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THE LORD OF THE FLIES BY WILLIAM GOLDING (THE CONCH ("Where's the…
THE LORD OF THE FLIES BY WILLIAM GOLDING
THE CONCH
"Where's the man with the trumpet?" - Jack
Only adults could possibly have this much authority
Adults represent law and order
[Piggy] "held the conch under his arm"
Piggy represents law and order
He brings it with him wherever he goes
"the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist"
As quickly as they were set up, their rules, law, order and any semblance of society have been smashed into a thousand pieces
Peace
Rules
Law
Order
Soceity
"The shell was interesting and a worth plaything;"
Reflects the boys' attitudes on the island - it's all just a game
"It's ever so valuable" - Piggy
Piggy immediately recognises the conch's worth
Recognises how important civilisation and rules are
"'You haven't got the conch,' he said. 'Sit down.'" - Ralph
Ralph still cares about democracy and the rules they have set up, even though everyone else is beginning to 'get bored' of them, and would rather play and just have fun.
RALPH
Dedicated to survival/rescue.
Rejects savagery
"You and your blood, Jack Merridew"
"We won't be painted, because we're not savages"
"We've got to make smoke up there or die"
Can be tempted by savagery, but knows they need rules and order.
Immature (at the beginning)
"shrieked with laughter" [at the nickname Piggy)
Can be insensitive
"I was chief and were going to do what I say"
"Shut up"
"he's Piggy"
Doesn't want to seem childish, but he is
"Be sucking my thumb next"
Grows in maturity
"We need an assembly, not for fun, not for laughing"
Starts to realise the world is a lot larger than the island
"It's so big - I mean,"
"We'll have to have hands up, like at school"
Becomes more and more frustrated as he tries to lead, and more indecisive
"all you can talk about is pig, pig, pig"
"content to follow Jack"
"We can't have proper assemblies if you don't stick to the rules"
"His nails were bitten down to the quick"
Trusted
"I was frightened and started to call out for Ralph"
"Piggy turned helplessly to Ralph"
Eventually loses leadership control
"The conch shattered"
Ego
The Mediator
Tries to follow the rules of civilisation but still falters
Democratic - tries to include everyone
"Ralph look at him, eager to offer something"
"Be sucking my thumb next -"
He and the boys are regressing and becoming more primitive
His awareness of this fact (his appearence) shows his desire for law, order & civilisation
Begins to forget the importance of civilisation (at the end)
"The twins were examining Ralph curiously, as though they were seeing him for the first time."
SIMON
Kind, selfless. Caring for those whom no one else is
"Simon found for them the fruit which they could not reach"
Likes to be solitary, enjoys his own company
"He was utterly alone"
"He was in a little cabin screened off from the open space
"To confirm that he was utterly alone"
Positive, optimistic
"Life went on clamorously"
In touch with nature
"were so close that he left his sweat on them"
Sees the beauty of the island. Perceptive
"Flower and fruit grew together"
"Everywhere was the scent of ripeness and the booming of a million bees at pasture"
"The candle-buds opened their wide white flowers glimmering under the light that pricked down from the first stars. Their scent spilled out into the air and took possession of the island."
Respectful, compassionate, brave
"he freed...the figure from the wind's indignity"
Christ-like. Prophetic, sacrificial
Cares for the littluns.
Determined to fix everything
"a sort of glum determination"
The Ego Ideal
THE LORD OF THE FLIES
The Lord of the Flies is not going leaving - The Beast is humans and humans aren't going anywhere (at least that's what the boys think)
"Even if he shut his eyes the sow's head still remained like an after-image
There is a part of the beast embedded in Simon & in humans
The Beast is the boys and the evil of mankind, which can never be escaped. the Beast is "down there" with the boys
"You know perfectly well you'll only meet me down there - so don't try to escape!"
Simon realises that the Beast & evil is within all the boys
The Lord of the Flies symbolises all the negative and evil parts of life
It is literally a consequence of horrifying event
"The half shut eyes were dim with the infinite cynicism of adult life"
As Simon as grown up so quickly on the island, he now can see the negative side of life, through an adult perspective, and is now questioning behaviour
Represents the inherent evils of mankind
"...his gaze was geld by that ancient inescapable recognition"
Simon recognises that he can see something inherently evil within himself and the Lord of the Flies
The evil of the world and the Beast is within the boys
"You knew, didn't you? I'm part of you? Close, close, close!"
"Close, close, close!"
The evil of the beast is closer to the boys than they think (inside them)
Simon knew that the beast is closer to home than they thought. he knew it was the boys and all the boys
Represents the boys' capacity for violence. Representative of the savagery & violence the boys can cause
"There isn't anyone to help you. Only me. And I'm the Beast"
Simon knows that the boys are the Beast and the thing to fear is the boys themselves
The boy's capacity for evil
"Pig's head on a stick"
Simon still thinks rationally and can articulate that, in reality, the Beast is not real (it's just a pig's head on a stick)
"-Or else (...) we shall do you? See?"
Foreshadows Simon's death
Evil is in all of the boys being tempted by evil and the Beast
"You're not wanted. Understand? We are going to have fun on this island,"
Simon doesn't want to just have fun
Simon and the boys are being tempted by evil into just playing on the island
JACK
Unsympathetic/Aggressive leadership style
"Choir! Stand still!"
Orders the choir around
Controlling
"The boy who controlled them" [the choir]
Wants to be an authoritative figure. Likes to be in control
"Why should I be Jack? I'm Merridew."
Rude, obnoxious
"'We don't want you,' said Jack flatly"
"screwing up his face as he did so"
when he sees that Ralph is the one with the conch
"Sucks to your ass-mar"
The Id
At the beginning, he is still controlled by society
"the enormity of the knife descending and cutting into living flesh"
Becomes more savage
"the mask was a thing on its own...liberated from shame and self consciousness"
His Id is free
By the end of the novel Jack has fully embraced his savage side.
"But he'll be painted," - Sam
Starts to disregard Ralph, the conch, the rules they decided on
"Bollocks to the rules!"
Controlling. Uses physical violence & fear to control & manipulate. Becomes a dictator. Aggressive leadership style
"pointed the spear at them"
"the threat of violence"
"See? They do what I want."
"I said, 'grab them'" - Jack
PIGGY
Rational, sensible
"What was the sensible thing to do? There was no Piggy to talk sense."
The Conscience
Holds the ideal for 'good behaviour'. When something bad happens/you do something bad the Conscience makes you feel emotions such as remorse or guilt
"Life (...) is scientific"
Which is it better - to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill?"
"Piggy, for all his ludicrous body, had brains. Ralph was a specialist in thought now, and could recognise thought in another."
Reminds Ralph (and the other boys) about the rules they first agreed upon, and the important things on the island, not just play
"Ralph - remember what we came for. The fire. My specs."
An outsider to the other boys
"You're no good on a job like this,"
"and Piggy a bag of fat"
Described like the sow
"like a pig's after it had been killed"
But desperately wants to be involved
"Piggy was... so full of pride in his contribution to the good of society, that he helped to fetch wood."
Brings law & order with him wherever he goes
"he held the conch under his arm,"
Never forgets it
"What are we going to do?" [Ralph] Piggy nodded at the conch
"The rock struck piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist."
The rules are destroyed as quickly as they were created. Any semblance of society that they had has "exploded into a thousand white fragments"
Physically vulnerable
"My auntie wouldn't let me blow on account of my asthma."
Recognises the value and importance of the rules, civilisation and society
"It's [the conch] ever so valuable-"
"Careful! You'll break it!"
HUMAN NATURE