Chapters seven and eight: pages 109-144
Don't you love when you finally understand the title of a book? It makes you feel so accomplished and special (even though in this particular case the title was stated right in the text, but I can pretend that I "figured" it out and stuff). But honestly I love when I finally understand the title I feel like all my life goals have been accomplished in just that one particular section. But anyways, we will get back to that later :) |
But, since it's easier to understand in chronological order, we will start with chapter seven! One thing that I noticed while reading is the way that Golding uses different areas on the island to characterize the personalities and current feelings of the boys. He writes like the island itself is a character, and that the island is messing with each boy's personal limits- now I'm probably starting to sound like Simon. But anyways, In one section, Golding describes the island's barriers. On one side of the lagoon, the island gives the boys hope; but on the other side, the boys feel helpless and trapped.
"This was the divider, the barrier. On the other side of the island, swathed at midday with mirage, defended by the shield of the quiet lagoon, one might dream of rescue; but here, faced by the brute obtuseness of the ocean, the miles of division, one was clamped down, one was helpless, one was condemned, one was-" (Golding 110-111)
I just thought it was super cool how Golding chose to use setting as a character. But actually, if you think about it, the setting usually has everything to do with plot, and setting can also be argued as a "character" in other novels too- like in A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.
Another thing that I liked while reading this section was the amount of contrasts that Golding used while writing. This is just one example, but in chapter seven, Golding writes one large section about Ralph remembering his home life. Then right after he adds a paragraph that kind of forces Ralph back into reality. Ralph has finally come to terms with the fact that he may not return home for a very long time, or maybe not at all. He is getting sad, and hopeless. Although this section may be depressing, and it also may dwindle the reader's hope for Ralph, I love this section. Throughout the entire novel, Ralph has been characterized as this extremely tough guy who can handle anything. But, the truth of the matter is that he is still a kid. He has feelings, he misses home, and at his assumed age, he is supposed to be the one getting taken care of, not the caretaker. Ralph is becoming stressed and is constantly questioning his abilities (Just in case your curious, this contrast section is on pages 112 and 113. The good natured feelings of home are on page 112, and then the contrast is literally broken by the page, and the second half section based on reality is on the top of 113).
The more that Ralph loses hope in himself, and the more tired he gets of holding responsibility, he starts to slip into someone that he doesn't want to be. In one section of the reading, Ralph starts to understand why Jack gets so bloodthirsty over the hunt. As all the boys go looking through the woods for the beast, they stop along the way to hunt because they found a pig trail. Ralph feels the after effects of the adrenaline from hunting, and he starts to show signs of animalistic behavior.
Another thing that I liked while reading this section was the amount of contrasts that Golding used while writing. This is just one example, but in chapter seven, Golding writes one large section about Ralph remembering his home life. Then right after he adds a paragraph that kind of forces Ralph back into reality. Ralph has finally come to terms with the fact that he may not return home for a very long time, or maybe not at all. He is getting sad, and hopeless. Although this section may be depressing, and it also may dwindle the reader's hope for Ralph, I love this section. Throughout the entire novel, Ralph has been characterized as this extremely tough guy who can handle anything. But, the truth of the matter is that he is still a kid. He has feelings, he misses home, and at his assumed age, he is supposed to be the one getting taken care of, not the caretaker. Ralph is becoming stressed and is constantly questioning his abilities (Just in case your curious, this contrast section is on pages 112 and 113. The good natured feelings of home are on page 112, and then the contrast is literally broken by the page, and the second half section based on reality is on the top of 113).
The more that Ralph loses hope in himself, and the more tired he gets of holding responsibility, he starts to slip into someone that he doesn't want to be. In one section of the reading, Ralph starts to understand why Jack gets so bloodthirsty over the hunt. As all the boys go looking through the woods for the beast, they stop along the way to hunt because they found a pig trail. Ralph feels the after effects of the adrenaline from hunting, and he starts to show signs of animalistic behavior.
"They got his arms and legs. Ralph, carried away by a sudden thick excitement, grabbed Eric's spear and jabbed at Robert with it.
'Kill him! Kill him!'
...
Ralph too was fighting to get near, to get a handful of that brown, vulnerable flesh. The desire to squeeze and hunt was over-mastering." (Golding 114-115)
Obviously, the boys were just playing a "game". But clearly they all get a little over-excited over pretending to kill each other. So I think that this joke, is much more than a joke. It's a sign that they are all slowly turning into savages (even though Jack seems to think that won't won't happen because they are english haha the irony).
Next Ralph, Roger, and Jack break away from the group and start to look for the beast on their own. During this little trip, the reader can clearly notice the internal battle Ralph is facing between showing power or giving into responsibility and safety. After some thought, Ralph knows that this little adventure he just embarked upon is NOT a good idea. They are just 3 little boys with sticks for weapons who are prepared to go fight a monstrous beast- great idea right? But, he doesn't want to turn back because he wants to make sure no one gets left behind. But mostly, he wants to prove to Jack that he is just as brave as he is. Also, during this section Ralph finally asks Jack why he hates him, which was long overdue.
