there isn’t a beast, maybe it’s only us.’
Simon understands that mankind’s inner evil is what is creating this beast that they all fear.
Give examples of what Simon does or is associated to that present him as a Christ like figure.
- The younger children follow Simon and he picks fruit for them from places they cannot reach.
- He helps Piggy when his glasses are knocked off his face.
- In his garden
Give a quotation for Simon’s Garden
What word can be used to describe Piggy as a useful person?
Pragmatist
