Lord of the Flies

Questions for Discussion

Chapter 1

1. What is the physical setting of the story? What is the time setting?
They crashed on an island in summer
2. How did the boys arrive on the island? How do we know?
Plane crash because it says it was shot down
3. Identify and provide a description of the following characters:
 Ralph tall blonde
 Piggy fat younger nerdy
 Jack attractive taller
 Simon skinny black hair
 Roger a quiet member of the choir
 Sam and Eric young twins

4. Provide 2-3 examples of direct characterization.

He was a tall fair-haired boy, short fat boy, FATTY!!!
5. Provide 2-3 examples of indirect characterization.
Piggy. “Piggy is better than fatty” “They snatched the specs off his face
6. Mark examples of Piggy’s need for approval and recognition from Ralph.
He was happy even when ralph was bullying him
7. Who makes the first reference to organizing the boys? What does he say?
Piggy when he says blow the conch to assemble the boys
8. Cite 1-2 examples, anywhere in the chapter, of childlike activity/behavior (List pg. #s below).
16 Here at last was the imagined but never fully realized place leaping into real life.
9. What is Piggy’s family situation? Based on what he says, what do you think of his aunt?
His mom is dead, and his dad is not with them
10. Cite 1-2 examples of other boys bossing around Piggy (List pg. #s below).
24 “Shut up, Fatty”
11. Describe the island. Mark specific quotes in which setting is discussed.
It was a Mountain where whole island is visible and the beach with palm trees is where it is discussed
12. What is the conch? What might it symbolize? Cite a quote to back up your answer.
It is the calling device
13. Piggy’s glasses are mentioned several times. What might they symbolize? Explain.
Intelligence because nerds often wear glasses and nerds are smart
14. Why are the other boys drawn to Ralph and why do they name him chief? What does this say about the
importance of first impressions?
Ralph is confident and found the conch
15. Cite at least two quotes from anywhere in the chapter that exemplify the conch’s power (List pg. #s below).
27 Ralph smiled and held up the conch for silence. 28 "I was with him when he found the conch. I was with
him before anyone else was."
16. As Ralph, Jack, and Simon get ready to go “explore,” Piggy begs to go with them. Describe the difference
between each boy’s response to Piggy.
Ralph was leader like, but jack was a jerk
17. Fully explain what happens when the boys see the trapped and struggling piglet. Be sure to mention Jack’s
response, specifically. They see the piglet and jack wants to find a place to kill him
Jack and piggy see the piglet and want to kill it even though it is a little young innocent one and jack seems very
passionate about killing it
18. Provide at least 2 examples of Ralph’s leadership skills (List pg. #s below).
29 "Better Piggy than Fatty, 46 we must make a fire
19. Provide at least 2 examples of Jack’s savagery (List pg. #s below).
22 he forces the choir to obey him. 36 he wants to kill the piglet
20. Provide at least 2 examples of Piggy’s intelligence (List pg. #s below).
18 Blow the conch for people to hear 51 trying to explain the harm of the fire
 Lord of the Flies
Questions for Discussion
Chapter 2

1. Write a summary of Chapter 2.

They went up the mountain started a fire, and a kid died
2. Ralph decides that everyone should not talk at once. How will the boys determine whose turn it is to talk?
The shell
3. Mark an example of the breakdown of organization in this chapter (List pg. # below).
48 One by one, as they sensed that the pile was complete, the boys stopped going back for more and stood,
with the pink, shattered top of the mountain around them
4. What reality does Piggy point out to the boys during their meeting?
They needed a smoke signal
5. What good things do Ralph, Jack, and Simon say about the island during the meeting?
It is an island, and they will get rescued
6. Who tells the boys about the “beastie”? What does he say about it?
The boy with scare he says it’s a snake
7. Mark at least 2 passages in which Piggy shows he is responsible (List pg. #s below).
54 and that was our firewood
55
“How can you expect to be rescued if you don't put first things first and
act proper?”

