Yr 9 English
Close Study of Text
Lord of the Flies
Term 4, 2011
Mrs Khan
PRE-READING
PREDICTION ACTIVITIES
1. TITLE OF THE BOOK - LORD OF THE FLIES.
 Who do you think is the Lord of the Flies?
 What do you think the book is going to be about?
2. DECONSTRUCT THE BOOK COVER & BLURB
Graphics
 What predictions can you make from looking at the visual features of
the book cover about the setting, characters, plot and themes?
 Write a sentence on the use of: colour, light, symbols, quality of
images/photograph/ hand sketches/ painting/CGI, colour of font, shot
type.
Layout
 What does the layout of the book cover draw attention to?
 Write a sentence on: salience, foreground, background, middle
ground, organization of image and text.
Language
 What language features, such as adjectives, emotive words,
persuasive techniques, have been used to highlight the strengths of
the book in the blurb at the back?
3. FILM TRAILER, Lord of the Flies (1960). View the film trailer twice to
make some useful predictions about character, plot, setting themes and
context.
Character
 Who? Who are the main characters in the novel and film?
 Write down 3 sentences about ONE character who stands out in the
trailer. Make a prediction about this character’s actions in the
film/novel.
Plot
 What do you think the novel is about? What do the events suggest
about the themes of the film/novel?
Setting
 What do you learn about the setting of the novel?
Themes
 What key theme emerges from your viewing of the trailer?
 In what ways do film techniques, such as casting, setting, music,
camera angles and shots, dialogue, props, costuming, action
sequences, text and narration represent and reinforce this theme?

Give three examples.
UNDERSTANDING CONTEXT
You are to research the CONTEXT of Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies.
In groups of 3-4, research the following and present your findings on an A4
poster:
1. Personal Context – Golding’s Biography, life and times.
2. Social Context
 What was the class structure of British society in the 1940’s 1950’s?
 Identify what seems problematic about this system?
3. Cultural Context – Perceptions about children and boys
 What was Rousseau’s concept of the noble savage?
 What was Golding’s personal observations regarding the
behaviour of boys in the British public school system?
 How have children been traditionally represented in children’s
adventure stories such as Ballantine’s Coral Island?
4. Political Context
 What was Britain’s and Golding’s role in World War II?
 What was the Cold War & what was the arms race?
 Which countries represented liberal democracy and totalitarian
communism?
 What values do the two forms of leaderships promote?
Use the following links and resources to help you in your research:
1.http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/proselordflies
/0prose_lord_flies_contrev1.shtml
2. Introduction to Lord of the Flies by William Golding (podcast). Explanation
by author why he wrote the novel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYnfSV27vLY
3. Britain and World War II:
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/british_declaration_of_war.htm
5. Cold War
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/what%20was%20the%20cold%20war
.htm
6. British Class structure
http://www.vads.ac.uk/learning/designingbritain/html/crd_socreform.html
LITERARY CONTEXT- ALLUSIONS TO ISLAND
ADVENTURES
Many children’s books like, Coral Island, Treasure Island, Swallows and
Amazons, were written about children shipwrecked on imaginary desert
islands. Coral Island by RM Ballantyne, was published in 1857, 100
years before Golding's book, in which three young British boys, Jack,
Ralph and Peterkin, are shipwrecked on a desert island and have to
survive without any adults. Brave and resourceful, they thoroughly
enjoy their experience and there is never a hint of trouble.
Golding alludes to the three books, mentioned above, in the very first
chapter of the Lord of the Flies.
__________________________________________________
Read the following excerpts from Coral Island by Ballantine and
answer the questions below:
‘At last we came among the Coral islands of the Pacific, and I shall
never forget the delight with which I gazed,- when we chanced to pass
one,- at the pure, white, dazzling shores, and the verdant palm trees,
which looked bright and beautiful in the sunshine. And often did we
three long to be landed on one, imagining that we should certainly find
perfect happiness there! Our wish was granted sooner than we
expected’.
(Shipwreck follows)
…..I slowly opened my eyes to meet those of my companion, Jack, who
with a look of intense anxiety, was gazing into my face.
“Speak to us, my dear Ralph,” whispered Jack, tenderly,
“are you better now?”
I smiled and looked up, saying, “Better; why, what do you mean,
Jack? I’m quite well.”
