Lord of the Flies Review Questions

Practice "Quest" for Review.
Write down your answers and bring them in on Tuesday (1/19).

Looking at Lord of the Flies through an anthropological model for a balanced society by William Irwin Thompson, Kathleen Woodward, and your intrepid English teacher…

In the novel…

1. ____________________ and ____________________ are both ideational.
2. ____________________ and ____________________ are both operational.
3. ____________________ and ____________________ operate best on a subconscious, irrational level.
4. ____________________ and ____________________ operate best on a conscious, rational level.

5. In the society, Piggy fulfills the role of ____________________.
6. Jack fulfills the role of ____________________.
7. Ralph fulfills the role of ____________________.
8. Simon fulfills the role of ____________________.

*** The model originally referred to a successful Kalahari society as seen in John Marshall’s anthropological film The Hunters. Why then is the society of marooned boys so unsuccessful in Lord of the Flies? (In your answer refer to the roles, the characters, and the events of the book.)


Author’s Biographical Context
9. What two experiences may have influenced William Golding to write Lord of the Flies? Briefly explain how the experiences may have influenced the novel.

Symbols & Motifs

10. ____________________ seems to symbolize democracy, rationality, order, authority.
11. ____________________ is paradoxically a symbol of destruction and a symbol of hope.
12. ____________________ is a “sign [that] came down from the world of grownups,” representing the consequences of violence in the adult world beyond the island.
13. ____________________ helps Simon understand the true nature of the beast.
14. ____________________ frees the boys from “shame and self-consciousness,” compelling them to do things they otherwise would not.
15. To what does the title literally refer? ____________________
16. How does the answer to #6 symbolically represent what happens to the society?
17. What does the title refer to in translation? ____________________
18. Piggy is most closely associated with what symbol? ____________________
19. Simon is most closely associated with what symbol? ____________________
11. Who says, “‘This head is for the beast. It’s a gift?’” ____________________
20. Roger is most closely associate with what motif? ____________________
21. Who discovers the “beast from air”? ____________________
22. Name four things that at least some of the boys think of as “the beast” at one point or another in the novel.
23. In the quotation, “‘What I mean is…maybe it’s only us;” who is peaking and what is it?
24. “____________________ was the only boy on the island whose hair never seemed to grow.
25. After he reminisces about home in England, many readers are surprised to read that “____________________ too was fighting to get near, to get a handful of that brown, vulnerable flesh.

• Explain how one motif evolves or changes in three different scenes in the novel.
• How might the conch shell and the long hair be seen as opposing symbols?
• How might the scar, the fire, the storm, and the rock be connected as symbols?
• What is the symbolic significance of Piggy’s name?
• What is the relationship between the pigs, the pig’s head, the beast and Golding’s statement that “man suffers from an appalling ignorance of his own nature.”

END OF PRACTICE "QUEST"
*******
More to review:

Lord of the Flies:
characters and motifs

Characters
Understand the significance of Golding’s characterization of each, the significance of each character’s development, the significance of each character’s role in the plot. When thinking about significance think about allegory and theme.

Ralph, Piggy, Sam and Eric, Jack, Simon, Roger, littluns (Johnny, Henry, Percival, mulberry-colored birthmark, etc.)

Motifs
Motifs are objects, ideas, etc. that are repeated in a work of art.
Understand the literal and allegorical (symbolic) significance of each motif as it develops through the novel.

PHYSICAL OBJECTS
• scar and other symbolic descriptions of the island:
o the island as alive;
o as an inanimate object: car, boat, bomb, etc.;
o as light or dark, calm or stormy, etc.
• conch/shell,
• glasses,
• fire,
• rock,
• pig/boar,
• monsters/beasts/animals (other than the pig/boar),
• uniforms, painted faces, masks, hair and other descriptions of the boys’ appearance

Grendel Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words from the novel Grendel by John Gardner
(Words 1-10)

Sycophant [sik-uh-fuh nt]
A person who attempts to win favor by flattering influential people; a kiss-up, a flatter, a toady, a yes man. (Noun) Sycophantic (adjective)
Greek

