Lord of the Flies
Over the weekend, you read chapters 4, 5 , & 6. In class, you received the job of either beginning a blog conversation with a comment about these pages or you were assigned to continue the conversation with responses to at least two of the page comments. If you are commenting on the pages, try to specifically comment on reactions you had to the sections, to record observations you made about thematic or character development, or to specifically reference passages that you see as being important. Those of you who are responding, your task is to further conversation. You can expand on ideas you find, disagree, question, etc. Let’s generate debate and discussion!
February 1st, 2010 at 12:19 pm
Through out these chapters I saw the decline of order within the group.The conch no longer worked to keep everyone under control during a “meeting” which I associated with the human nature theme. And with the role of who is the leader it seemed as if Ralph’s power is diminishing to nothing while Jack is growing more and more powerful especially after he killed the pig like he said he would. I do have one question though… Does anyone else see a foreshadowing with the whole Piggy being referred to as a bore/pig and the death of the pig?
February 1st, 2010 at 1:13 pm
The thing that really bothers me about this book, is that everyone makes fun of Piggy. I just dont get it because hes the one with all the good ideas but they make fun of him just becasue he is fat. Raulph only sticks up for him when Jack gets out of line, but now Jack isnt following the rules anymore & I have a feeling that things are going to turn ugly. I just have a bad feeling that somethin bad is going to happen to Piggy…
February 1st, 2010 at 3:22 pm
Something between Ralph and Jack has changed. It happened because of the fire not being lit when the ship passed. What do you think that change is? How will it affect what’s going on on the island? I personally think that they will become enemies, and it will cause the boys to split into two groups. By the end of the book, no one on the island will be getting along.
February 1st, 2010 at 3:22 pm
I thought the boys began to notice their behavior was changing but couldn’t seem to find a way to fix it. The meeting they held just led to more fighting and uncertainty. Ralph isn’t really being a good leader right now because he is about to give up on things. “The Beast” has seemed to throw them all for a loop, and personally, I think a beast does exist. It may not be terrible or vicious, but it’s scary because it’s a mystery to all the boys.
February 1st, 2010 at 5:06 pm
What are they talking about when they are referring to the parachute? Is it a story that is being told or actually a parachute falling at that very moment? What does this passage mean or stand for in the book? Is it signicant?
February 1st, 2010 at 5:07 pm
Within the reading there is a portion about a parachute figure that falls from the sky. The figure gets tangled within the blue flowers and the rocks of the mountain. This part is very confusing and hard to understand. It makes me wonder… Who is this figure? Where did it come from? Will it ever get untangled? What will it do and where will it go if the figure does get untangled? Then immediately afterwards the book talks about how the twins see the so called “Beast”. This makes me question… Was it the beast that they saw? Or what really was it that they saw? Because whatever it was, it sure made a scene.
February 1st, 2010 at 6:20 pm
On page 63 Piggy says, “Now I only got one eye.” I believe this is symbolizing something. Does anyone know what that is? Ralph also refers to himself, Simon, and Piggy as the “Three Blind Mice.” I think this symbolizes something along the lines of the fact that they do not know what to do now after their meeting. They are “blind” as of what to do to get rid of the mass chaos. The “Beastie” is becoming more real to them than just a made up story because they are looking for it and also it appears Jack is becoming a more dominant figure in relation to Ralph. There is increasing tension between the two of them.
February 1st, 2010 at 6:33 pm
There continues to be an issue over the beast. I do not believe that there is actually a beast… what i mean by that is a physically present monster. I believe that the beast is a very powerful symbol in this book. I believe that the beast scares the children because it symbolizes the violence, power, and savage behavior that will surely come if better order is not put into place. In other words… I think that the beast lives in each boys mind… and each has the potential to eventually become the beast. (in a symbolic nature) I also believe that Jack knows that there is not a beast, however he uses this as an excuse to sort of steal power away from Ralph and keep the children in fear so that they will let him keep the power.
February 1st, 2010 at 6:35 pm
Oh yeah… and Ms D…. You totally did not change the theme of your web page for a new year… I was looking forward to something fresh for my senior year! Epic Fail! HAHAHAHA
February 1st, 2010 at 7:24 pm
Sooo, I think Jack is a meany pants. I also think He is jealous of Ralph and his natural ability to lead people. Jack has been out to get Ralph from the beginning and he uses fear, hunger, and manipulation to “persuade” the boys to his way of thinking as well as rename him as chief. However, when he kills an animal for the first time, he brings almost all the boys with him, including the two who were supposed to be guarding the signal fire. So when Ralph gets in a tizzy about missing the ship because the fire was out, Jack is embarassed and tries to save face by switching back to how he got meat and by fighting with Piggy, whom all the boys view as an outcast except for Ralph. My question is…my questions are: who do you think will win the fight for power? Do you think Jack’s obesession with hunting will get out of hand? I don’t know about you, but me thinks a future canibal has been born on the island, and his name is Jack! Also, does anyone else think it gross that they ate a semi-cooked pig? ew. Just sayin’. And while I do think one boys imagination turned into everyone’s nightmare, I belive it is only that. I don’t think there is truly a monster on the island…except for maybe Jack, me thinks a few lives will be lost on this journey and it will be the fault of Jack and his “hunters” (murderers!). I think the beast symbolizes the savagery that will overcome the boys after being away from civilization and rules for a long period of time. This is also why I think the social contract theory is most acurate (has anyone else been thinkng of that troughout this entire book?) Until next time I’m your…commentor, Nichole Mathias! dun Dun DUN!!!!! Da-da!….
