January 2012 Archives

In the novel Lord of the Flies, there are many very meaningful quotes and references to the conch. This novel study has revealed that the conch is more than just a shell. It has a deep and underlying meaning to the dynamics of the events, which occur, on the island for the duration of the novel. Through the use of the conch as a symbol, Golding develops the idea that the civilization and relations between the boys is completely shattered when the conch is crushed by the large rock. This then reveals through microcosm and macrocosm, that democracy is beginning to die in our world today. More dictators are taking over. In the beginning of the novel the conch represents democracy, democratic authority, civilization and order. In the middle of the book the boys start to ignore it more, it is less important to them, and the new tribe of hunters do not respect it. At the end, everything that the conch represents is completely destroyed when it is crushed along with Piggy by the boulder. Cruelty, power, and savagery take over.

In the beginning of the novel, the conch is extremely important to the group of boys. To them it represents democracy, democratic authority, civilization and order. The boys think that the conch is, "ever so valuable"(11).  Such as how important democracy is to a group of individuals to retain social equality. Once the conch was found, it was put to work right away: "We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting"(12).  They used the conch to call assemblies, which shows the importance of democratic authority to the group of boys. Their assemblies and meetings were always very civilized, and they each had their turn to say what they thought about certain things. At a dictators meeting, it would consist of chanting and yelling, and the leader would be the only one to express their opinion. When they began to use the conch to call assemblies, it worked very effectively at the beginning of the novel: "The children gave him the same simple obedience that they had given to the men with the megaphones"(14). This quote shows how attentive and well behaved the children were during the meetings, they were obedient to Ralph and others when they were speaking. When Ralph blew the conch, everyone obeyed him and there was no confusion, or disrespect to him or the conch. So in the first few chapters of the novel, the conch was very important to the boys. It represented democracy, democratic authority, civilization and order, which are very important to maintaining a civilization.

Work Cited

Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. London: Faber, 1954. Print.

Layers of Savagery

On the surface Lord of the Flies seems like a simple Robinsonade about a few kids who get stranded on an island and have to survive. However, when you look a little deeper into the novel it has many layers. There are ideas and lessons in the book that may actually be a little frightening and open your eyes to ideas previously unknown. One of these layers is savagery. Throughout the novel the children on the island slowly become more savage in nature; some fight it; some embrace it. This idea of savagery is trying to portray the idea of what is happening to our society and world. We are slowing going back to primitive ways of life. In the novel the boys become savage in a few ways, each of which relate to our world. First, their looks gradually become more primitive and savage. Second, they become more like animals in action and movement. Last, their personalities and behavior change to be more savage.

            At the beginning of the novel the boys are all wearing there uniforms and clothes, this changes quite quickly however. In the opening scene of lord of the Flies Ralph, "had taken off his school sweater and trailed it from one hand"(1). This shows that the boys are originally neat looking boys with nice uniforms. This however changes very quickly as one of the first things Ralph does is take off all his clothes and go swimming. This act of wearing no clothes is originally an act of innocence as it shows that he has no worries or regrets about being naked. But later when Jack is wearing nothing, "except for a pair of tattered shorts held up by a knife belt"(48), the feeling changes more to savagery. This is because ripped shorts and a knife give the idea that he looks like a primitive hunter in the forest who wants to kill something. Jack is not the only one whose appearance has changed. At the beginning of the novel Ralph is, "the fair haired boy"(1). This changes a lot, at the middle of the novel Ralph, "flung the mass back" and wanted to "cut this filthy hair right back to half an inch"(119).  This shows how much his appearance has changed, but also how he wants to fight the savagery and be more civilized. The children's change in appearance was made very clear, in fact one child was described as "a savage whose image refused to blend with that ancient picture of a boy in shorts and shirt"(203). This quote solidifies the fact that that the kids are becoming more savage, and that their looks reflect that. This idea easily connects to the real world in the sense that the clothes people are wearing now are very different and than only a few years ago. In 1945, which is only 66 years ago, women's bathing suits were one piece and covered their whole chest and stomach; now a woman can wear a strapless top and a thong bikini, and not even be looked at strange. Also a man could wear a speedo and it would be fine. Also most of the world is below the poverty line and they live in filth and dirt. These two points show how are world has some similarities to Lord of the Flies, and that at our current rate we are following what Golding predicted and we may want to be aware of this.

