Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Tuesday's Stuff
The setting of this story can be compared to the Garden of Eden in various ways. Like the Garden of Eden, the island in this book starts off as one of paradise and wonder. The boys start off thinking that being alone on an island without any adults will be fun. At the first meeting, Ralph states: “This is our island. It’s a good island. Until the grownups come to fetch us we’ll have fun” (47). However, the island has a not-so-peaceful ending, like that of the Garden of Eden. By making the reader aware of the raging war going on back at the boys’ homes, Golding foreshadows violence amongst the boys themselves. In war, soldiers are placed outside of society—just like the boys in this story. In a situation where killing is considered okay, attitudes change. Eventually, the boys come to have a war of their own. After splitting into two groups, the boys succumb to murder and ideas of savagery.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Monday's Work
Thesis paragraph:
Though multiple themes are woven into William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, the most influential theme is the idea that human behavior changes outside of civilization. SparkNotes agrees: “Golding implies that the instinct of savagery is far more primal and fundamental to the human psyche than the instinct of civilization.” Therefore, the novel implies that humans follow rules and treat others with respect because that is what society teaches us. Outside of civilization, morals get thrown aside because there are no superior figures to both commend good acts and punish bad ones. The group of boys becomes more and more disassociated and unconcerned with the rules of society as their time on the island goes on. Though each boy goes through this process at his own pace, almost every individual is faced with giving into savagery and violence at some point in the novel.
Though multiple themes are woven into William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, the most influential theme is the idea that human behavior changes outside of civilization. SparkNotes agrees: “Golding implies that the instinct of savagery is far more primal and fundamental to the human psyche than the instinct of civilization.” Therefore, the novel implies that humans follow rules and treat others with respect because that is what society teaches us. Outside of civilization, morals get thrown aside because there are no superior figures to both commend good acts and punish bad ones. The group of boys becomes more and more disassociated and unconcerned with the rules of society as their time on the island goes on. Though each boy goes through this process at his own pace, almost every individual is faced with giving into savagery and violence at some point in the novel.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Symbolism
Symbol: The Conch
When Piggy first finds the conch, it is made known how valuable and important it is:
"A conch he called it. He used to blow it and then his mum would
come. It’s ever so valuable(...)a conch; ever so expensive. I bet if you wanted to buy one, you’dhave to pay pounds and pounds and pounds—"
The conch's sound is very loud and dominating: "His ordinary voice sounded like a whisper after the harsh note of the conch."
Right before it is decided that the conch will represent silence while someone is talking: “'Shutup,' said Ralph absently. He lifted the conch. 'Seems to me weought to have a chief to decide things.'”
Before Ralph was voted to be chief: "There was a stillness about Ralph as he sat that marked him out: there was his size, and attractive appearance; and most obscurely, yet most powerfully, there was the conch. The being that had blown that, had sat waiting for them on the platform with the delicate thing balanced on his knees, was set apart."
An example of how all the boys continually respond to the conch for what it represents: "They obeyed the summons of the conch, partly because Ralph blew it, and he was big enough to be a link with the adult world of authority."
Analysis:
To me, the conch represents multiple things. It represents leadership, unification, and order.
The first sign of the conch being a leadership symbol is when everyone looked at Ralph holding it, and just decided that they would vote for him as chief, because he not only held it, but he also was the one that found it to call the initial meeting.
In addition, the conch was used as a way to call meetings and to silence everyone while talking. It became a symbol of unification. When the conch was blown and brought to the meeting, everyone gathered around it. At these meetings, the group tried to figure out ways to get rescued and to solve problems together.
Finally, by being used as a silencer and the way in which people knew to assemble, the conch represents order. It served as a way to flaunt a rule. Everyone understood that whoever had the conch talked, while no else should.
When Piggy first finds the conch, it is made known how valuable and important it is:
"A conch he called it. He used to blow it and then his mum would
come. It’s ever so valuable(...)a conch; ever so expensive. I bet if you wanted to buy one, you’dhave to pay pounds and pounds and pounds—"
The conch's sound is very loud and dominating: "His ordinary voice sounded like a whisper after the harsh note of the conch."
Right before it is decided that the conch will represent silence while someone is talking: “'Shutup,' said Ralph absently. He lifted the conch. 'Seems to me weought to have a chief to decide things.'”
Before Ralph was voted to be chief: "There was a stillness about Ralph as he sat that marked him out: there was his size, and attractive appearance; and most obscurely, yet most powerfully, there was the conch. The being that had blown that, had sat waiting for them on the platform with the delicate thing balanced on his knees, was set apart."
An example of how all the boys continually respond to the conch for what it represents: "They obeyed the summons of the conch, partly because Ralph blew it, and he was big enough to be a link with the adult world of authority."
Analysis:
To me, the conch represents multiple things. It represents leadership, unification, and order.
The first sign of the conch being a leadership symbol is when everyone looked at Ralph holding it, and just decided that they would vote for him as chief, because he not only held it, but he also was the one that found it to call the initial meeting.
In addition, the conch was used as a way to call meetings and to silence everyone while talking. It became a symbol of unification. When the conch was blown and brought to the meeting, everyone gathered around it. At these meetings, the group tried to figure out ways to get rescued and to solve problems together.
Finally, by being used as a silencer and the way in which people knew to assemble, the conch represents order. It served as a way to flaunt a rule. Everyone understood that whoever had the conch talked, while no else should.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Lord of the Flies
I believe that Piggy is made fun of not only because of his physical characteristics, but also because he actually is one of the smarter boys in the group. By focusing on his negative aspects rather than his positive aspects, the other boys jealously put him down in order to make themselves feel better.
The way that the boys make fun of Piggy reminds me of something that I witness a lot in sports. Good players on opposing teams are often made fun of simply because the other team's members are jealous of his of her athletic ability. Players, fans, and coaches alike turn to making fun of high school athletes' physical features so thay they may feel better about themselves, rather that just admitting that a player is good, or even better than them. Though these good players can be learned from, they're often jealously made fun of instead.
The way that the boys make fun of Piggy reminds me of something that I witness a lot in sports. Good players on opposing teams are often made fun of simply because the other team's members are jealous of his of her athletic ability. Players, fans, and coaches alike turn to making fun of high school athletes' physical features so thay they may feel better about themselves, rather that just admitting that a player is good, or even better than them. Though these good players can be learned from, they're often jealously made fun of instead.
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