February 1st, 2010 at 7:26 pm
P.S.- did I live up to your expectations Ms. D? I tried EXTRA hard on this one. ;)…plus I like to read aloud in class…
February 1st, 2010 at 8:27 pm
Codey- What do you mean a new theme? Like a new background for the webpage? I could have sworn I did change it from last year- it was blue last year. I’m so confused
February 1st, 2010 at 8:27 pm
And Nichole–social contract theory? Could someone explain? The term is familiar, but I don’t remember exactly…
February 1st, 2010 at 9:20 pm
The social contract theory is more commonly an American view. It states that the world would be complete chaos without government. People need order, otherwise people would go around killing everyone else. There would be no structure and it would be survival of the fittest. It is called a contract because it was an agreement between the government and the people and was written in a document so that it would be binding. Hence the social contract theory. I probably left out a bunch of information, but this is a simple example so all you smarty-pants don’t berate me for leaving things out! I tried, okay!
February 1st, 2010 at 9:30 pm
I think something big is going to happen with Simon. He seems like he would have been a better leader than Ralph but he is too shy to stand up for himself. He cares, or at least feels bad, for the other people on the island - He gives his portion of the pig to Piggy. He is the one to look out for because he has his own secret shelter. As for Ralph, I think he is a bad leader. No one listens to him and he doesn’t have enough power to make anyone help him. What do you think of the way Ralph reacted to the ship sighting and the fire being out. At first I thought he overreacted but then I put myself in his situation and I think I would have been just as mad as he was because that could have been their only chance to be rescued. Do you think Ralph’s meeting had any meaning and will actually make the boys work harder on the island or will things continue to be the same. Out of all of the older boys on the island who do you feel would be the best leader?
February 1st, 2010 at 9:44 pm
@ Jen
I think that the differences between Jack and Ralph were always there, but have come out as more arguments and difficulties are presented, and it will only get worse. I agree that the boys will split. It seems inevitable, as Jack and Ralph value different things.
February 1st, 2010 at 9:47 pm
Responding to Nichole’s comment. I do think Jack’s hunting obsession will get out of hand. I already has. Jack wants to prove how awesome he is. He is a big bully, so the only way he knows how to get power is by a show of strength. I think Jack will lead a group of the boys to try to kill the beast that may or may not exist. Or he’ll start a pig worshiping cult. I can see it now. “Oh great mother Pig. we thank you for all your many gifts. Your blood has been poured out on the Earth and made us stronger.” then they all start chanting “Pig. pig. ” slowly and quietly at growing until they are screaming in a mad frenzy. Then they attack the pig like wolves. The part at the begining where jack was introduced with his choir boys reminded me of a cult, and with the loss of culture and humanity, this primitive pig worshipping society seems likely.
February 1st, 2010 at 9:51 pm
With the Jack and Ralph thing. I agree with Sadie that the differences have always been there. I think the more time they spend on the island the more layers of their personalities get stripped off. It’s kind of like how when you’re really tired you don’t care want people think and you stop censoring yourself, even in ways you didn’t realize ypu were censoring yourself. Jack and Ralph have been stripped down to their core, and they are very diiferent on the inside.
February 1st, 2010 at 9:52 pm
Why is the time an hour later on the comments than the actual time?
February 1st, 2010 at 9:59 pm
Even if the fire didn’t burn out do you think that the ship would have came to save them? Because if i was the one in the ship and i saw smoke on an island i would just think that it was a tribe. So i more than likely wouldn’t stop.
Also…. Do you think things between Jack and Ralph will get any better?
February 1st, 2010 at 11:01 pm
I know I’m in the “comment on comments” group, but I’m going to make a comment anyway. Why aren’t the boys experiencing any repercusions from nuclear fallout. There is a nuclear war, and they are somewhere inbetween two places that have people and presumably have weapons. I read this book once (based on a historic event) where a volcano erupted and all the volcanic ash in the air made it really cold in the Midwest. It was so cold crops would grow in the summer. Wouldn’t nuclear war effect people more than a volcano, especially since the boys are closer to the war zone than the characters in nthe other book were to the volcano? Just a thought.