Work Cited

Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. London: Faber, 1954. Print

I wake up to the calming scent of the fresh sea breeze seeping through the large open windows beside my bed. My husband is silent with slumber, as it is exceptionally early for any other person to be awake. I quietly leave the room to let him rest a while longer. As I tiptoe down the hallway, I peek into my darling daughter Maddie's room. She is deep in sleep, lying with her vibrant stuffed animals. I step soundlessly down the staircase to make myself a mug of tea.

Every morning I walk down to the beach to sit and watch the sunrise. Our house is built on a plot of land with a private bay, off the coast of British Columbia. My husband built our dream home 2 years ago, which we have been planning together ever since we were young. Our love for each other is stronger than anything, and it has been like that since I was 14 years old. He is my best friend, and I can tell him anything.

            I take a sip of the steaming tea and I squish my toes into the sand. After a few minutes I feel the breath of another on my neck. My spouse sits down beside me, and wraps a blanket around our shoulders. It is summer here, but the cool morning wind from the Pacific will chill your body in seconds. We sit here together, watching the radiant sun take its place in the sky.  

            I decide to go back up to the house to check on Maddie, and put some breakfast on for us. She is awake and playing with her Barbie's and multiple stuffed critters. I love to look at her; she is the most beautiful child I have ever laid my eyes on. Her thick golden hair falls upon her plump rosy cheeks, as she reaches into her chest full of toys. Her big and beautiful hazel eyes light up, as she sees me leaning against her door. She runs towards me with open arms, and I pick her up into an embrace and swing her around in circles. We laugh together; her laugh makes my heart sing. My husband comes in and we all hug and howl with laughter together.

            I go back to the kitchen to start making the muffins. My partner tries to help, but we just end up throwing the ingredients at each other like children. Maddie hears the laughing and the screaming and she joins in. I call a truce when we are all covered from head to toe with flour, eggs and other ingredients. My husband picks Maddie and I up and carries us down to the water to wash off. When we are all dried off from the warm sun, we go back up to the house.  I make the muffins with the remaining ingredients, and clean up with my hubby.

            As soon as I put the muffins in the oven, I take Maddie to her room to get dressed. I open the doors to her closet, and she pulls open her dresser drawers. We have the same sense of style so it's easy to pick out an outfit together. We pick it out and she gets dressed, then afterwards she helps me with my outfit. It seems like just yesterday she was born. Time really does pass quickly when you take pleasure in

every moment of every day. I lift her up onto my shoulders and we go back out to the kitchen to check on our homemade chocolate chip banana muffins.

            We eat them out on the porch by the water. It is the most beautiful view, something that could be on a postcard. The wind blows the pine trees back and forth, and the ocean spreads as far as you can see. It is the perfect place to have a family and raise children.

            The three of us walk into town for lunch. We see our friends in their yards on the way, and we stop to chat for a few minutes. We have been living here since my husband and I finished university, and we have gotten to know many great people. Maddie decides to bring along one of her friends with us to town. There is a restaurant there that makes fresh homemade fries. It is our regular Saturday afternoon lunch spot.

After we finish eating, we stroll around town in the shops. So many tourists come to this part of B.C. because it is so peaceful. It is a small town, but not too far from the city. It is right next to the ocean, but also very close to the mountains.

            We head home, as it is time for Maddie's afternoon nap. This is the precious time that my husband and I get to spend with each other.  We tuck her into bed and go to the kitchen to get a tub of chocolate ice cream and 2 spoons. We take it back up to our room and lie on our bed eating the rich ice cream and talking to each other.

Hours pass and yet we don't run out of things to talk about. We could talk for days on end and never ever run out of things to say to each other.

            It is roughly 2 O'clock when we hear sounds in Maddie's room. We go to check on her and she is awake, and changing into her bathing suit, I change into mine as well and we head back down to the beach. We both share a passion for swimming.

            We spend hours swimming through each others legs, doing handstands, and having competitions to see how long we can hold our breath for. My husband comes into the water too, and he brings a ball and we play catch. We spend hours in the water.  If I could, I would live in the water. It makes me so happy and it just feels right. I coach the local swim team, and I have been for many years now. It is so exciting for me to get to know the kids and help them develop their skills. Maddie is eager to join the team when she is old enough, and I am excited for her.

            I leave my life partner, with Maddie on his lap, down by the water. I go back up to the house to make dinner for us. I decide to make my favorite dinner for the family; a juicy and tender fillet mignon, a twice-baked potato stuffed with bacon and cheese, a side of broccoli, and a fresh loaf of Italian bread.