“Then what are you shamming for, and frightening us in this way?”
said Peterkin, smiling through his tears; for the poor boy had been
really under the impression that I was dying.
I now raised myself on my elbow, and putting my hand to my forehead,
found that it had been cut pretty severely, and that I had lost a good
deal of blood.
“Come, come, Ralph,” said Jack, pressing me gently backward, “lie
down, my boy; you’re not right yet. Wet your lips with this water, it’s
cool and clear as crystal. I got it from a spring close at hand. There
now don’t say a word, hold your tongue,” said he, seeing me about to
speak. “I’ll tell you all about it , but you must not utter a syllable till
you have rested well.
…. ‘I knew that we were on an island, for Jack had said so, but whether
it was inhabited or not I did not know. If it should be inhabited, I felt
certain, from all that I had heard of South Sea Islanders, that we
should be roasted alive and eaten. If it should turn out to be
uninhabited, I fancied that we should be starved to death. “Oh!”
thought I, “ if the ship had only stuck on the rocks we might have done
pretty well, for we could have obtained provisions from her, and tools
to enable us to build a shelter, but now – alas! alas! we are lost!”
These last words I uttered aloud in my distress.
“Lost! Ralph?” exclaimed Jack, while a smile overspread his hearty
countenance. “Saved, you should have said. Your cogitations seem to
have taken a wrong road, and led you to a wrong conclusion.”
“Do you know what conclusion I have come to?” said Peterkin. I have
made up my mind that it’s capital,- first rate,- the best thing that ever
happened to us, and the most splendid prospect that ever lay before
three jolly young tars. We’ve got an island all to ourselves. We’ll take
possession in the name of the King; we’ll go and enter the service of its
black inhabitants. Of course we’ll rise naturally to the top of affairs.
White men always do in savage countries. You shall be king, Jack;
Ralph prime minister and I shall be -”
“The court jester,” interrupted Jack.
“No ,” retorted Peterkin, “ I’ll have no title at all. I shall merely accept
a highly responsible situation under government, for you see Jack, I’m
fond of having an enormous salary and nothing to do.”
“But suppose there are no natives?”
“Then we’ll build a charming villa, and plant a lovely garden round it,
stuck all full of the most splendiferous flowers, and we’ll farm the land,
plant, sow, reap, eat, sleep and be merry.”
Questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Who do you think is the narrator of the story? What kind of
narration is this: First, second, third person or omniscient?
Identify ONE advantage and disadvantage of using this kind of
narration.
What kind of relationship exists between Jack, Ralph and
Peterkin? Give examples from the excerpt to support your
observations.
Read the paragraph beginning with, “ I knew we were on an
island”. How valid is the viewpoint of the narrator regarding their
situation?
In contrast to the narrator’s POV, what POV does Peterkin’s
support when he states, ”We’ll take possession in the name of the
King”? What is problematic about Peterkin’s point of view?
Compare this to the first chapter of the novel, Lord of the Flies.
What’s different, what’s the same?
LITERARY CONTEXT:
Romantic concept of the Child
I am as free as Nature first made man,
Ere the base laws of servitude began,
When wild in woods the noble savage ran."
The noble savage was a term that expressed a romantic concept of
humankind. The concept symbolizes the idea that without the bounds of
civilization, without the laws, rules and regulations of society, man is
essentially good.
Extension Activity: Read Wordsworth’s poem: Ode to Intimations of
Immortality to deeper understand the Romantic concept of the child
http://mural.uv.es/horpla/wordsworth.html
The Question - Are people naturally good, but occasionally do bad
things or are people naturally bad and do good things because of laws
and other threats of punishment?
The Answer - If several prep school boys were placed on an island with
no supervision, no trappings of civilization, two possibilities could take
place:
1.
If they got along, then it would mean, people don’t need the
trappings of civilization and are naturally good like the noble
savage.
2.
If they didn’t got along and things start to go badly, then it
would mean that without the laws of society people are naturally
evil.
Essentialist debate:
Do you think humankind is in its essence, essentially good or bad? Give
reasons for your answer.
Reading Comprehension Questions
CHAPTER 1: SOUND OF THE SHELL
Plot
1. What circumstances have brought the boys to the island?
2. Identify 3 potential conflicts that the boys could be involved in.
3. Map the 3 key events that take place in this chapter under exposition.
(Use a double page to start a plotline and keep adding events to it).
