INDEPENDENT READING BLOG

In the novel, Lord of the Flies, the setting is taken place on an island filled with British schoolboys. It matters because the story starts off during the war, and a plane is shot down carrying these boys and it lands into the ocean. The setting affects the characters because they need to gain survival on their own. The characters of the story are Piggy, Ralph, Jack, Simon, Sam and Eric, Littluns, Roger, and the pilot of the plane. The pilot went to a nearby rock and jumped into the water, committing suicide. I like Piggy, Ralph, Sam and Eric and the littlluns. I do not like Jack, Roger, or Simon. Currently, Ralph was declared leader of the children and Piggy as his assistant who carries the conch. Jack, however does not like the way Ralph rules, so he, Roger, and the other older kids form their own group and begin to look like kids without any manners. On the other hand, Simon, I feel is this really weird kid of the group. I anticipate that Jack is going to be brutal to the kids who follow him, just like the way he talks to Ralph and Piggy. They will be significant to the story because currently they need each other in order to survive.

So, the schoolboys land on this deserted island after their plane gets shot down during the war. The boys find different alternatives to survive. Ralph is made leader by the group and is accompanied by Piggy, who holds the conch. The conch is used for anyone who wishes to speak. They make homes using palm trees and a fire with Piggy’s specs. The fire is made, but it goes out of control when none of the boys keep an eye on it. In Chapter 4, Jack and Ralph have a fight. Jack leaves Ralph’s group and begins to form his own with the older kids. Ralph continues to rule with Piggy, Sam, Eric, and the littluns. I see that a brutal war will begin between the two groups. Technically, there are actually multiple people narrating the story. In some portions of the story, the author is talking, and then in other parts, Piggy or Ralph is speaking. I feel that the point of view is omniscient. The narrator does not have a distinct personality.

The narrator's voice is different from the voices of the characters. The narrators, William Golding, Piggy, and Ralph. Golding uses a strong language throughout the book when mentioning a specific situation. Ralph also uses a strong tone towards the characters since he is the leader of his group. Golding and Ralph both use strong language in the book. The other characters have a decreased tone when talking to each other. The littluns are extremely shy towards the situation because of their age group and also the advanced content that Jack and the other characters share. The littluns like to make sandcastles on the beach or play. The style and language affect the way I perceive the characters, narrator, and the events of the story because each person who speaks has a different understanding towards each other.

The fire made by the children, the conch, and the painted faces are things that I have seen so far as symbolic. The fire is symbolic because it provides the only light during the night to get around the island and to lessen the fears that the children have. The conch signifies leadership because in order for a person to speak, they must hold the conch in their hand. The painted faces show uncivilized behavior. The images so far that gives me a specific picture are the painted faces. I sense that some of the people are becoming savages, and those people are part of the group led by Jack. I see that the story is showing a greater theme also known as not being civilized in any way. Since the story is about children stranded on a deserted island, children feel that it okay to get all crazy and wild. There would not be anyone telling them what to do or wear.