Fuliginous [fyoo-lij-uh-nuh s]
Colored as if by soot; dark; black (Adjective)
Latin

Hex [heks]
1. An evil spell; a curse (Noun).
2. To curse (Verb)
German

Leer [leer]
1. desirous, sly, or knowing look (Noun).
2. To glance sidelong esp. sexually or maliciously (Verb)
Anglo Saxon/Old English

Moor [moo r]
A broad area of open land, often high but poorly drained, with patches of heath and peat bogs. (Noun)
To secure (a ship, boat, dirigible, etc.) (Verb)
A Muslim of the mixed Berber and Arab people inhabiting NW Africa (Noun)
Old English

Solipsist
A person who believes that the self is the only reality. (Noun)
Solipsism[sol-ip-siz-uh m] is the belief that the self is the only reality. (Noun)
Solipsistic[sol-ip-sis-tik] (Adjective)
Latin

Ominous [om-uh-nuh s]
Menacing; threatening (Adjective)
Latin

Undulant [uhn-juh-luh nt]
wave-like (Adjective)
Undulate means to move like a wave. (Verb)
Latin

Debauch [di-bawch]
To corrupt morally. (Verb)
Debauchery is moral corruption. (Noun)
French/German

Omniscient [om-nish-uh nt]
all knowing; complete knowledge and awareness (adjective)
Omniscience means infinite knowledge. (Noun)
Latin

Vocabulary Words from the novel Grendel by John Gardner
(Words 11-20)

Hoary [hawr-ee, hohr-ee]
Gray or white with or as if with age. (Adjective)
Old English/Anglo-Saxon

Dirge [durj]
A funeral hymn or lament. (Noun)
Latin

Dogmatism [dawg-muh-tiz-uh m]
Arrogant, stubborn assertion of opinion or belief. (Noun)
Dogma is an established, fixed, unchanging, predetermined set of beliefs.
Dogmatic (Adjective)
Greek

Petulant [pech-uh-luh nt]
1. Insolent or rude in behavior or speech. (Adjective)
2. Unreasonably irritable, annoyed, or ill-tempered; peevish; cranky. (Adjective)
Petulance is unreasonable irritability and peevishness. (Noun)
Latin

Intimation
A hint; an obscure or indirect suggestion or notice; a remote or ambiguous reference; as, he had given only intimations of his design. (Noun)
Intimate [in-tuh-meyt] means to hint, imply, suggest. (Verb)
Latin

Nihilism [nahy-uh-liz-uh m]
A belief that rejects all values, morals, purposes for living, etc. as baseless and arbitrary (Noun)
A nihilist is someone who rejects all values, morals, purposes, etc.(Noun)
Nihilistic (Adjective)
Latin

Paradox [par-uh-doks]
A seemingly contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true. (Noun)
Paradoxical (Adjective)
Greek

Inchoate [in-koh-it, -eyt]
1. In an initial or early stage; incipient (Adjective).
2. not fully formed, incomplete (Adjective)
Latin

Ossify [os-uh-fahy]
1. To change into bone; become bony. (Verb);
2. To become rigid. (Verb)
Latin

Omnipotent [om-nip-uh-tuh nt]
Having unlimited power (Adjective)
Omnipotence is unlimited or universal power (Noun)
Latin

Beowulf Vocabulary

Seven words that appear in Beowulf

af•flic•tion
n. A condition of pain, suffering, or distress; A cause of pain, suffering, or distress.
—Synonyms 2. mishap, trouble, tribulation, calamity, catastrophe, disaster. Affliction, adversity, misfortune, trial refer to an event or circumstance that is hard to bear.
—Antonyms 1. relief, comfort, solace.
[Origin: 1300–50; ME affliccioun < L afflīctiōn- (s. of afflīctiō).]

mail2
n. Flexible armor composed of small overlapping metal rings, loops of chain, or scales. 2. The protective covering of certain animals, as the shell of a turtle.
[Middle English, from Old French maile, from Latin macula, blemish, mesh.]

mead
n. An alcoholic beverage made from fermented honey and water.