Setting
1. Read the opening passage and describe the location of the novel.
Consider the physical features of the island and the season and
include some textual evidence to support you. What evidence do we
get in this opening chapter that the setting is not completely favourable
to human living? Explain
2. Annotate the map of the island. Write a quote from Chapter 1 & 2
about the different places that have been identified.
Character
1. Read closely the descriptions of Ralph, Piggy, Jack, Simon and
Roger. How are they different; what do you think they symbolise and
provide examples and quotes from the text to support you.
Theme
1. What is mob mentality or herd instinct? What evidence of following the
herd instinct is found in this chapter?
2. Use the table below to list down the characters & symbols that
potentially represent and uphold the rituals of civilization and
savagery.
Rituals of Civilisation
Rituals of Savagery
Characters and symbols
Characters and symbols
Language Study
1. Identify and provide specific examples of the language techniques
used in the orientation to:
 Establish the setting
 Introduce/describe the characters.
Symbolism
1. What do the following symbols represent:
 Conch
 Piggy’s glasses
 Fruit
 Fire
SETTING
Paradise or Hell?
The island plays an important part in the novel. We see it first as a
paradise - it is a place of 'enchantment', where 'flower and fruit grew
together on the same tree.' Yet it is also full of dangers.
The table lists some of the things the boys find on their island, with
descriptions that suggest either an island paradise - or something more
frightening or sinister. You can probably think of other aspects of the
island that at first seem welcoming, but turn out to be the opposite
Add more examples as you continue reading.
Heaven and Hell in Lord of the Flies
The
sea:
The
heat:
Fruit:
The
lagoo
n:
Paradise
"The white surf flicked the coral
reef."
"The water was warmer than
[Ralph's] blood and he might have
been swimming in a huge bath."
"Everywhere was the scent of
ripeness."
"Inside [the lagoon] was peacock
water, rocks and weed showing as in
an aquarium."
Hell on Earth
"...the long, grinding roar
of the breakers on the
beach "
The heat hit him.
"They were now used to
stomach-aches and a sort
of chronic diarrhoea."
"The swell... seemed like
the breathing of some
stupendous creature."
SETTING
QUOTES ON SETTING IN CHAPTER _____________________________
FEATURE OF THE
ISLAND
PARADISE
HELL
CHAPTER 2: FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN
Plot
1. Of the three conflicts that you had predicted in Chapter 1, did you
envisage the beastie as being one of them? Explain why or why not.
2. Explain the plan the boys have to be rescued.
3. How do the boys start the fire? What happens to it?
4. Map the 3 key events of this chapter on your plotline under rising
action.
Character:
1. What is the beastie? Different characters have different viewpoints
about it. Identify each of the different points of view before answering
the question. (Use table provided)
2. What happens to the little boy with the mark on his face?
3. How is Piggy’s point of view different from the rest of the boys? What
does he symbolize? Explain your answer.
4. Make a table of the other boys on the island and what do they
represent.
Setting:
1. Pick a statement and support it with evidence from the text.
 The boys are interacting with the natural setting without
understanding the risks fully.
 The setting and the elements are hostile and unfavourable and
cruelly take the lives of man and beast that come in its way.
Language
1. What is an allegory? What allegorical purpose is Golding trying to
communicate through the events of this chapter?
2. What is an allusion? What does the fire on the mountain symbolize in
Biblical scripture? How does the fire on the mountain in this chapter
compare to the Biblical allusion?
Theme
1. In the conflict between Man and Nature, who wins in this chapter?
How do you feel about it and to what extent does the fate of this event
foreshadow the fates of events to come?
SYMBOL OF THE BEAST
Use the table below to keep track of the development of the symbol of the beast in the
novel.
Chapter Who
What is said about the
What is the
/ Page
mentions Beast? ( Include quotes)
importance of the
number
the
Beast at this point
Beast?
in the novel?
Ch 2
Ch 3
Ch 5
Ch 6
Ch 7
Ch 8
Ch 9
Ch 12
CHAPTER 3: HUTS ON THE BEACH
Plot
1. Map the 3 key events of this chapter on your plotline under rising action.
Character
1. Why does Ralph feel it’s important to have shelter for the little ones?
2. What are the various jobs assigned to the boys? Why don’t the boys
do their jobs? What does this tell us about human nature?