8. Why does Jack entertain the possibility of the “beastie”?

Increase fear and show his dominance
9. Cite an example of savagery in this chapter (List pg. #s below).
53 the boys broke into shrill, excited cheering.
10. Cite an example of a simile or a metaphor in this chapter. Write it below.
39 We'll have
to have 'Hands up' like at school
11. Mark two quotes from the book in which the word “savage” is used (List pg. #s below).
50 fires thrust out a savage arm. 52 After all, we're not savages
12. Piggy says the boys are acting “Like a crowd of kids.” Why is this ironic?
Because he is a kid
13. What happens to the boy with the birthmark?
He disappears
14. What might the fire symbolize in this chapter?
hope
15. How did the “snake-thing” or “beastie” turn out to be real?
Themselves as fear
Lord of the Flies
Questions for Discussion
Chapter 3

1. Write a summary of Chapter 3.

Jack becomes more and more crazy
2. How do we know that some time has passed since the last chapter? Cite a quote.
We know because the environment and appetences have changed “His sandy hair,
considerably longer than it had been when they dropped in”
3. Find at least 3 examples of Jack being described like an animal in this chapter (List pg. #s below).
58 Then dog-like. sniffing like a dog. He was down like a sprinter

4. Find at least 3 examples in which Jack’s savagery is described (List pg. #s below).
He tried to convey the compulsion to track down and kill that was
swallowing him up. 61
Jack had to think for a moment before he could remember what rescue
was. P 64
The madness came into his eyes again 68
5. Define antagonism. Provide an example from the text.
Hostility and when ralph and jack are always arguing
6. What did you learn about Jack in this chapter? Cite a quote to back up your answer.
He is turning more savage about hunting “You and your fire!” Jack yelled this at ralph
7. Describe Simon. What is going on with him in the last few pages of the chapter?

He goes into the forest by himself to avoid the chaos

 Lord of the Flies
Questions for Discussion
Chapter 4

1. Why do the “littluns” obey the call of the conch?

Because they are innocent and need command
2. Explain the difference between Maurice and Roger during their interaction with Henry, Percival, and Johnny.
Maurice feels guilt roger doubles down

3. The following quote “Roger stooped…and was in ruins.” Explain how it connects to the theme of civility vs. savagery
and why Roger’s desire to remain unseen is especially heinous.
He wants to harm but his internal values are not letting him.
4. What might the boys’ painted faces symbolize? Why is important about the colors Jack uses on his face?
Because they want to act more like animals.
5. Explain the significance of the following line: “He looked in astonishment, no longer at himself but at an awesome
stranger.
This shows that they see themselves as a super cool person and not themselves

6. Define juxtaposition. Explain how Piggy and Ralph are juxtaposed as well as Ralph and Jack.
Contrasting side by side with details. Piggy is smart ralph is civil and a leader jack is chaotic
7. As the boy’s race to the top of the hill to check the fire, the narrator mentions that “Henry and Johnny were throwing
sand at Percival who was crying again quietly.” Why might this small detail be important?
More and more cruel.
8. Discuss the boys’ chant as they approach with the butchered pig.
It was crazy and showed they have lost touch with reality
9. Explain how Jack seems to be losing touch with reality in this chapter.
He becomes consumed by the hunt
10. Describe the development of Jack’s savagery.
He starts hunting but then the paint represents him painting on a new savage personality
11. What happens to Piggy’s specs? (Important: This is the first time we see real violence between the boys)
They get broken in the confrontation
12. How does Jack show cruelty to Piggy as the boys eat the roast pig? How does Piggy defend himself?
He doesn’t let him have the meat so piggy speaks out against him
13. Why does Ralph feel “envious and resentful” of the hunters and call a special meeting?
He is mad that they don’t care about the shelters at all.
14. Discuss Simon in this chapter. Which Christ-like traits has he shown so far?
Simon shows kindness and wisdom
15. We see the new theme of the individual vs. the group emerging in this chapter. Explain how this theme applies to
Chapter 4.
Ralph and piggy slowly lose control and they are unable to control the continuing more ravenous group of hunters.
Lord of the Flies
Questions for Discussion
Chapter 5

1. What does Ralph think about the upcoming assembly as the chapter begins?
Ralph thinks it is a serios conversation that is needed.
2. What are Ralph’s thoughts about what it is to be chief at this point? What does he think about Piggy?
He values piggy’s brain and smartness. He sees his new role as chief a huge responsibility and that having control of
the group is crucial.
3. What are the four major problems Ralph points out to the boys at the assembly?
1. signal fire
2. hygiene issues
3. they don’t care about the shelters
4. the beast

4. Summarize what Jack says about littluns and beasties during the assembly and how the crowd reacts to him.
He calls them crybabies dismissing their feelings
5. Percival says the beast comes out of the ___________. What does Maurice say about this possibility?
Water and Maurice says it’s possible
6. What does Simon say about the beast? What does the narrator mean when he says, “mankind’s essential
illness”?
Simon says the beast is the fear inside of them
7. Why does Ralph decide not to blow the conch and how does this reflect his wisdom?
He doesn’t want to have the possibility the boys losing the power of the conch
8. Who are the “three blind mice”? Why is this description appropriate?
Piggy’s ralph Simon who try to keep control even though they are becoming unable to
9. Why does Piggy think that Ralph should not give up his role as chief?
He is scared for his own life and because of jack’s immense want of singular issues
10. Discuss how fear is used as a motivator in this chapter. Give specific examples with page numbers and
quotes. There is more than one example!!
The beast 98
Lord of the Flies
Questions for Discussion
Chapter 6