sen•ti•nel (sěn'tə-nəl)
n. One that keeps guard; a sentry (a guard, a watch, a lookout).
[Middle French, from Old Italian, from Latin]

sin•ew (sĭn'yōō)
n.
A tendon.
Vigorous strength; muscular power.
The source or mainstay of vitality and strength.
[Middle English, from Old English]

sol•ace (sŏl'ĭs)
n. Comfort (or a source of comfort) in sorrow, misfortune, or distress; consolation; alleviation; relief.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin]

weird (wîrd)
adj.
Of, relating to, or suggestive of the preternatural or supernatural.
Of a strikingly odd or unusual character; strange.
Archaic Of or relating to fate or the Fates.

n.
Fate; destiny.
[Middle English from Old English wyrd, fate]

Five words that will help us understand Anglo-Saxon poetry.

al•lit•er•a•tion
n. The repetition of the same sounds or of the same kinds of sounds at the beginning of words or in stressed syllables, as in “on scrolls of silver snowy sentences” (Hart Crane). Modern alliteration is predominantly consonantal; certain literary traditions, such as Old English verse, also alliterate using vowel sounds.
[From ad- + Latin littera, letter.]

cae•su•ra also ce•su•ra
n. Prosody. a break, esp. a sense pause, usually near the middle of a verse, and marked in scansion by a double vertical line
A pause or interruption, as in conversation
[Latin caes ra, a cutting, from caesus, past participle of caedere, to cut off. See ka -id- in Indo-European Roots.]

ep•ic
n. An extended narrative poem in elevated or dignified language, celebrating the feats of a legendary or traditional hero (or any literary work, period of history, etc. resembling an epic)

adj. Related to a literary epic; Surpassing the usual or ordinary, particularly in scope or size; Heroic and impressive

ken•ning
n. A figurative, usually compound expression used in place of a name or noun, especially in Old English and Old Norse poetry; for example, storm of swords is a kenning for battle and wave traveler is a kenning for boat.
[Old Norse, from kenna, to know, to name with a kenning. See gn - in Indo-European Roots.]

scop
n. An Old English poet or bard.
[Old English.]

Monster Letter Forum

Role: a monster from your independent reading book
Audience: classmates and other "monsters" from the books
Format: letter (300+ words)
Topic: Discuss three topics in the letter. 1. What makes you-as-the-monster monstrous? in other words, in what way are you a monster? 2. What influences, experiences, decisions made you who you are? 3. Looking back, what do you want to say about your monstrousness? Do you want to justify your actions? Do you want to apologize or express regrets? Do you want to give advice? What do you want to say?

Show that you have read and understood the book by weaving details into your letter.

Due Thursday night (January 7) 11:59 pm. Post your monster letter in the comment box below.

Imagine you are Golding: Why have you written Lord of the Flies? Why have you used the characters and motifs that way?

Imagine that you are William Golding. From his point of view write a letter to the students of Gloucester High School explaining how a character and a motif (the ones you have been assigned) contribute to the meaning of the the novel, especially in the last five chapters. (You could write two letters one about the motif and one about the character, or you could weave the two together.)

While explaining how you, as the author, have used the character and the motif, cite at least three specific places where you, as Golding, use the character and three specific places where you, as Golding, use the motif. Make sure you explain how the parts -- the particular uses of the character & motif -- contribute to the novel as a whole.

When thinking about Golding's point of view and Golding’s purpose in constructing the novel, consider some things Golding has written about the novel:

“The theme (of Lord of the Flies) is an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature. The moral is that the shape of society must depend on the ethical mature of the individual and not on any political system however apparently logical or respectable.”

“I believe that man suffers from an appalling ignorance of his own nature.”

Also perhaps consider William Golding's life. The following is an excerpt from the Nobel Prize website. (Golding won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1983.)

"Taught at Bishop Wordsworth's School, Salisbury. Joined the Royal Navy in 1940 and spent six years afloat, except for seven months in New York and six months helping Lord Cherwell at the Naval Research Establishment. He saw action against battleships (at the sinking of the Bismarck), submarines and aircraft. Finished as Lieutenant in command of a rocket ship. He was present off the French coast for the D-Day invasion, and later at the island of Walcheren. After the war he returned to teaching [until 1962], and began to write again. Lord of the Flies, his first novel, was published in 1954."