February 1st, 2010 at 11:03 pm
page 78
“Only, decided Ralph as he faced the cheif’s seat, I can’t think. Not like Piggy. Once more that evening Ralph had to adjust his values. Piggy could think. He could go step by step inside that fat head of his , only Piggy was no cheif. But Piggy, for all his ludicrous body, had brains.”
My thoughts are that admitting one’s faults makes a stronger leader. Only Ralph isn’t admitting this to anyone other than himself. Anyone agree with me that he should let Piggy know how he feels? I think it would give Piggy confidence and some reason to share his knowledge with the rest of the boys without getting picked on so much!
February 1st, 2010 at 11:09 pm
Jen, I think the tension was simply mild in the beginning because of jealousy. Now I think, more than ever the boys are both on a power trip.
Hailey, I agree with you. I think there is a beast, no matter what it is, that is scaring the boys. It may not be humongo but everything seems larger when its a mystery.
Dalinda && Erika, I dont get the whole parachute thing either. Just like we talked about in Calculus today haha. Dream? or did it really happen? idk.
Brittany, I thought there was supposed to be symbolizm in those sections too but I’m not exactly sure what it’s supposed to be? I would’ve guessed the same thing you did!
Mariel, I think Simon would be a good right hand man to a leader too. He’s really quiet but he’s really smart && sneaky!
Danielle, I do not know. I’m trying to keep in mind this is simply only a story. Not real life. It’s my best answer for you.
February 1st, 2010 at 11:47 pm
I think there is a beast, but it’s not nearly as scary as they are making it out to be. I think they are making a big deal out of it and that is what is tearing them all apart. I agree with Jen that they will all eventually split apart, and that Jack killing the pig is a sign of change. Before, he didn’t have the heart to do it, but now he does. Before, they were all united together even though it wasn’t perfect, but now it seems like everyone is kind of on their own. I think Piggy trying to give his own input will cause some major disaster soon down the road because even those who do take him seriously are scared of what he has to say, so they may stop him and Ralph somehow to protect themselves from the fears.
February 1st, 2010 at 11:51 pm
Also, I agree with Caitlin. I don’t think they would have been saved even if the fire had been lit, but Ralph is just angry because that was his only hope and being rescued is the only reason he has been fighting so hard to survive and make everything work. Most likely, the ship was too far away anyways, but I think it’s more that the ship is a symbol than it being an actual ship. I don’t know if that makes sense to anyone else though…lol.
February 2nd, 2010 at 8:29 am
Brittany: You’re passages about being “blind” are great. I was thinking the same thing too. Did anyone else find it ironic that Jack broke Piggy’s extremely valuable glasses? Without them, Piggy can barely function and they’re an essential part for starting fires.
Caitlin and Kelly : I don’t agree that the signal fire wouldn’t have saved them when the ship appeared. Jack was still responsible for keeping it going. Whether the ship would have came it or not, Jack let the opportunity slip for them to find out.
Later, when Ralph explores the cave, did anyone roll their eyes when they heard Jack was right behind Ralph?
So…who’s making a better leader? Ralph or Jack?
February 2nd, 2010 at 9:08 am
yayy i’m on my friend’s laptop! haha okay anyway, everyone has really good ideas…i agree with codey a lot about them just being their own beasts, especially since Simon comments about it.
the part with the parachute…didn’t Golding say it was a person that the humans sent? but how did he know that the boys were on the island? idk…but i thought the parachute guy is dead bc it describes how the wind sways him back and forth. but to answer dalinda’s question, i thought it was symbolic of how that was their last thread to human civilization off the island & it was just killed. & btw i was reading this part when my parents had gone to sleep & all the lights were off except one….i was SOO SCARED not even joking! brittany made fun of me when i said that but it was freaky.
i also agree with Nichole about Jack. it’s like he’s a social Darwinist & ralph is a capitalist. they can’t work together & since Jack believes he is the best of the best, he will do whatever it takes to make sure everyone knows it.
erika, you asked if the twins saw the beast…i thought they just heard the rustling of the parachute & that freaked them out. they later said to ralph that the beast followed them through the woods but you guys all know how it is when you imagine something following you or you feel like someone’s behind you. i think that’s what it was, & since it was dark, they thought it was the “beast” since it had been on their minds. that’s just my opinion though.
i just have to make one more random comment…there are a couple places in this book where i read a sentence & was like…what??? & i read it about 10 times & still didn’t understand so yea, i think the way he described the parachute guy had a lil of that confusion in it. but for example, that sentence on the first page that says, “All round him the long scar smashed into the jungle was a bath of heat.” Does anyone else feel like there is a word missing in that?
