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Main characters
The major conflict in Lord of the Flies is the struggle between Jack and Ralph. The fight for who will lead the island represents the clash between a peaceful democracy, as symbolized by Ralph, and a violent dictatorship, as symbolized by Jack.
Strangers from Within
head
The death of Simon is a turning point in “Lord of the Flies”. It represents the completion of their degeneration from civilization to savagery. Simon is kind, thoughtful, sensitive, introvert and helpful by nature; he has a friendly aura about him that is recognised by Ralf as soon as they meet.
Simon, like Jesus, dies in a manner associated with his ideals. Simon was crying out something about a dead man on a hill” (Golding 152). Jesus died because he believed in his identity as the son of God, and Simon died because he adhered to his idea that they were the ‘beastie.
Simon is also brutally murdered by the other boys, who mistake him for the beast. Simon’s death symbolically represents the end of innocence and hope for civility on the island. Simon is innocent in that although he does not have the gift of speech that both Ralph and Jack possess, he understands life more profoundly.
Piggy’s death symbolises savagery, loss of innocence, and chaos. Irony with Piggy Simon’s death is ironic because he was on his way down from the mountain to tell the boys the truth about the beast: the beast was a dead soldier and they had nothing more to fear about.
Juliet Capulet: Young, Naïve, Pure She also loses innocence when she finds out her husband killed her cousin, Tybalt. Her hope for a perfect marriage is gone as she realizes they are still from rival families which comes in between their secret relationship.
Jack kills a pig for the first time in chapter 4 of Lord of the Flies. His first success symbolizes the beginning of his descent into violence and savagery.
Jack is obsessed with killing the pig for reasons of political power, and for personal validation. In Chapter 1, Jack is essentially given a title and task; hunting. However in the same chapter he is unable to kill a pig, presumably because he can’t stomach actually performing the act. He vows not to hesitate again.
The hunters, having actually managed to catch and kill a pig, are so excited and crazed with bloodlust that they barely hear Ralph’s complaints. When Piggy shrilly complains about the hunters’ immaturity, Jack slaps him hard, breaking one of the lenses of his glasses. Jack taunts Piggy by mimicking his whining voice.
So, Jack is not able to kill the pig because killing is not something well bred and civilized people do, even young, impetuous boys. Jack is not hungry enough, desperate enough, or bloodthirsty enough to do it in the first chapter of the novel.
Jack uses fear to hold his power and to continue to wield it. If he convinces the others that the beast is still alive, he keeps fear alive. If he keeps fear alive, he keeps his power, for he and his group will protect the others from what they are unable to fight alone.
In Chapter 4, the boys are on the hunt for the sow, and they chant, “Kill the pig! Cut her throat! Bash her in!” Later in Chapter 9, the boys simulate a hunt using Roger as the pig, and they chant, “Kill the beast!
Ralph does not take part in killing a pig. He is with Jack in chapter 1, when they first see a pig and Jack makes a weak attempt at killing the pig. Ralph is in charge of the builders, so he does not go out on hunts with Jack and his tribe. Ralph does partake of eating the pig caught by Jack in chapter 4.
Overall, Jack’s hatred towards Ralph stems from his jealousy and a fundamental difference in ideology regarding civilization vs. anarchy. After this the dislike that Jack has for Ralph begins to grow and by the time of the second election, in which Ralph again wins, Jack hates Ralph and is determined to take him down.
Lord of the Flies Chapter 6 Beast from Air & Chapter 7 Shadows and Tall Trees
Question | Answer |
---|---|
Who hit the boar with his spear? | Jack (p.113) |
Who got hurt playing the role of the pig? | Roger (p.114) |
Who went through the forest alone to tell Piggy that the group hunting the beast wouldn’t be back until after dark? | Simon (p.117) |