And for more of Golding's views you'll find his Nobel Lecture here.

Your letter(s) should be 600 words or so and must be posted in the comment box by pumpkin time Friday, December 18.

Monster Books: First Comments

* Post responses in the comment box. (Remember to compose in a word processing file. Then copy and paste your work into the comment box.)
* Use your first name and last initial (for example James C.)
* Write the title and author of your book (for example Frankenstein by Mary Shelley).
* Write your response.

Respond to the author's portrayal of monsters (and/or monstrousness) in the novel you are reading. Your response should be 300+ words and must be received before pumpkin time (midnight) Monday. The questions below may help you generate a thoughtful response.

Who is the monster or who are the monsters in the book? How do you know? What makes the character a monster? Physical deformity or difference? Inhuman or inhumane behavior? Both? Something else? What is the relationship between physical monstrousness and moral monstrousness in your book? (Some possibilities: Does physical monstrosity mask moral beauty? Does physical monstrosity lead to alienation which leads to monstrous moral choices? Etc.)

What seems to be the cause of the monstrous behavior in your book? (Is it in the monster’s nature as with the Grendel of Beowulf? Is it chosen by the monster as a response to radical alienation and rejection as with the Grendel of Grendel? Is it learned by the monster? Is it taught to the monster?

What seems to be the author’s purpose in presenting a monster (and/or monstrous behavior) in the novel? What is the author trying to show about human beings and the human condition?

Grading: Your responses should show that you have read the first 50 to 100 pages of your book and that you understand how the book relates to monsters and monstrousness.

An advanced response, which shows a command of "monster" concepts and appropriate, precise, thorough supporting evidence, will receive an A.

A proficient responses, which offers plausible interpretations of monstrousness with specific support and no major omissions or errors, will receive a B.

A limited response, which offers partial interpretations of monstrousness with some specific, accurate, appropriate support, will receive a C.

A response, which address the prompt but which offer little to no support and which demonstrate little to no understanding of how the author uses monsters in significant ways, will receive a D or F.

Read Another Monster Book

Monstrous Humanity? Monstrous Culture? Monstrous Nature?
Choose a book from this list.
Read the book.
While you’re reading write down notes and questions, especially concerning the monsters and the themes related to monstrousness.

Who is the monster or who are the monsters in the book? How do you know? What makes the character a monster? Physical deformity or difference? Inhuman or inhumane behavior? Both? Something else? What is the relationship between physical monstrousness and moral monstrousness in your book? (Some possibilities: Does physical monstrosity mask moral beauty? Does physical monstrosity lead to alienation which leads to monstrous moral choices? Etc.)

What seems to be the cause of the monstrous behavior in your book? (Is it in the monster’s nature as with the Grendel of Beowulf? Is it chosen by the monster as a response to radical alienation and rejection as with the Grendel of Grendel? Is it learned by the monster? Is it taught to the monster?

What seems to be the author’s purpose in portraying a literal monster (or monstrous behavior)? What is the author trying to show about human beings and the human condition?

(l=literal monster: a not-quite-human but human-like beast of some sort or a significantly physically deformed human)
(f=figurative monster: a human who behaves monstrously)

Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, (1999) by David Foster Wallace (f)

Dracula, (1897) by Bram Stoker (l)

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, (1886) by Robert Louis Stevenson (l?/f?)

Metamorphosis, (1915) by Franz Kafka (l)

Frankenstein, (1818) by Mary Shelley (l)

Freddy’s Book, (1980) by John Gardner (f/l)

The Hunchback of Notre Dame, (1831) by Victor Hugo (l)

In Cold Blood, (1965) by Truman Capote (f)

Native Son, (1940) by Richard Wright (f)

The Picture of Dorian Gray, (1890) by Oscar Wilde (f/l)

The Tempest, (1610-11) by William Shakespeare (l)