Setting
1. Compare and contrast Jack’s and Simon’s presence in the forest. How
does the presence of the character influence the setting and make it
heaven or hell. Give examples.
Language
1. Highlight the words that describe the nature of the boys’ movements
(verbs) and create the different moods through the sensuous
descriptions of the objects in the setting. What is the effect of these
contrasting descriptions on you as responder?
Themes:
1. What ritual of civilization collapses in this chapter? What ritual of
savagery threatens to take over?
2. If Jack is evil and Simon good, what conclusion can you draw about
the nature of man and it’s disposition towards evil or good?
3. What dimension to the theme of civilization vs savagery does Simon
add?
THEMES
QUOTES ON THEMES
CHAPTER:_________________________________________
CIVILIZATION VS SAVAGERY
THE ESSENTIAL NATURE OF
MAN IS EVIL
LEADERSHIP, POWER AND AUTHORITY –
HOW MUCH AND OF WHAT KIND
CHAPTER 4: PAINTED FACES AND LONG HAIR
Plot
1. Why doesn’t the passing ship spot the boys?
2. Why is the fire allowed to go out?
3. What are the hunters preoccupied with? Why do they repeat the
chant, “Kill the pig, cut her throat.”
4. What other crisis develops regarding the fire?
Character
1. Who are the littluns? What did they do with their time? What class of
society do you think they represent?
2. Both Roger and Maurice destroy the sandcastles together. In what
ways are they different from each other?
3. For how long and what purpose does Roger watch Henry? What does
Golding say about Roger’s behaviour?
4. Why do the boys paint their faces with dazzle-paint? What is the
significance of the mask? What does Golding mean when he says,
“Jack is liberated from shame and self-consciousness”?
Setting
1. Read the beginning paragraphs on the illusive nature of the setting.
What do Golding’s descriptions tell us about the place? Give
examples.
Language
1. How is dialogue used to dramatize the conflict between Ralph and
Jack? Give examples of the ways in which language is successful or
unsuccessful as a means of communication in this chapter.
Themes
1. How is the theme of leadership, power and authority represented
through the characters and events of this chapter? Identify quotes that
outline the difference between Jack and Ralph’s understanding of
power and authority.
2. How are things falling apart because of man’s inherent disposition
towards evil? Identify two structures that are collapsing?
CHAPTER 5: BEAST FROM WATER
Planning for the assembly
Writing in character:
Choose one of the three main characters (Ralph, Piggy or Jack) and
write in silence for five minutes about how you feel before the meeting
begins and about your hopes or fears for the future. Share what you
have written with your peers.
Speaking in character:
The meeting is essentially a conflict between three voices:
Jack, Ralph and Piggy
Piggy: ‘We’ve got to take turns and do what grown ups would do”.
Ralph: “It’s time we had a talk because we’ve let the fire go out and
missed a ship…”
Jack: “All you ever do is talk about the fire! Hunting will feed us and I’m
good at hunting”.
Your task:
In groups of 3, assume the position of Ralph, Piggy and Jack and argue in
role about what really matters to you and why. Think about the language
choices your character makes, the themes he represents and the values
he supports.
CHAPTER 6: BEAST FROM AIR
Plot
1. Why are Sam ‘n Eric so terrified?
2. Is there really a beast? How do you know?
3. Map the events in this chapter on your plotline.
Character
1. How do Sam ‘n Eric describe the beast?
2. Why doesn’t Jack really care about being rescued?
3. What is the attitude of the boys when they are going off to look
for the beast?
4. Make entries in your Symbol of the beast worksheet.
Setting
1. To what extent is the setting responsible for the death of the
parachutist?
Language
1. How has the language of fear been used to transform the dead
parachutist into a larger than life ‘beast’?
Themes
1. What is Golding trying to say about the powers of human imagination,
the basis of fear and the presence and nature of evil? Is it external and
exterminable? Explain in your own words.
CHAPTER 7: SHADOWS AND TALL TREES
Plot
1. What do you think is Golding’s purpose for including Ralph’s
daydream about his home?
Character
1. Describe the physical changes that Ralph notices about himself.
2. What is the game the boys play after spearing the pig? What is
their mood? What do you think this foreshadows?
3. Ralph makes a few insights into Jack’s character. What are they
and how valid are they?
Setting
1. Ralph’s support of civilization seems to be failing in this setting while
Jack’s support of savagery seems to be working. What do you think
underlies this development?