But of course, Ralph still shows signs of natural leadership. He is frequently surprised by his abilities to remain calm in tough situations.
Next Ralph, Roger, and Jack break away from the group and start to look for the beast on their own. During this little trip, the reader can clearly notice the internal battle Ralph is facing between showing power or giving into responsibility and safety. After some thought, Ralph knows that this little adventure he just embarked upon is NOT a good idea. They are just 3 little boys with sticks for weapons who are prepared to go fight a monstrous beast- great idea right? But, he doesn't want to turn back because he wants to make sure no one gets left behind. But mostly, he wants to prove to Jack that he is just as brave as he is. Also, during this section Ralph finally asks Jack why he hates him, which was long overdue.
But of course, Ralph still shows signs of natural leadership. He is frequently surprised by his abilities to remain calm in tough situations.
[Boys heard a noise]
"Ralph surprised himself, not so much by the quality of his voice, which was even, but by the bravado of his intention.
'We'll go and look.'
For the first time since he had first known Jack, Ralph could feel him hesitate." (Golding 122)
LIKE WHAT'S UP JACK WHO'S BRAVER NOW?!
Plus, I think that Golding slid in an insult towards Jack in this section as well which made me smile.
Plus, I think that Golding slid in an insult towards Jack in this section as well which made me smile.
Then finally the three boys all see the mystical beast and they run home.
Listen, I know this is a very long blog and you're probably exasperated from reading it, but I promise we are almost there. Moving on to chapter 8!
Ralph is having issues at the beginning of this chapter. He is full on flipping out on everybody because he never expected the beast to be real. He doesn't know what to do about the signal fire because the beast hangs out there now for warmth and protection, like a moth to a light. Then, to make matters worse, Jack blows the conch instead of Ralph. This is a clear sign that Jack is undermining Ralph's leadership, and just this one simple action foreshadows to the readers that something is about to go down.
And of course, with Jack around, this happened.
Jack asked all the boys if they still wanted to have Ralph as a chief, and if not to raise their hands. No one raised their hands. Then Jack freaked out and told everyone that if they wanted to be with him, to meet him in the woods. But if not, then just to leave him alone. He cried and ran away. I think that this section really says something about Jack. Jack is shown to be stubborn, spiteful, and obnoxious. He can't handle taking orders from anyone but himself, and he also needs to be the best at everything. In a less serious matter, Jack and Ralph's relationship reminds me of Michael Scott's and Toby Flenderson's relationship from the office. Michael feels threatened and annoyed by Toby. He also doesn't like that Toby has the power to undermine his authority because he works in corporate. Plus, I think that Michael feels insecure around Toby, the same for Jack and Ralph. Here is a really long mash up of Toby vs. Michael from the office :)
Listen, I know this is a very long blog and you're probably exasperated from reading it, but I promise we are almost there. Moving on to chapter 8!
Ralph is having issues at the beginning of this chapter. He is full on flipping out on everybody because he never expected the beast to be real. He doesn't know what to do about the signal fire because the beast hangs out there now for warmth and protection, like a moth to a light. Then, to make matters worse, Jack blows the conch instead of Ralph. This is a clear sign that Jack is undermining Ralph's leadership, and just this one simple action foreshadows to the readers that something is about to go down.
And of course, with Jack around, this happened.
Jack asked all the boys if they still wanted to have Ralph as a chief, and if not to raise their hands. No one raised their hands. Then Jack freaked out and told everyone that if they wanted to be with him, to meet him in the woods. But if not, then just to leave him alone. He cried and ran away. I think that this section really says something about Jack. Jack is shown to be stubborn, spiteful, and obnoxious. He can't handle taking orders from anyone but himself, and he also needs to be the best at everything. In a less serious matter, Jack and Ralph's relationship reminds me of Michael Scott's and Toby Flenderson's relationship from the office. Michael feels threatened and annoyed by Toby. He also doesn't like that Toby has the power to undermine his authority because he works in corporate. Plus, I think that Michael feels insecure around Toby, the same for Jack and Ralph. Here is a really long mash up of Toby vs. Michael from the office :)
Ralph is shocked. But he has no other choice but to move on. Piggy is glad that Jack is gone because he finally has a voice, and he is able to share his ideas with the group. Piggy decided to make a new fire down near the platform and the beach, so now this is where Ralph's group is inhabiting.
Although, one predication that I'm nervous about is whether the beast will slowly migrate to the beach. After the warmth of the fire from the mountain dies down, will it go searching for more fire? And of course, there is always the constant question of whether the beast is actually a beast at all.
Anyways, sadly and surprisingly, most of the bigger boys end up leaving Ralph. Which I don't understand at all. Yes, they want to have fun- and that would mean they should go with Jack. But, if they want to keep their humanity and their decency, they should stay with Ralph. Obviously, they do not see this yet.
