Lord of the Flies CHAPTER 8 AND 9

Chapter 8: “Gift for the Darkness” Jack, Ralph, and Roger return from the mountain What do they say about the beast? Has teeth Guarding the signal fire like it doesn’t want the boys to be rescued Jack calls a meeting

Ralph vs Jack Continues Disagree about keeping the fire going on the mountain What does Ralph think? He doesn’t know what to do They need the signal fire – without it they are beaten What does Jack think? They should hunt and kill it How does Ralph insult Jack? Says he’d hide from the beast Who calls the assembly? Jack

Ralph vs Jack Continues How does Jack insult Ralph? Calls him a coward, could never be a hunter Says he shouldn’t be chief Jack wants to be chief. What does he do when he’s not supported? He says he’s “not going to play anymore. Not with you” (Ralph) He runs off on his own into the forest What decision is made by Ralph about the fire? Agrees with Piggy – move the fire to the beach Eventually most of the older boys end up following Jack.

The Hunt – Very Violent What happens? They attack a mother pig while she’s nursing her piglets She was only injured so she ran They chased and followed her through the afternoon They attacked her again in a clearing stabbing spears and Jack his knife After, they wiped blood on each other and mocked the kill Why do they put the pig’s head on a stick? As a gift to the beast

The “Lord of the Flies” What is it? The pig’s head on a stick Simon’s encounter with it: He thinks it is talking to him He has a headache

Stealing Fire Who steals the fire? Jack from Ralph Brags about a feast Ralph calls another assembly to discuss the fire The boys want meat but don’t yet leave What is brewing overhead? A storm

Back to “Lord of the Flies Simon is back where? The pig’s head The last page is a “conversation” between Simon and the Lord of the Flies. What is the Lord of the Flies saying to him? Simon is a “silly little boy” “run off and play with the others” even though “they think you’re batty” “fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill” – you can’t kill the evil inside “We are going to have fun on this island…or else, we shall do you? See? Jack and Roger and Maurice and Robert and Bill and Piggy and Ralph. Do you. See?” – What does this mean? Symbolism ? A meeting of good (Simon) with evil (Lord of the Flies) The Lord of the Flies represents the wickedness inside of man Simon is the only boy who can see the evil on the island is within the boys and not an external thing (aka beastie) What happens to Simon at the end of the conversation? He faints / blacks out – “he knew that one of his times was coming on” “He fell down and lost consciousness”

Chapter 9: “A View to a Death” Simon Wakes up from his faint and goes up the mountain What does he discover? The beast was a man in a parachute caught up in the rock He is not afraid of it because he knows the real evil on the island is within the boys Feast – set against the backdrop of a violent thunderstorm Why? Mimics the chaos of the “savages” Symbolism in Jack’s denial of the conch? he’s denouncing democracy and the boys’ former existence How does nature respond? The lightning and thunder exploded and a couple drops of rain fell

“A View to a Death” Continued Violence Boys begin their ritualistic dance and don’t recognize Simon crawling out of the forest Why do the boys attack Simon? The boys were worked into a frenzy during their dance and the storm The littluns saw him first and screamed in fear He was weak and staggering and not making much sense They attacked without seeing it was him What happens at the same time they are attacking him? The rain started to fall “like a waterfall” It was a cold rain After - The wind picked up and filled the parachute of the “beast” - he lifted up then down the mountain, causing fear in the boys, then out to sea What happened near the morning? The tide came in and took Simon’s body out to sea

Symbolism Religious Some say Simon represents a prophet coming off the mountain to bring the truth to the people. He came to save them but was rejected. The boys’ failure to recognize Simon as Simon represents their denial of the truth about the evil within them. At the end Simon is surrounded by a “halo effect” = saint. Natural Goodness Simon represents the natural goodness that exists within humans The killing of Simon represents the internal battle we all have to go through, sometimes we win and sometimes we lose.