February 2nd, 2010 at 12:28 pm
I think there is something going to happen between Jack and Ralph because the power seems to be leaning more and towards Jack especially after he killed the pig.The conch seems to have lost some order too.I also saw a few foreshadowing in these chapters as well.
February 2nd, 2010 at 12:32 pm
To Cyrus: I think Jack is becoming a better leader because of his growing power and influence. I almost actually see him becoming a baby Hitler among the group but with red hair and without that goofy stache lol
February 2nd, 2010 at 3:30 pm
Caitlin-I totally agree. In fact we talked about it haha.
Hannah-I’m thinking along the same lines as you. My idea of the beast is a physical one, even if it’s not large.
Danielle- AGREED! I don’t understand how they were completely ignorant to the destruction and war going on around them. Why haven’t there been any significant signs or gestures made to it until now?
Jen-I think your right in saying the boys will split, if not into 2 groups, but many. Kind of like an every man for himself thing.
Mariel-I agree. Simon has been kept pretty low key but I think the significance of his character will soon be shown. It seems like he will be the one that will bring them together eventually. He always tries to play the peace maker, he does what he’s told, and always trying to make sure nobody rocks the boat.
Brit-I think you’re right in saying that the “Three Blind Mice” thing has something to do with the fact that they are all unsure of what is to come and how to fix the problems already present.
Good point Cyrus….
February 2nd, 2010 at 3:33 pm
I agree with Cyrus. I think that the smoke would have drawn the attention of the ship. It’s an uninhabited island so the smoke would be a big clue that people were there.
Plus if they run out of food Piggy would be the best choice.
Caitlin: I don’t think Ralph and Jack will make things better. Something is going to trigger a big fight between them, and because they both want to be chief they will fight to see who wins.
Nichole and the other who agreed on this: I agree that Jack and his little followers will become murderers. They are all beginning to lose their sanity. Piggy needs to watch his back. Jack already hates him because Piggy has a lot of the good ideas that he can’t come up with. He is obsessed with hunting, and he might get Piggy confused with pig.
February 2nd, 2010 at 3:36 pm
Nichole: I Believe that Ralph will win the fight. I believe this because Ralph wants to be rescued. Jack shows he wants power. He craves it. He’s a mini dictator in the making. Jack is losing sight at what really matters. He wants to kill a pig. He did it, but the question is now what else will he do? What know would occupy his mind? He’s reminds me of a savage in the making. In a since he’s becoming crazy alittle. Back to Ralph though. Ralph needs to stand up more. He has the strength to be a great leader. The kids need a stable leader who can lead. Not one who is focused on meat all the time. Seriously, I would rather be rescued than have meat.
Mariel: I agree that Simon could be a good secondhand man. Maybe Simon and Ralph could join forces.
February 2nd, 2010 at 3:46 pm
Hannah: I agree with you about Ralph voicing his opinions to Piggy. Piggy needs a confidence booster and more people on his side. He needs to now that someone believes in him other than his Auntie. I wish that the kids on the island accepted him more. He may be different and he might not have the same strengths as the rest of them, but he is still strong in his own way. How many of those kids think about what they need, other than food and fire. Who thought about the shelters first? Piggy is a smart young lad who deserves respect.
February 2nd, 2010 at 4:21 pm
Jenn: while I agree that Jack will want to kill Piggy first, I don’t necessarily think he would be the best choice. He is the one with the brains, and he is fat. That doesn’t mean he has more meat on him that means he has more fat on him. Nobody wants to eat fat for dinner. Now I am going to get creepy and tell you the best choice would be one of the little ones. They can’t out run you and they have been eating the whole time so they have nutrition. Wow, this thought process is creeping me out. : $
Kayla: I certainly hope Ralph wins the fight and yes, I agree that Jack is a dictator in the making, but who do you think the others will follow? When Hitler ruled nobody defied him because 1) he was a CREEPER (seriously, what’s up with mustache?) and 2) he had a way of twisting other people’s words into his favor. I think Jack will twist Ralph’s words and make it seem like Ralph just wants power instead of what is best for everyone (when in fact it is the other way around! BAH!). Do you think this is a possibility?
February 2nd, 2010 at 4:26 pm
kayla i totally agree with you about jack becoming a savage and how his priorities are wrong. but about piggy and respect…i think the fact that he doesn’t get respect shows how society really works. a lot of the time people who don’t stand up for themselves get pushed down and made fun of, and even philanthropic people can’t save them from the throes of society, ya kno? he is obviously smarter than everyone else like you said, but it doesn’t really matter when you look at the whole pictuer since he keeps getting interrupted. like everyone wants piggy to be stronger, but i just feel like he will always be walked over.
HAHA danielle….your comment was great. good question.
