Name:
Lord of the Flies Chp 2
CHAPTER 2: Fire on the Mountain
1. Look up the name “Ralph”. What does it mean?
2. Who says “We’ll have rules!...Lots of rules! Then when anyone breaks ‘em—“? What is
significant about this quote and the speaker?
3. How does Piggy re-direct the meeting? What are his concerns? How are they different than the
other boys?
4. What is the beastie?
5. Who says “Like kids!...Acting like a crowd of kids!” What does this show about the speaker?
6. Describe Jack and Ralph’s relationship.
7. How do they light the fire? Who comes up with the idea?
8. Why are the boys making a fire?
9. Identify the speaker and significance: “I agree with Ralph. We’ve got to have rules and obey
them. After all, we’re not savages. We’re English, and the English are best at everything. So
we’ve got to do the right things.”
10. What responsibility do the hunters have? Who is their leader?
11. Identify the speaker and significance: “How can you expect to be rescued if you don’t put firs
things first and act proper?”
12. How do the boys treat Piggy?
13. What happened to the little’un that had a mark on his face?
14. What is the significance of the last line of the chapter, “Beneath them, on the unfriendly side of
the mountain, the drum-roll continued.”?
Name:
Lord of the Flies Chp3, 4
CHAPTER 3: Huts on the Beach
1. Look up the names “Jack” and “Simon”. What do they mean?
2. What is Jack doing at the beginning of the chapter. What is he compared to? Look at the
descriptive language and choose one sentence or phrase that shows the change that’s come
over Jack.
3. Since Jack is so comfortable in the jungle, what does this show?
4. What are Ralph and Simon trying to do? Why aren’t they successful?
5. Why do Ralph and Jack fight over shelters and meat?
6. Explain the significance: “They look at each other, baffled, in love and hate. All the warm salt
water of the bathing pool and the shouting and splashing and laughing were only just sufficient
to bring them together again.”
7. Where is Simon? Describe his place using specifics from the book. Why does Simon go here?
8. How is the jungle portrayed in two different ways in this chapter? (Think Jack’s way and Simon’s
way)
9. What is the significance of the chapter title?
CHAPTER 4: Painted Faces and Long Hair
1. Golding describes the rhythm of the days at the beginning of the chapter. Summarize what he
says in the first four paragraphs.
2. Who is Percival? What is wrong with him?
3. Who are the “littluns”? What do they do?
4. Describe Roger.
5. Explain the significance: “Roger gathered a handful of stones and began to throw them. Yet
there was a space round Henry, perhaps six yards in diameter, into which he dare not throw.
Here, invisible yet strong, was the taboo of the old life. Round the squatting child was the
protection of parents and schools and policemen and the law. Roger’s are was conditioned by a
civilization that knew nothing of him and was in ruins.” What theme does this exemplify?
6. How does Jack feel with his painted mask on?
7. Explain the significance: “The mask compelled them.”
8. What does Ralph see on the horizon? What does the ship not see them?
9. Who let the fire go out?
10. Explain the speaker and significance: “Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood.”
11. How do Piggy’s glasses get broken? What does this symbolize?
12. How does Jack use the meat?
13. What do they do after they eat? How does this show savageness?
14. Why do you think Ralph calls a meeting at the very end of the chapter?
15. What are painted faces and long hair symbols for? Do they exemplify any themes?
Name:
Lord of the Flies Ch.5-8
CHAPTER 5: Beast from Water
1. How is Ralph different now from the way he was the first time he walked on the beach?
2. What does Ralph recognize that is valuable in Piggy?
3. Name four things Ralph talks about in his speech to the assembly. Why are these important
items?
4. Complete the quote: “We’ve got to make up there- ___________________________________”
Who says this? Why is this significant?
5. What does Ralph mean when he says “Things are breaking up. I don’t understand why”?
6. What does Phil tell them about?
7. Who says “Just a place I know. A place in the jungle”?
8. Who is Percival? What does he represent? What is his role in this scene?
9. What does Simon mean when he says “Maybe, maybe there is a beast”?
10. The discussion of rules comes up again. What does Ralph say about the rules? Jack? How does
this show a change in them?
11. What is Piggy’s fear about Jack being chief?
12. Why are Piggy and Simon afraid of Jack?
13. How is the end of the chapter ominous? What’s going on with Percival?
14. What is the significance of the chapter’s title?
CHAPTER 6: Beast from Air
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What is being described in the first two paragraphs?