            Once we finish eating, we clean up the dishes as a family, and sing songs together. My husband runs to get his guitar from our room, so he can play along

with us. We parade around our house belting songs, dancing like fools, and giggling uncontrollably. 

            After dinner we put Maddie to bed in her warm and cozy pajamas, I read her a bedtime story, and her daddy lies down beside her.  When I finish reading the book she is sleeping silently.  We quietly leave the room and shut the door behind us. My husband and I pick out a movie and take it to our room to watch.

            Once it is finished we get into bed and hold one another in our arms and lie there in silence. Some moments of silence connect us in a way that words will never be able to do.  Just gazing into his eyes makes my heart race, and my stomach fill with butterflies. I know, and I always have known, that this is the kind of love that will never die.

Fabian Liebermann

Mr. Newman

ENG2Dd (English)

12/5/2011

Democracy shown through the symbol of the conch

In the Lord of the Flies

Over the course of the novel the Lord of the Flies by William Golding, symbols are described for having a significant role in the lives and lifestyle of the boys on the island. An important symbol is the conch, which follows the children from the beginning of the novel when Piggy and Ralph first find the conch, until the end when it gets destroyed, at the exact time of Piggy's death. The conch is portrayed as a symbol of democracy and order, two important factors for a working community. Throughout the novel, the conch's importance and meaning are changed and forgotten eventually, showing a decline from a democracy to an almost dictatorship, as this symbol loses its value.

         As time progresses the boys become more uncivilized through mostly acts of Jack, as he is not for the democracy and therefore the symbol of the conch. The conch maintains a symbol of free will, respect and democracy over the course of the novel, yet it loses its value steadily as the novel progresses. In one of the meetings the boys have, when Simon gives his thoughts about the conch, and how he believes that there might be a beast but that it is only a figure of fear and not a realistic "beast", there is tumult among the boys, so Ralph shouts: "Hear him! He's got the conch" (96). This shows that the conch has a big part in holding order and having a diplomatic and democratic conversation in the way that everyone gets to speak their mind. Later in the novel when Jack and two of the other as described "savages" come to Ralph's tribe and ask them to join their feast on the freshly caught pig tonight, Piggy assumes the "savages" are there to steal the conch and holds it protected near him on an elevated position. When the savages leave, "the group of boys [look] at the white shell with affectionate respect" (155-156). The way Golding describes this shows us the massive respect that the kids have for the conch and how they cherish the meaning and symbol of the conch and don't want it taken away. The last event the conch is talked it about is, when Roger sets off the rock to kill Piggy, which takes Piggy's life, yet also in that exact moment, "the conch [explodes] into a thousand white fragments and [ceases] to exist" (200). This event literally can be described as the destruction of the minimal democratic way that was still present at this time in the novel, as the event after clearly shows, when Jack's tribe, which is everyone beside Ralph, goes on a hunt and turns into an uncivilized and barbaric act to kill Ralph. All of these example show that the conch clearly is a symbol of democracy and order, but its value declines over the course of the novel until in the end all democracy, by the final act of the destruction of the conch. 

Elizabeth Hodgson

Mr. Newman

ENG 2D

Dec. 5^th

Wolf in Sheep's Skin- Lord Of The Flies

In the book Lord of the Flies Golding uses themes and symbols to covey underlying messages throughout the novel. Golding is developing the idea that the beast is linked to savagery. Fear is the thing that brings out the more savage side of people. In scenes throughout the novel, like when Simon is mentioning the beast in a meeting and everyone is getting scared and angry, when the tribes are attacking Simon because they think he is the beast, and when the tribes are dancing and pretending to hunt Roger, anytime the beast is mentioned, the boys experience fear, and then they revert to a more primal state of savagery. The boys are the sheep, and the wolf is hiding inside, waiting for fear to bring the other side out.  

When Ralph calls a meeting to discuss the beast, Simon mentions that the beast might just be the boy's themselves, and the boy's get angry and act savagely. An example of this is when the boys start shouting, "'Sod you!' 'Shut Up!'"(96). The boys get stressed, and the scene turns into chaos. As soon as the beast gets mentioned, the boys get scared, and this fear leads to violence. The wording that Golding uses is very short and simple "'Sit Down', 'Shut Up'" (96). This also reflects the primitive nature. Because the beast is a sort of metaphor for fear, whenever it is mentioned, the fear in the boys takes them over, and to counteract that they act violently to feel safer. Simon also finds it hard to speak after everyone's outbreak: "Simon became inarticulate in the effort to express mankind's essential illness" (96). This demonstrates that the only boy who realizes what the beast is is the one who does not succumb to the fear it inspires. Because fear is what brings the beast out, Simon is one of the only boys who does not act savagely. This shows that understanding and knowledge and civilization all combat the fear the beast influences. When the boys concentrate on the beast they lose sight of the goal they are trying to achieve, getting home. Simon still is a sheep, but he understands that there is a wolf inside him as well.