February 2nd, 2010 at 5:36 pm
You people rock. Keep it up.
Did anyone figure out the parachute thing? Maybe we could blog an explanation of what that was?
And Danielle…you make me laugh. It’s a book
There is no repercussions of the atomic war on the island for the same reason that the people on Lost can time travel. (And that’s on tonight!!! YAY!!)
February 2nd, 2010 at 5:36 pm
And that should have read that there ARE no repercussions. Sorry!
February 2nd, 2010 at 7:04 pm
Who is the advanced english teacher, here? Just wondering…
February 2nd, 2010 at 7:54 pm
@ Dallis- I do feel like something bad is going to happen to Piggy. Every time there’s a voice of reason in any story-BOOM!-killed off. I feel really sorry for Piggy too because he is trying and all he gets is made fun of. Jack is a complete jerk.
February 2nd, 2010 at 8:00 pm
Marisa- Your point about the power struggle between Jack and Ralph is interesting. First, you have Ralph, who got the group together in the first place with his conch shell, and then there’s Jack, who killed a pig. Even though Jack killed the pig, I think Ralph will still be the leader, because unlike Jack, he’s trying to get them off the island. Thanks to Jack, they have to wait even longer to be saved. Well, I’m prejudiced against Jack anyway, Team Piggy! lol
February 2nd, 2010 at 8:10 pm
Mariel- Ralph is a better leader because Jack is a meany pants-like Nichole said. Jack just wants to beat Ralph, not get off the island. It’s like dealing with a kindergartner who doesn’t want to stop playing a game until they win. If Ralph loses, they’re all screwed, because Jack, who focused on winning, would be clueless. At least Ralph is trying to get them off the island. Piggy came to mind but since no one listens to him, it would be a bad choice. Man, I really feel sorry for Piggy. His situation makes me wanna cry. Still prejudiced against Jack.
February 2nd, 2010 at 8:34 pm
Ms. D- Okays so i finally figured out about this parachute thingy.. it was really starting to bug me that i didn’t know what they were talking about, but i finally figured it out. Alright so the twins are supposed to keep a watch out for things going on right… one is supposed to stay awake while the other one sleeps and vice versa. well… one night there are military planes that battle above the island. There is a big spark and then the night is still. Then a dead guy with a parachute falls from the sky and gets caught within the blue flowers and rocks on the mountain. While being tangled this parachute blows with the wind and so does the dead body. The body, however, casts really scary shadows on the ground. When the twins say that they saw the monster… well what they really saw was one of the scary shadows. Then they go crazy about seein the beast!
Dallis- I just have to say that i agree with you about the whole Piggy thing. I hate it how he is treated with disrespect. I have a very stong feeling that Piggy is going to end up doing something very big or very important in this book. He is so smart and he is constantly thinking of things to make or different ideas to try. And let me just say i about freaked out when i read that Jack broke Piggy’s glasses. I was so mad i wanted to jump in this book and slug Jack right in the face. Piggy didn’t deserve it and now he only has one good eye to see out of which leads toooo…..
Brittany- I have to agree when you say that there is symbolism when Piggy says that he only has one eye… but i’m not quite sure what it is either…
Lastly i just want to add that my views of the characters switched after this portion that we had to read.. I had a little faith in Jack and i didn’t like Ralph at all, but now it is completely flip flopped. Back up to Jen’s comment… if they ran out of food i’d say cook Jack because i don’t like him right now haha
February 2nd, 2010 at 8:36 pm
I’l have to agree with Miki… TEAM PIGGY!
February 2nd, 2010 at 8:40 pm
I didn’t read through everybody’s comments and from what I scanned nobody really commented on Dallis’s thoughts. So i decided to take the liberty of writing my feelings in response to her’s. I feel that civilization the boys have created represents society very well. I think that through media and technology we, as a society, have this notion in our heads that the successful, intelligent, and worthy people our also the gorgeous and handsome ones. I believe this is why Piggy is not necessarily looked to as a leader. That was little rant about society putting down the fat man! I also fell that something is looming in the works for Piggy maybe because nobody listens to him he is going to go off on his own or Jack trying to kill a pig and his name being piggy?…somethings fishy.
February 2nd, 2010 at 9:57 pm
Maybe, since the island the boys are on can escape nuclear war, the island is tghe island from Lost. I’ve never watched Lost, so I don’t know anything specific about it, but I do know I bunch of weird things happen on it. And escaping all effects of nuclear war is certainly strange.