Themes
1. Identify two events that convey the fact that the boundaries between
savagery and civilization, right and wrong, illusion (fear) and reality are
blurring.
CHAPTER 8: GIFT FOR THE DARKNESS
Plot
1. What are the 3 key events in this chapter. Closely study their links to
characters of Jack, Simon and Ralph and the themes and symbols
they stand for.
Character
1. Why does Jack call an assembly? How does he persuade the
boys to elect him as chief? Do the boys support Jack? Do they like
Jack? Do they fear Jack? Explain.
2. Describe the killing of the sow. What do the hunters do with the blood?
What do they do with the sow’s head? What does this symbolize?
3. What is the significance of Simon’s conversation with the pig’s head?
4. Who or what is the Lord of the Flies?
Explain the different allegorical implications of what is said and heard.
Setting
1. To what extent has the setting become evil? Who is responsible?
Language
1. Closely study the words used to describe the killing of the sow. Identify
the changes that you would need to make to the language if it was a
male boar being hunted. What do you notice about the language?
Theme:
1. Identify how the events in this chapter support the themes.
CHAPTER 9: A VIEW TO A DEATH.
CHAPTER 10:
View the events of this chapter by clicking the link below:
Lord of the Flies 1963 Part 8:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOsgsTHACx8&feature=player_em
bedded#!
Page 20 & 21
CHAPTER 11:
Plot
1. Piggy’s death is not an accident, and the person responsible is not
innocent. Explain
Character
1. Map the physical, emotional and moral disintegration of the character
of the boys from Chapter 1- Chapter 12.
2. Listen to the podcast of the story titled, Johnny went over the edge
and make connections with the events of this chapter.
Language
1. Find quotes from this chapter to convey the failure of language as a
means of communication.
Symbolism
1. What is the symbolic meaning of the shattered conch?
2. What is the symbolic meaning of the death of Piggy?
Setting
1. What is the symbolic significance of Castle Rock?
WRITING ACTIVITIES ON THE NOVEL
Choose 2 of the following activities to complete.
1. A news report on the boys and their island ordeal
2. Script a TV documentary of Lord of the Flies, complete with reenactments of key scenes, entitled ‘Paradise Lost’.
3. Ralph 10 years later. What would he have written about his
experiences?
4. An interview with William Golding about Lord of the Flies. Imagine it.
5. Find a case study (a real experience, either of someone you know, or
taken from a newspaper or magazine) illustrating one of the key
themes of Lord of the Flies. Explain how it illustrates the theme. (See
ALLUSION worksheet.)
6. Write a short story illustrating one of the novel’s main themes.
7. You are Ralph. Write a letter of condolence to Piggy’s Auntie.
8. Rewrite the end of the novel in any way you see fit.
9. Write a feature article taking up a position on the case for and against
mankind, using Lord of the Flies as inspiration.
REPRESENTING ACTIVITIES ON THE NOVEL
Choose 2 of the following activities to complete.
Individual tasks
1. Appropriate a key event/s or character/s from Lord of the Flies into a
different context and medium of your own choosing.
2. Perform a series of short readings from the novel, together with
carefully selected background music.
3. Design a new book cover for the novel.
4. There have a number of real- life episodes of people lost in the
wilderness. These hardly ever involved children. Sailors abandoned
on desert islands or people whose plane crashed have found
themselves alone, fending for themselves outside society. Select 1 or
2 incidents and discuss what happened in those cases, and how alike
or unlike are they to Lord of the Flies?
Group Activities
5. Prepare, rehearse and perform a mime of the main story of Lord of the
Flies.
6. Film an episode of Judge Judy- Imagine Jack, Roger and the other
boys were being put on trial before Judge Judy for what they did on
the island. What would the prosecution confront them with, what is the
evidence, and how might they defend themselves?
7. Devise a game called Island. You may wish to produce a picture of an
island to go with it and character cards. At the core of the game,
should be two sets simply marked + and -. Plus cards introduce
positive elements. The minus cards introduce evil or negative
elements. Design the game so it teaches moral lessons as well as
being fun to play.
8. Draw the island of Lord of the Flies on a large sheet of paper. Colour it
in. Now in the margins around the island, draw scenes from the book
and link them with lines to the places where the scenes took place.
Finally find short quotes from the text to go with each of these scenes.