Why don’t the twins see the body fall?
How do the twins react when they find the body?
What do the twins think they’ve seen?
Does the story Sam and Eric tell match what happened on the mountain?
Identify the speaker and significance: “Other people could stand up and speak to an assembly,
apparently, without that dreadful feeling of the pressure of personality; could say what they
would as though they were speaking to only one person.”
Why must Ralph lead them onto the rock? How is that a good thing for Ralph’s leadership?
Identify the speaker and significance: “Couldn’t let you do it on your own.”
How is this trip different than the first exploring adventure from the beginning of the book?
Why would this be a good place for a fort?
An important thing has happened at the fort. The last two lines give it away. How did this
happen?
CHAPTER 7: Shadows and Tall Trees
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Why does Ralph want to clean himself up? (think symbolically here) How does this contrast to
Jack’s appearance?
Simon gives Ralph a prediction. What is it?
What is significant about Ralph’s flashback and memories of home?
How does Ralph get caught up in the hunting excitement?
How do the boys play with Robert? Why is that not really “a game”? How does Ralph react?
Identify the speaker and significance: “Why do you hate me?”
7. Which three boys go up the mountain to investigate the beast?
8. What happens in the last three paragraphs of the chapter?
CHAPTER 8: Gift for the Darkness
1. Why does Piggy have a hard time believing they saw the beast?
2. Complete the quote: “Boys armed with ___________________” Why does this anger Jack?
3. Why does Jack call the meeting? What happens at the meeting to Jack?
4. Identify the speaker and significance: “I’m not going to play any longer. Not with you.” Predict
the impact of Jack’s decision to leave.
5. Why is Piggy’s suggestion to move the fire “intellectual[ly] daring”?
6. Why do some boys go off with Jack?
7. Simon has gone off again. What is wrong with Simon?
8. Jack and his hunters go after a sow. What language is used to describe the killing? Choose
three or four quotes from this passage and write them out. What makes them particularly
powerful or descriptive? What does this killing of the sow show about these boys?
9. What is Jack’s plan to get the glasses?
10. Why do they “Sharpen a stick at both ends”? What do they do with it?
11. Simon saw the whole slaughter of the pig and can see what Jack left behind. How do we know
his illness is getting worse?
12. Why is Jack’s name becoming a “taboo” at Ralph’s camp?
13. Describe Jack and his tribe’s appearance on the beach.
14. How does his mask give Jack freedom?
15. What does Ralph keeping forgetting about?
16. Identify the speaker: “You are a silly little boy, just an ignorant, silly little boy.”
17. What is talking to Simon? What else does it say to him? How does it treat him?
18. What happens to Simon at the end of the chapter?
19. How could chapter 8 be considered a climax in the book?
Name:
Lord of the Flies Ch.9-10
CHAPTER 9: A View to a Death
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What do you think the chapter title means? Make a prediction.
How has the weather changed?
Describe Simon’s physical and mental state. How is he described?
What does Simon do when he finds the pilot? Why does this show his humanity? Why isn’t he
scared?
Why do Ralph and Piggy decide to go to Jack’s party?
How is Jack described when Piggy and Ralph first see him?
How does Piggy (unintentionally) defuse the scene?
How is Jack’s power and authority described? Write the quote:
How has the conch lost some of its power?
Instead of trying to protect themselves from the rain, the boys begin to dance. Why? How is
the dance protective in a way?
The end of the chapter is a chaotic scene of violence. Describe what happens.
What happens to Simon? What is the reason for his death?
Look back at number one. Compare your prediction to what happened in the chapter. Were
you close? Far off? Describe.
CHAPTER 10: The Shell and the Glasses
1. How do Ralph and Piggy deal with their role in Simon’s death?
2. Why is Jack going to beat Wilfred? What does this show about Jack?
3. Explain the significance: “Roger received this news as an illumination. He ceased to work at his
tooth and sat still, assimilating the possibilities of irresponsible authority.”
4. Explain the significances: “Ralph tried indignantly to remember. There was something good
about a fire. Something overwhelmingly good.”
5. What happens at the end of the chapter? What has been stolen?
6. What do the last three sentences of the chapter indicate? How are the glasses like a trophy?