February 2nd, 2010 at 10:00 pm
Hannah, I agree with you that both Ralph and Jack are on a power trip but the too differences between them are that Ralph uses his power for good and to protect the littluns and Jack uses his power for bad and doesn’t think about anything else except how to get more power…kinda like a Dumbledore and Voldermort kind of thing. Since Jack was so determined to gain more power, he lost sight of the most important thing and that was to get off the island. Jack manipulates the poor little boys to make sure they follow him and only him…I see a dictatorship in our future…
February 2nd, 2010 at 10:03 pm
And I don’t know about anyone else, but when they talked about the beastie coming up from the ocean, I definitely pictured Grendel…if only they had Beowulf…
February 2nd, 2010 at 10:06 pm
So, one of the big debates is who is a better leader, Jack or Ralph (or PIggy or Simon). I’m of the opinion that all of them are too young to be good leaders. If they were smart they would all work together. Jack would be a military leader, Simon would be in charge of making sure people did what they need to do, and Piggy and Ralph would make the rules.
It seems really unlikely that anything like this will happen. They boys will probably be divided into factions led by Ralph and Jack. All the littluns will die because their stupid and someone will break Piggy’s other lens. Then they won’t be able to start the fire again and they’ll never be rescued because everyone else is dead. How uplifting
February 2nd, 2010 at 10:08 pm
well that was great I just erased everything i had wonderful
February 2nd, 2010 at 10:10 pm
Cody: while I agree with you on your opinions of society, I also think the in the case of Piggy, he is not the weakest link intellectually, but physically I can make no excuses for him. Jack does use this fact as his way of bullying Piggy, while he disregards the imperfections of those who are on his side. All the boys think Piggy is an outcast, but I don’t know if it is because he is physically inferior or if it is because he is socially awkward (then again, he could be socially awkward because he was an outcast in his past life as well- and for the same reason). Also, I don’t think Piggy will go on his own; he is too dependent on Ralph and too insecure about his own abilities to even think of going off on his own. I think he will follow Ralph with a loyalty unmatched by the others, but I also think Jack’s hatred towards Ralph and Jack’s maltreatment of Piggy will get out of hand.
P.S.- in response to “something’s fishy” :we had shrimp for lunch.
Danielle: maybe the boys are unaffected by the radiation because of the pink rock. I don’t know about you, but I have never heard of a pink-rock-mountain, so who knows? Maybe this mountain has anti-radiation powers that we never knew about because the boys are too young and stupid to figure it out. Is that logical enough? Also, what do you mean “it was so cold crops would grow in the summer?” I am wondering if you realized crops grow in the summer in real life as well, not just in your book.
Me thinks it was a typo, but just in case, I had to tease you because I only get the opportunity to do so once or twice between solstices. 
February 2nd, 2010 at 10:11 pm
The beginning of chapter 4 talks about how the little boys are always off on their own messing around and never really being a part of the older boys. if the older boys, mainly Ralph, don’t start working together and making a plan to make a community on the island the little boys are going to be in big trouble if they are stranded on the island for years. If everyone went off and made their own areas and had wars no one would survive for very long. As for the monster- I don’t think there is a real monster I think each boy has his own fears inside that he uses to crate a monster for himself. The boys don’t want to admit they are scared to be stranded on an island and could possibly never be rescued so they make up something else to be scared of to help them forget about their fears of not being rescued and never going home.
February 2nd, 2010 at 10:11 pm
Okay, I’ve noticed one of the big questions is “Is there a beatie or not?”. I definitely think the beastie only exists in the boys minds and I’m pretty sure it symbolizes either evil or the devil. It shows how the boys’ minds and souls are slowly deteriorating to pure savagery. They have almost complete lost their sense of self.
February 2nd, 2010 at 10:14 pm
Ms. D- How come you don’t have cool yet odd pictures as your background for this page? I mean, green? A little blade of grass with dew on it at the top of the page? You could do better.
February 2nd, 2010 at 10:16 pm
So the whole thing about the parachute its just a guy that fell from the sky in a parachute from the war. What I don’t get is why if there is this war going on why can’t they tell that there are people on the island? just wondering. But I guess I’ m looking too much into that.
Cyrus: I totally agree with you I definately rolled my eyes at that part and plus Jack just annoys me
Dallis: I pretty sure Piggy is going to die it just seems like everyone is out to get him which is a shame because I think that he could be a good contribution to the “community” (is that what you would call it?) but anyways I think he is the most intelligent one on the island.
Also the twins that are supposed to be watching the fire are really making me mad because they both sleep instead of one staying awake while the other one sleep and vice versa but that would make too much sense right?
About the whole leader issue, I think that there is no true leader on the island because Ralph is too m uch of a pushover and Jack is too greedy and just out for himself.
February 2nd, 2010 at 10:18 pm
Hey why aren’t there any other anmals on this island except pigs?…I don’t even remember them mentioning birds…They have to have monkeys. I mean, come on, what island doesn’t have monkeys?!…or a polar bear!?
