Lord of the Flies

Chapters 7-9

Chapter 7

• Character Development – “Ralph was full of fright and apprehension and

pride” (113).– “’I hit him all right. The spear stuck in. I

wounded him!’” (113).– “He stunned himself in their new respect and felt

that hunting was good after all” (113).• Jack’s perspective and emotions is present in

everyone • His humanity is deteriorating- savagery coming out

Chapter 7• Civility verses Savagery

– “The circle moved in and round. Robert squealed in mock terror, then in real pain…’Kill him! Kill him!’” (114).

• Outer appearance of island and boys reflects their brutality and savagery that is developing

• Thrill of the hunt and the desire for power • Lose sight of limitations in mad desire to kill

– “Ralph too was fighting to get near, to get a handful of that brown, vulnerable flesh. The desire to squeeze and hurt was over-mastering” (115).

– Innate savage instincts

Chapter 7

• Ralph verses Jack – Struggle for power – Jack’s violence and savagery displaces Ralph’s

civility and regulations – Manipulates Ralph into going after the beast

• “A stain in the darkness, a stain that was Jack, detached itself and began to draw away” (121).

– Jack represents evil and darkness

Chapter 7

• Beast – Ralph doesn’t believe in it

– It fits into Jack’s savage perspective of the island• “Before them, something like a great ape was

sitting asleep with its head between its knees. Then the wind roared in the forest, there was confusion in the darkness, and the creature lifted its head, holding toward them the ruin of a face” (123).

–Indicates the ruin of humanity that will follow–Their fear causes this decline

Chapter 8

• Civility verses Savagery – Jack’s rise to power involves violence

– Forms his new tribe • Comes from the fear instilled by the beast • Civility and culture quickly diminishes on the

island –Rules and morals become weak and

unimportant –attacks a weak sow

» foreshadows later attacks

Chapter 8

• Civility verses Savagery – “Jack held up the head and jammed the soft

throat down on the pointed end of the stick which pierced through into the mouth. He stood back and the head hung there, a little blood dribbling down the stick. ‘This head is for the beast. It’s a gift’” (136-137).

• Beast as enemy and as sacrifice • Enables Jack to rule his tribe • Beast encumbers a religious importance

Chapter 8

• The Lord of the Flies – “After a while these flies found Simon. Gorged, they

alighted by his runnels of sweat and drank. They tickled under his nostrils and played leapfrog on his thighs. They were black and iridescent green and without number; and in front of Simon, the Lord of the Flies hung on his stick and grinned. At last Simon gave up and looked back; saw the white teeth and dim eyes, the blood- and his gaze was held by that ancient, inescapable recognition. In Simon’s right temple, a pulse began to beat on the brain” (138).

Chapter 8

• The Lord of the Flies – Foreshadows what it to come – Allusion to Jesus’ confrontation with Satan

• Name translate into Beelzebub Simon as the Christ figure, the mystic

– Represents the brutality and violence innate within us all

Chapter 8

• Civility verses Savagery – Paint masks the boys to forget social and civil

behaviors – Liberates the boys

• Jack– “He was safe from shame or self-

consciousness behind the mask of his paint and could look at each of them in turn” (140).

• Invites them naked with only his paint on • He represents true beast to be feared

Chapter 8• Simon

– Realizes that the beast is not a physical thing – Instinct within, natural human evil

“’I’m warning you. I’m going to get angry. D’you see? You’re not wanted. Understand? We are going to have fun on this island! So don’t try it on, my poor misguided boy, or else-’… Simon was inside the mouth. He fell down and lost consciousness” (144).

– Tells Simon to accept the savagery on the island – Unable to face the truth of what it says

Chapter 9• Simon

– “’What else is there to do?’” (145)• He must face what the others think is the

beast • A visionary

– He doesn’t fear the beast – “Simon saw a humped things suddenly sit up on

the top and look down on him. He hid his face, and toiled on” (146)

» The body is a representation of the true beast» It brings out the worst in the boys » Allow fear to take over and divide them into

groups

Chapter 9

• Jack – Wants power over others

• His animalistic behavior

– Like a God or an idol • “chief”• Cult like in nature and actions

– “’Do our dance! Come on! Dance!’” (151). – Uses the beast to instill fear and worship

Chapter 9

• Jack – Boys civility and culture gone – “Piggy and Ralph, under the threat of the sky,

found themselves eager to take a place in this demented but partly secure society. They were glad to touch the brown backs of the fence that hemmed in the terror and made it governable” (152).

• Uses rituals to motivate the boys • Sense of protection and safety

Chapter 9

• Savagery – “The beast was on its knees in the center, its arms

folded over its face. It was crying out against the abominable noise, something about a body on the hill. The beast struggled forward, broke the ring, and fell over the steep edge of the rock to the sand by the water. At once the crowd surged after it, poured down the rock, leapt on to the beast, screamed, struck, bit, tore. There were no words, and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws”(152-153).

Chapter 9

• Savagery – Simon brings the truth of the beast, but the boys

do not want to hear it – Simon’s confrontation is not complete until he

confronts the true nature of the beast – Boys are living out the beast’s true actions, think

they are playacting as savages • Have become savages

– “teeth and claws”

– Evil and violence within humans

Chapter 9

• Savagery – “Only the beast lay still, a few yards from the

sea. Even in the rain they could see how small a beast it was; and already its blood was staining the sand” (153).

• Immediately realize what they did • Complete loss of civilization and morals• Society is broken into chaos and violence

Chapter 9

• Simon– “Softly, surrounded by a fringe of inquisitive

bright creatures, itself a silver shape beneath the steadfast constellations, Simon’s dead body moved out toward the open sea” (154).

• Visionary • Symbol of divinity sacrificial death

– Like Jesus?

Chapter 10

• Reaction to Simon’s death – Ralph

• “”’That was murder.’” (156).– Honest and realistic – Self-hatred and excitement about what happened

» Realization of murder verses the feeling of uninhibited savagery

• “’I’m frightened. Of us’” (157).– Realizes the downfall of humanity and what they

have become

Chapter 10

• Reaction to Simon’s death – Piggy

• Denies the reality – “’It was dark. There was that- that bloody dance.

There was lightening and thunder and rain. We was scared!’” (156).

– Tries to rationalize their savage instincts – Simon asked for it crawling out of the forest

Chapter 10• Reaction to Simon’s death

– Jack

• “’- and then, the beast might try to come in. You remember how he crawled-…He came- disguised. He may come again even though we gave him the head of our kill to eat. So watch; and be careful’” (160).

–No logic or common sense in regards to what happened

»Becomes paranoid »Uses fear of beast to enhance power and

control