1. What is happening in the sky during the night at the beginning of the chapter?
Air battle
2. Which two boys first see the “beast”? How do they describe it to the other boys?
Eric and Sam and the describe the beast as a monster with wings
3. Find two examples of Jack challenging Ralph’s authority in this chapter (List pg. #s below).
91 93
4. Describe Jack as the boys are on their way to find the beast.
Unlike his normal self he is almost acting a way that a proper leader would
5. How is leadership a burden for Ralph?
It makes him not feel like a kid and not the boy he wants to be
6. Describe how Jack and Ralph’s opinions of the fort on the other side of the island differ.

Ralph sees it as a possible issue because of the lack of resources

Jack sees it as a strategic point.

Lord of the Flies
Questions for Discussion
Chapter 7

1. Describe the appearance of Ralph and the other boys.

They are scruffy and eating
2. What does the ocean remind Ralph of?
A border wall of hope

3. What is revealed about Ralph’s family?

They are clean uptight family
4. Give two examples of how Jack shows his cowardice in this chapter.
1. he doesn’t kill the beast
2 they should beat up a little kid

5. What happens with the boar when Ralph is on the hunt? How does Ralph feel about this? How does Jack
feel? What does Jack do to “save face”? ralph is feeling excited and happy about hitting the boar and jack
shows his cut arm where the boar hit it

6. Describe the mock pig-killing scene. Why is this scene so disturbing? What does Ralph do during the mock
pig-killing scene? What might this tell us about mankind? They keep beating up Robert even though it is
supposed to be pretend then they say they should get a little kid

7. What is Jack referring to when he says, “Use a littlun”? How do you feel about this?
He wants to pick on the innocent and unprotected because he is scared and weak.
8. Give an example of Jack challenging Ralph.
They should go up the mountain in the dark
9. How does Simon show bravery in this chapter? Why does he volunteer for this errand?
He volunteers and this shows bravery because he is doing something that the rest of the group is unable to
do.
10. Loss of identity is a theme of this novel. How are the boys progressively losing their identities (you can pull
ideas from previous chapters also)? They are becoming more and more just surviving. Ralph hunted he hates
hunting he was always against it and now he is.
Lord of the Flies
Questions for Discussion
Chapter 8

1. What does Ralph say that causes Jack to take the conch and call an assembly?
He said that jack was weak and couldn’t keep himself under control
2. What three things does Jack tell the boys?
1. he isn’t going to listen to ralph
2. he get people to go hunt with him and leave ralph
3. ralph is a bad chief

3. Who does Piggy say has “cracked”? What does this tell us about Piggy?
Jack and it says that piggy is the only mentally stable one
4. Describe Jack’s leadership style.
Jerk controls and is power obsessive
5. Why do Jack and his hunters decide to kill the nursing sow?
It is easy to get and kill showing they are weak
6. How does Roger prove to be especially sadistic? (Remember, his darkness was foreshadowed earlier).
He kills the sow
7. Jack and his tribe realize they cannot make fire. What solution do they come up with for this problem?
They are going to steal ralphs fire
8. What is the ‘Lord of the Flies’ and what does it symbolize?
the pig head and it is the devil
9. What happens between Simon and the ‘Lord of the Flies’? What is the significance of the line “He knew that
one of his times was coming on”?
He hallucinates the conversation in which the line shows he is even more of a Christ like figure
10. How does the fire change as a symbol? How do Piggy’s glasses change as a symbol?
Fire was hope now control piggy was smart now knowing how to make fire shows control.
Lord of the Flies
Questions for Discussion
Chapter 9

1. Who confronts ‘the beast”? Describe the interaction. The group and it come crawling into it

2. “The circle became a horseshoe…blood was staining the sand.” What happened? What is the significance?
The beats came out the group was watching (Simon) the beats die
3. Choose any passage from this chapter that you think is important and discuss it including theme, symbolism,
literary devices, etc. You may not choose any passage that’s already pointed out on this sheet.

“Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!” I feel that this line shows the complete loss of innocence. It is a sad
but true statement. The group that first landed couldn’t kill a pig and now they are chanting the agonizing chant. This
awful ear-splitting chant that hurts any sane person’s soul.
Lord of the Flies
Questions for Discussion
Chapter 10

1. What wounds do Ralph, Piggy, Sam, and Eric have? How did they get these wounds?
They got kind of blooded up from jack’s army going and hunting them
2. Explain Ralph and Piggy’s conversation about Simon’s murder.
Piggy hated discussing it because he still has even more innocence than ralph
3. How does Ralph come close to having the same insight Simon had?
Just realizing what has happened to the group
4. Robert challenges Roger to identify himself before he’s allowed to enter Jack’s territory. He then shows
Roger how they’ll deal with trespassers. What is their defense mechanism? What is Roger’s reaction?
Killing them by having a rock that would fall and roger is surprised
5. Who is Wilfred? What is Robert’s reaction to the way Wilfred is treated? What does this say about Jack’s
leadership?
Wilfred is the boy they are going to beat up for no reason
6. The boys in Jack’s tribe are referred to by the narrator as __________________.
savages
7. Discuss the differences between Jack’s tribe/leadership style and Ralph’s.
Ralph wants society and normality with order and rational. Jack uses fear and being a jerk
8. What does Jack say about the beast now?
He says it is real to use and scare the boys
9. Explain how Jack, Maurice, and Roger ambush Ralph’s tribe. What do they take?
They stole piggy’s glasses in a raid
10. Why does Piggy think that Jack and his hunters want the conch?

He thinks he wants it because of power but jack doesn’t care about that he is his own ruler and powerful
Lord of the Flies
Questions for Discussion
Chapter 11

1. Cite examples of savagery and civility in this chapter.

Ralph wants to attack jack with civil manner. Jack attacking Ralph’s people.
2. Why does Ralph suggest that the boys should clean themselves up before going to see Jack about Piggy’s
glasses?
He wants jack to remember the English man he used to be before they crashed
3. Explain how Piggy feels about the conch.
He sees it as the original item thart brought them together.
4. What does Piggy plan to say to Jack when they confront him? Why won’t Piggy’s approach work?
He plans to be kind and fair but its wont work because jack has gone completely savage.
5. What does Roger do at Castle Rock that echoes something he did in an earlier chapter of the book? Why is
this significant?
He pushes the boulder killing piggy and it echo’s him throing stones at henry and killing the pig and Simon and
beating up Wilfred.
6. Cite 2 examples of the loss of identity theme in this chapter (be able to cite a specific passage).
Jack and his tribe are savage (Chant if killing Simon) when sam and eric are now samneric (when they are forced to
become one)
7. What do the boys do to Sam and Eric?
Forces them to join after violently beatinhg them
8. How does Roger see Ralph and Piggy as he stands above them?
He sees them as issues instead of humans
9. What happens to Piggy and the conch? What does this symbolize?
Conch is shattered and piggy is killed showing all innocence peace intelligence is gone
10. “Roger edged past the chief, only just avoiding pushing him with his shoulder.” Why is this an important
line? What possibility does it bring up for the future? What are the consequences of Jack’s style of
leadership?
This could be hinting at the fact that roger may challenge jack because roger is growing to be colder hearted than
jack is.
Lord of the Flies
Questions for Discussion
Chapter 12

1. Where does Ralph go at the beginning of this chapter and why?

The tribe is hunting him, so he hides
2. Why does Ralph believe that there is an “indefinable connection between himself and Jack; who therefore
would never let him alone; never”? he knows that Jack who used to just want to hunt now has a personal
reason against ralph

3. What is the symbolic significance to what Ralph does to the ‘Lord of the Flies’?
He says no to the savagery the rest are abiding by
4. Why do the boys do a better job at guarding their territory than they did tending the fire?
They want to keep it more because they are scared more than wanting to just go home
5. Explain Ralph’s interaction with Sam and Eric. What do they tell him about Jack’s plans for him?
The say jack and roger are going to kill me
6. As Ralph anticipates the next day’s events, what words from Sam and Eric does he obsess over? (You should
give an exact quote)
The sharpen sticks at both ends is the quote and it makes him go crazy thinking about the evil death that might
happen to him.
7. Ralph hides in a thicket and thinks he’ll be safe. Why do Sam and Eric reveal his location?
They are tourtched
8. How does Jack’s tribe attempt to get Ralph out of the thicket and how does this correlate to earlier scenes?
They see tit on fire which is like the uncontrolled fire from before
9. How do Jack and his tribe destroy the island?
They set everything on fire
10. Explain what happens on the last pages of the chapter. Be VERY specific.

Ralph is running out and is about to be caught but then he sees the naval officer and cries. He talks about the
deaths. The naval officer comes because of the massive fire that had happened. In a way the same thing that
about killed ralph saved him.