On a stranded island filled with littluns, everyone wants to be heard. One method for doing this is by using a conch; it is their only version of a megaphone! Through the use of the conch as a symbol in Lord of the Flies, Golding develops the idea that organization, democracy and civilization are needed for a society to function. In the beginning of the novel, the conch brought organization and unity to a civilized community. As the novel progresses, the democracy shown by using the conch becomes less crucial to the boys' survival, and more irrelevant. As their sense of civilization vanishes and the horrors of humanity are displayed, the conch is no longer a useful tool for leadership and organization.

It has been said that, "decency must be an even more exhausting state to maintain than its opposite" (Crisp). During the falling action of Lord of the Flies, the conch illustrates how the boys' right judgment and civilization completely disappear. In addition to this, we can see how their sense of decency deteriorates into a sense savagery! An example of this is shown just after the boys disperse in the middle of an assembly. Ralph says to Piggy, "If I blow the conch and they don't come back; then we've had it. We shan't keep the fire going. We'll be like animals" (99). Though this quote we can conclude that the conch has lost its importance and power because the hunters' savage actions have overpowered any authority the conch once had in providing civilization. Furthermore, we can see the demise of decency when the savages at Castle Rock ignore Ralph's attempt in reasoning with them with his use of the conch. For the last time, Ralph says, "I'm calling an assembly" (195). Instead of listening, "Jack made a rush and stabbed at Ralph's chest within his spear" (196). This event confirms that having ownership of the "ever so valuable" (11) conch doesn't mean anything anymore! By this time, the conch becomes transparent and more fragile than ever before. Similarly, the boys' civilization is also delicate. Lastly, Golding develops the idea that civilization is necessary in a community when Roger throws a rock that strikes Piggy. As a result, the conch held by Piggy explodes "into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist" (200). This shows the errant boys and their lack of respect for each other. Parallel to losing their respect, the shell that once governed a political legitimacy, was lost too. Through the conch, these examples show that the boys' society on the island is not adequate because of the community's lack of civilization; therefore, civilization is needed.

Works Cited

Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. London: Faber, 1954. Print.

Crisp, Quentin. "Brainy Quotes." Decency Quotes 2 January 2012

<http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/decency.html>.

Tristan Mills

Mr. Newman

ENG2O

3 December, 2011

The Literary Use Of Fire In Lord Of The Flies

Fire is a fickle thing. It can harm or heal, depending on how it's used as a tool. In Lord Of The Flies, fire is shown in different ways to reflect on the way the boys use fire and how it affects them. Through the use of fire, Golding develops the idea that tools only do things based on their users, whether the users intend to do something or not. In the novel, the three states of fire are: under control, out, and out of control, each one doing different things to reflect on the boys based on their actions and state of mind.

...

...

When the fire is out of control the boys are either behaving rashly or savagely, leading the fire to go out of control. During the first incident with fire, the boys start a fire without thinking it through and Piggy says: "Then when you get here you build a bonfire that isn't no use. Now you been and set the whole island on fire. Won't we look funny if the whole island burns up?"(46). The boys were excited about a fire and ran off with Jack to start it. By behaving rashly they set a large part of the island on fire, killing the boy with the birthmark, if not more littluns. Right before the final chaos starts, Ralph notices that  "Smoke [is] seeping through the branches in white and yellow wisps, the patch of blue sky over head [began to turn] to the colour of a storm cloud, and then the smoke [billowing] around him"(216). Here the fire is getting started but from the tribe of boys, it is clear that the fire will soon be out of control due to their lack of care. Finally, near the end of the novel Ralph notices: "Now the fire was nearer... The fools! The fire must be almost be at the fruit trees - what would they eat tomorrow"(220). With the savage state the boys are in, the fire gets out of control on their hunt for Ralph. The fire and the boys are similar at this point in time because the boys lead the fire to be destructive. When the boys are in a state to let or make the fire get out of control it represents their inability to think properly so that they don't see that it is hindering them.