February 2nd, 2010 at 10:50 pm
I feel like Piggy is one of those people you want to like out of principle, because he’s intelligent, responsible, etc, and those are the things that “good people” are, but when you meet him it would be a “Wow he’s annoying, get me away from him” type of reaction. He’s just one of those people. His idea to create a time system really bothered me. Time is one of my biggest stressors, an evil necessity that robs me of sleep. If I could live without it, I would! But it’s mandatory for an orderly and functioning society. It seems like Piggy is trying to work against the disorder that Jack is bringing, and he’s gonna pay for it. Jack is the type of person that gets what he wants, no matter what.
February 2nd, 2010 at 10:53 pm
Soooo…..i didnt really think about it until i started reading your guys’ comments but i am postitive that Piggy is a symbol for the loss of identity and take over of human nature. he is the voice of reason and their “eyes”. (HELLO “four eyes”, totally makes sense to me =] ) First his glasses broke (which i am convinced that Jack has a personal vendetta against Piggy, i could totally see the pig-cult Danielle
), then he is repeatedly viewed as an outcast and picked on by the other boys (especially Jack)…I’m pretty sure he is going to die. 
I think Piggy would be the perfect leader. Sure he is a tad chunky, but he’s got the brains and common sense (NOT COMMON >Piggy if he was Californian…
Danielle- Maybe the extreme heat is an affect from the nuclear war? idk ><
February 2nd, 2010 at 10:54 pm
@ Dallis
I very much agree. I really don’t like how they treat Piggy. He is so smart and knows what he is talking about and they just dismiss him like he is nothing. I noticed that from the beginning of the book and it just needs to stop….I like Piggy and if something really bad happens…..grrrrrr
February 2nd, 2010 at 10:58 pm
hmm okay so my last message doesnt make any sense because the middle part was erased >< grrr
so disregard the californian comment…
February 2nd, 2010 at 11:07 pm
So throughout the entire book so far my favourite thing is all of the descriptions. The greatest descriptions usually are in the beginning of the chapters and one of my faves is the following:
“Strange things happened at midday. The glittering sea rose up, moved apart in planes of blatant impossibility; the coral reef and the few stunted palms that clung to the more elevated parts would float up into the sky, would quiver, be plucked apart, run like raindrops on a wire or be repeated as in an odd succession of mirrors. Sometimes land loomed where there was no land and flicked out like a bubble as the children watched.”
I don’t know if anyone else gets like this strange feeling, almost as if you are being transported onto this island….if it were not for the descriptions I would absolutely despise this book! I mean come on….nuclear war people!! What are your chances of surviving??? I know I need to get past that and read the book with an open mind but that just down right irritates me!
And what is Jack’s problem?? Isn’t he what like 12?? How big of an ego can he really have?? Although Ralph isn’t much better in the “I’m better than you” department. I still think that Piggy would be the perfect leader. These boys are judging a book by its cover and I don’t like it.
P.S.—- Just out of curiousity, are there any girls on this island?? Cuz if not…so much for procreating ( when they are of age of course).
February 2nd, 2010 at 11:08 pm
I know this is way off topic….but Ms. D. I happen to like the background for your blogging page
February 2nd, 2010 at 11:12 pm
OOOOOOO Dalinda!!! I very much agree with your last comment on there not being a true leader. Ralph just can’t decide whether to go along with Jack’s every word or you know, do things his way. And Jack….yeah he’s just a dumb, conceited poopoo face and I don’t like him. At all.
February 2nd, 2010 at 11:15 pm
okay I need clarafication here….is it atomic war or nuclear war??? cuz that would make alot of difference if it was atomic war
February 2nd, 2010 at 11:32 pm
Danielle-AGREED! There really is no true leader. If they were smart they would just work together. It would make things so much easier for them on the island. And maybe they would survive longer.
Mariel- I agree with the thought that if the boys don’t start working together things are going to end badly. There has to be instructions and they need to be followed. But some of the boys don’t seem to understand that. Also i agree that there is no beastie. I totally agree with the fact that they are scared they won’t get rescued so they replace that fear.
February 2nd, 2010 at 11:41 pm
@ Nichole- Yes it was a typo. I ment to say that crops would NOT grow in the summer.
@ Becky- I was totally thinking whether were girls on the island too. I don’t think there are, so it doesn’t matter that the majic island protects them from nuclear fallout because the whole human race will die out anyway.
February 2nd, 2010 at 11:44 pm
@ Becky- Atomic war and nuclear war are the same thing. Atomic war refers more to atom bombs. We use the term nuclear war now because we have a varity of nuclear weapons. All nuclear weapons (including atom bombs) get their destructive energy from the splitting of an atom.