Another thing about setting that I noticed is that Ralph's side of the island seems to represent hope and dreams, while Jack's territory represents the opposite. Hopefully the big kids will realize which leader is the smart choice to follow.
Okay, this next section really creeped me out. It's the part where Jack's group goes hunting for pig meat. First of all, once they find the pigs, Jack immediately chooses the largest pig. But, what he fails to see because he's Jack, is that she is a mother pig with many piglets. So him and his men then chase after the mother. This will eventually leave her piglets to die without food given to them from mom, which Jack is too bloodthirsty to understand. Plus, another thing that Golding did that made me even more sick to my stomach while reading is when he contrasted the beauty of the island with the horrible actions of humans.
Although, one predication that I'm nervous about is whether the beast will slowly migrate to the beach. After the warmth of the fire from the mountain dies down, will it go searching for more fire? And of course, there is always the constant question of whether the beast is actually a beast at all.
Anyways, sadly and surprisingly, most of the bigger boys end up leaving Ralph. Which I don't understand at all. Yes, they want to have fun- and that would mean they should go with Jack. But, if they want to keep their humanity and their decency, they should stay with Ralph. Obviously, they do not see this yet.
Another thing about setting that I noticed is that Ralph's side of the island seems to represent hope and dreams, while Jack's territory represents the opposite. Hopefully the big kids will realize which leader is the smart choice to follow.
Okay, this next section really creeped me out. It's the part where Jack's group goes hunting for pig meat. First of all, once they find the pigs, Jack immediately chooses the largest pig. But, what he fails to see because he's Jack, is that she is a mother pig with many piglets. So him and his men then chase after the mother. This will eventually leave her piglets to die without food given to them from mom, which Jack is too bloodthirsty to understand. Plus, another thing that Golding did that made me even more sick to my stomach while reading is when he contrasted the beauty of the island with the horrible actions of humans.
"They were just behind her [the mother pig] when she staggered into an open space where bright flowers grew and butterflies danced round each other and the air was hot and still.
Here, struck down by the heat, the sow fell and the hunters hurled themselves at her. This dreadful eruption from an unknown world made her frantic; she squealed and bucked and the air was full of sweat and noise and blood and terror.... Then Jack found the throat and the hot blood spouted over his hands. The sow collapsed....The butterflies still danced, preoccupied in the center of the clearing." (Golding 135)
I also thought that Golding was trying to make a statement on humans by adding the butterflies into the text. Could the beautiful but uncaring butterflies represent mankind? Could it show that we consistently, as a group, turn our heads away or accept something that we believe to be normal, to be what is actually horrific?
Anyways, after the boys kill the mother pig they take her head, put it on a stick, and offer it as a gift to the beast. Which is even more messed up because now they are praising their new found skill to kill. Yes, I understand that the boys have to eat. But do they have to kill in such a vicious manner? But, now that new groups are formed, Jack decides to get more recruits by hosting a feast. Plus, he already starts to treat Ralph's group as "prey" by coming up with a strategy to sneak up on them and steal their fire.
Anyways, after the boys kill the mother pig they take her head, put it on a stick, and offer it as a gift to the beast. Which is even more messed up because now they are praising their new found skill to kill. Yes, I understand that the boys have to eat. But do they have to kill in such a vicious manner? But, now that new groups are formed, Jack decides to get more recruits by hosting a feast. Plus, he already starts to treat Ralph's group as "prey" by coming up with a strategy to sneak up on them and steal their fire.
Okay, now that's over. So let's get to the title :) Of course, Simon is the reason that Lord of the Flies got it's name. It's because he is so wise, deep, and awesome. But sadly, Simon is starting to go crazy, but don't all geniuses? Simon unfortunately saw the entire bloody battle between the boys and mother pig. He begins to hallucinate, and he thinks that the pig on the stick is talking to him. |
Now that this pig is talking, Simon is told that the pig on the stick is the "Lord of the Flies" (because he starts to see flies accumulate around the pig when he begins to hallucinate). Now, I'm not quite sure what the entire meaning behind the Lord of the Flies is, but I believe it's a message to Simon to try and keep his humanity with him. Could the pig represent that Jack has now become the Lord of all things terrible (Lord Voldemort haha)? Not only is the pig itself important, but what he has to say causes the readers to perk up and listen. Simon's "humans suck and we are own inner beasts" theory is brought up again with the Lord. Throughout the entire "conversation" the Lord threatens Simon, and assumes he is weak and scared. But one section really made Simon listen.
" 'There isn't anyone to help you. Only me. And I'm the Beast.' " (Golding 143)
But, overall the message that I understood while reading is that the Beast, the Lord, the dead pig, whatever, wants Simon to go back to Ralph. The Lord warns Simon to stick with Ralph, otherwise he will want to "have fun" like the rest of the boys; then he too will turn into a savage.
But, thanks for sticking with this lengthly blog and here are a couple of cool pictures :)
But, thanks for sticking with this lengthly blog and here are a couple of cool pictures :)