Keenan Carragher

Mr. Newman

ENG2D

Monday, December 5, 2011

Piggy's Glasses: an Exploration in Civilization and Savagery

In the novel Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, the author uses various objects as symbols that undergo radical changes throughout the novel as the theme they are representing changes. Through his use of the symbol of Piggy's glasses, Golding communicates the idea that knowledge, wisdom, intelligence and civilization can be used for the good of the people or ignored altogether. Piggy's glasses play an important role throughout the novel and the affect they have on the novel changes as we pass the major points in the novel such as the introduction of Piggy, when the fire goes out and the passing ship does not notice them, and when Simon encounters the Lord of the Flies.

After Simon returns from where he "talked" to the Lord of the Flies, civilization has been forgotten and the savagery among the boys is released. After the hunters kill Simon thinking he is the beast, Ralph and Piggy return from their camp. In the morning they are silent until Ralph brings up the events of last night, "That was murder[Jack says this]." "You stop it!" [says] Piggy shrilly. "What good're doing talking about it"(193).This shows that Piggy, the figure of intelligence and knowledge, is trying to unlearn what happened the night before. This is relevant because it has always been Piggy who has tried to talk sense into the boys about the tales of the beast, and he now also is trying to come up with a reason why they killed Simon, but this time he tries to reason because the alternative is too horrible and scares Piggy. This is important because Piggy was never scared of the beast, only the people around him. It is almost as if Piggy(knowledge) is trying to forget knowledge. Later, when it is night time, Piggy and Ralph along with Samn'eric are ambushed in their hut. In the resulting melee, Ralph manages to get in some good hits on his opponents before the fled. Thinking they had come for the conch, Ralph asks Piggy if the conch has been taken. Piggy replies "They didn't come for the conch. They came for something else. Ralph, what am I going to do?"(207). Outside the hut, the hunters from Jack's group run back to their camp excitedly, and from their leader's "left hand dangles Piggy's glasses"(207). This event perfectly portrays how Jack and his group are turning away from civilization, ignoring wisdom,  because instead of asking for the glasses, they use brute force. Also, it is as if intelligence (Piggy) can do nothing to stop savagery (Jack) without civilization (Piggy's glasses). This attack indeed leaves Piggy useless and reliant on the others. As Piggy and the others go to get his glasses back, they are confronted by Jack and his hunters. After Jack and Ralph fight with their spears, Roger gets bored and sends the boulder crashing down on Ralph and Piggy from the Castle Rock. Ralph manages to leap to the side but Piggy does not, and "the rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee"(222), causing him to fall forty feet down a cliff and break his skull. This event can simply be portrayed as the death of civilization and intelligence on the island, leaving savagery to take over. From these examples it is clearly evident that if the naval vessel had not picked the boys up, the school boys would have gone completely savage and killed each other off eventually.

Sources Cited

In the Lord of the Flies, a group of boys have been stranded on an island in a plane crash. These boys have put together a small society in which they attempt to enforce rules and routines, with the conch acting as a symbol of democracy. Golding develops the idea that the conch represents the many parts of democracy as a whole, and when democracy is put under too much pressure it may fail. In Lord of the Flies, the conch is used to symbolize democracy, authority, and order.

Primarily, Golding enforces the idea that the conch represents democracy, so when the conch falls apart, so does the democracy. Democracy means that everyone has input into making decisions, and everyone has a voice. The conch is used as a democratic symbol because when any of the boys are holding the conch, they are allowed to speak and everyone will listen: "Conch? That's what this shell's called. I'll give the conch to the next person to speak" (31). This shows that using the conch, everyone gets a chance to speak and give his or her opinion. As the novel progresses, a lot of pressure is put on the democratic system that the boys have implemented, and it starts to fail. This pressure includes the fear growing among the boys, and the forces working against the system, which is mainly Jack. At one point, Jack tries to take control and overrule the conch: " 'Conch, conch!' shouted Jack, 'we don't need the conch anymore, we know who ought to say things'" (110). This particular quote represents a turning point in the novel, when Jack devalues the conch so that he can have more power among the boys. As the conch loses value, so does democracy. Eventually, when "the conch exploded into 1,000 white fragments and ceased to exist" (200), the democracy also failed and the boys' society became chaos. When the conch was smashed and democracy failed, Jack, the force acting against democracy, rose above as a dictator. Therefore the idea that Golding has developed about the conch symbolizing democracy is that in the face of fear, democracy and order may fail.