February 3rd, 2010 at 12:31 am
haha wow there are so many comments on here it’s kind of hard to keep track of who said what. alright so first off sorry ms. d…i know that you didn’t want people waiting until the last minute to do these blogs but my computer was frozen for about 6 hours (no lie). personally i think my dad messed it up and was too embarrassed to admit that he’s not the genius of everything. anyway, i actually have a response to Marisa’s first blog about the whole foreshadowing thing of Piggy having an association with the pig that Jack has been obssessing over to kill. I think you’re right about there being a link between the two. Jack has never really been nice to Piggy but it seemed like as soon as he finally captured and killed the pig, Piggy and Jack’s “relationship” went from dislike to malice…at least that’s what it seems like from Jack’s point of view. Jack went so far as to shun Pigy from the group as well as not give him a piece of meat to eat…it just made me think that Piggy’s outcome in this book can’t be good. He’s been an outcast since the beginning but it’s getting progressively worse for him.
February 3rd, 2010 at 12:46 am
Hannah-I was totally thinking of that when i read that passage. i think that Ralph is an okay leader but because he is private and keeps his thoughts to himself that he is putting other people in the group in danger, especially Piggy. as a leader, i believe that even if you don’t like someone you should look out for the people under you and Ralph is doing a suckish job. the whole scene at the fire? um hello Ralph!!!! i kind of would like to know why he allowed that to happen. i realize that some people think that Ralph has a brotherly love for Piggy but i don’t think he does. i’m kind of thinking that Ralph doesn’t really care about what’s going on around him until it actually has a direct tie to benefitting him in some way or another.
February 3rd, 2010 at 7:57 am
Mariel-i agree that they need to start working together also..but I do think they still need leaders. BUT not one chief. When Ralph is a chief it seems he gets more of a big head and thinks he is the most powerful out of them all. I think they need a group of people who can make descsions together…if they can do that without fighting..
February 3rd, 2010 at 8:08 am
I also agree with the many people talking about Piggy. I think he’s going to become more important in the book maybe even become one of the leaders on the island. The only problem is, before this can happen, the others need to start respecting him more rather than make fun of him all the time. But I think it would be in their best interest to listen to him…he’s one of the smartest and most logical boys on the island.
February 3rd, 2010 at 8:18 am
@ Atomic/Nuclear war people - I think we can all agree that both are bad. Bombs go boom and cause a big fuss everywhere.
Now, last night when I was all comfortable in my bed, I was thinking through the night “What am I going to post on the blog in the morning?”
Let’s just think about the situation of this island real quick,…it’s “uncharted” right? How could there possibly be a big bad plane battle over this island without them being seen. Not to mention, a DEAD/UNCONCIOUS/WHATEVER parachutist could even navigate his way down on to this island. Now is this island the size of Nauru (smallest Island in the world) or Manhattan?? If battles are taking place above their heads at night, then it’s reasonable to believe that these boys landed on an island not far from where the left from before the crash. Feel free to disagree, but I just want to know if anyone else share this thought.
Way to go William Golding…just…way to go…
February 3rd, 2010 at 8:19 am
By “without them being seen,” I mean the boys on the island of course…
February 3rd, 2010 at 8:40 am
I must agree with Cyrus. You are on a deserted island with miles and miles of oceans surrounding you. I feel as though you would see and definitely hear an airplane coming which would lead you to look for one and since there isn’t anything for miles it probably wouldn’t be the hardest thing to find it in the sky.
This whole atomic bomb deal keeps coming up. This story was written around or during WWII and my thought is when the atomic bomb was dropped during WWII the war was ended. So why exactly would these boys need to be relocated for their safety? Not to mention the war was never fought on British fronts, so British civilians were never in emanate danger.
February 3rd, 2010 at 9:40 am
rachel- i completely agree with your last comment. byt the problem is that who else would lead? jack surely is out for himself too. it seems like none of them have many motives other than for their own benefits…
February 3rd, 2010 at 9:46 am
i also agree with cyrus. the whole not being seen thing with them right over the island is a tad far fetched. it seems like the writer probably didnt think about how smart the people that would read this book are and at the time of writing it, he probably didnt realize the holes that people could poke through this story. although, who really cares? can’t we just read it and go along with the idea just like everyone does with every fictional book?
February 3rd, 2010 at 10:24 am
I have to say i never thought about it but i completely agree with cyrus the kids also seemed like they were oblivious to the battle going on overhead which is very unlikely because the battle would have generated a lot of noise and lights that would have been seen by the boys. . . i was also confused how the boys could have mistaken a dead pilot hanging by a parachute to be a “snake beasty”
February 3rd, 2010 at 10:31 am
I agree with the people talking about Piggy also. . . I however think that his Ideas should be taken seriously by at least Ralph who is the leader of the group i can understand why Piggy is not the leader of the group because no one takes him seriously but i think he should be an advisor or something like that to Ralph because Piggy has a lot of good ideas that could immensely help the group survive their troubling time alone on the island.