Ralph is a twelve-year-old child with fair hair (described as "the boy with the fair hair" at the beginning of Chapter 1) with an athletic build. Ralph looks for the order and tradition that he has experienced before being on the island. Piggy is fat, asthmatic, rambles often, and he wears glasses. He asks important questions and thinks of quick solutions (ex: using the shell to call the other boys).  Jack has red hair, freckles, and blue eyes. He wants to be in charge of the group and is quite upset when he does get to be the Chief. 

4. What is the significance (the meaning and importance) of the boys' encounter with the wild piglet?

The hesitance that Jack and the boys have when he is about to kill the pig shows that they still have the innocence and rationality that has been instilled in them prior to the plane crash. The weight of killing another living thing by hand in the wild, is barbaric, something that the boys had never even thought about having to do. But Jack's promise to kill the pig next time shows that barbaric and instinctual violence that animals in the wild have, is coming to the surface. This gives a little glimpse into the future, showing that the boys may embrace the animalistic instincts that have previously been buried. 

5. What do you think the “sound of the shell” and the conch itself might symbolize?

The "sound of the shell" and the conch represent the power over the boys. Which is why Ralph possesses it. The sound that the conch emits is what all the boys respond to and the reason they gather around Jack. Ralph's possession of the conch, subconsciously causes the boys to look at him as the leader despite him not having any obvious leadership qualities, which is why the majority of the boys vote for him to be Chief.

 

 

put to in this chapter, Piggy‟s intelligence, and Piggy‟s helplessness without them.

Piggy's glasses represent his innovative and intelligent ways. They represent his ability to 'see' solutions to the many issues that continue to arise. Piggy's helplessness without them shows that without his intelligence he provides no benefit to the group and there would be no one to provide the boys with an analytical approach. The use of his glasses as a way to light the fire represents Piggy's ability to solve the boy's problems. 

5. What is ironic about the consequences of the boys' decision to light a fire?  In light of these consequences, what do you think it and the “drum-roll” represent?

The fire was supposed to be a signal of life to rescuers, but instead, it took a young boy's life. The drum-roll represents the further loss of life and danger up head for the boys. 


6. What do the events of these first two chapters reveal about the major themes of the novel?

They reveal the man vs self theme, as the boys decide to embrace their natural animalistic instincts or to maintain the innocence, rational tendencies, and order that they have been taught is the right way to go about things. It also reveals the man vs society theme, as we can see the way Piggy's physique and lack of athleticness make him an automatic target for the boys, regardless of his benefit of intelligence to the group. Further, the theme of herd mentality or just doing something because someone else is doing it is revealed. The boys follow each other, without really thinking about what is going to increase their chances of survival and rescue, hence Piggy's frustration.

 

The chapter describes the ways the boys have adjusted to their situation, and how they have fallen into a routine. ("Nevertheless, the northern European tradition of work, play, and food right through the day, made it possible for them to adjust themselves wholly to this new rhythm.") The boys had become accustomed to living in the wild and their domesticated tendencies are fading away. This is thematically significant because it shows the progression of the man vs self theme. As the boys become less civilized and stray from what they have been taught and are learning to embrace their inborn instincts, losing their innocence that has been protected their whole life. 

2. Why does Maurice walk away when Percival starts crying, and why doesn‟t Roger throw the stones directly at Henry?  What does their behavior suggest about human nature?

The rules of society linger in the back of Maurice's mind, and he still remembers that it is wrong to hurt others, and furthermore he still empathizes with others' pain. Roger doesn't throw the rocks at Henry because he knows that it would hurt him and that hurting others intentionally is wrong. It shows that regardless of the ability to break the rules, we do what we are conditioned to do and humans are empathetic by nature and we understand the pain others feel. 

5. How does Ralph “assert his chieftainship” after the argument with the hunters?  Why do you think this gesture is so effective?

He gives the hunters the order to relight the fire and says nothing else. His stern orders have a sense of finality to them; he does not give anyone room to argue because of his silence. This gesture is so effective because unlike Jack, he didn't use violence, he instead took the civilzed route, making the short coming of the hunters settle on their shoulders heavily. Which makes them recognise their failure and makes them feel guilty, rather than angry and resentful, which a violent or harsh punishment would have made them. 

7.Discuss the thematic significance of the title of the chapter.

It shows that the boys are succuming to savagery and straying further from order and civility. The barbaric tendencies of people in the wild are becoming their new norm; painted faces for hunting and long hair are a Tarzan-like reality.

The rules are the only thing that Ralph has to make life on the island even resemble a civilized society. If the rules aren't set and followed, chaos and savagery will take over and break down the already shaky system of order Ralph has organized. Ralph will lose his power, and Jack who uses violence and primal instintics to dictate, (shown when he is violent with Piggy in Chap. 4) will lead the rest of the boys away into a barbaric and uncivilized way of life.

Humans often to think immediately of the worst scenario, especially in situation where there's already fear of the topic in the mind, like fear of a 'beast' Sam and Eric already have. 

3. How does Ralph overcome Jack‟s challenge during the discussion about what to do about the beast?

Ralph gets everyone to side with him by reminding them of the goal of being rescued and why have the fire lit is pertinent to that. Jack, with no support, has to step back. ("Yes, they wanted to be rescued, there was no doubt about that; and with a violent swing to Ralph's side, the crisis passed.")

5. Why do you think Ralph doesn‟t really expect to encounter the beast?

Ralph doesn't really believe in the 'beast', and after the intial shock of the situation and he had calmed down, he realized that he didn't even expect to encounter the beast ("He noticed that the sweat in his palm was cool now; realized with surprise that he did not really expect to meet any beast"), but just wanted to be sure that there was no 'beast' on the island.

 

3. What disturbing thing do the group of hunters and Ralph do immediately after their encounter with the pig?  How is Ralph‟s behavior surprising?  What does this behavior foreshadow?

They reinact their encounter with the pig, with Robert acting as the pig. They take the pretending to far, and become far too immersed in the game, seriously hurting Robert. Even Ralph, who never understood Jacks love and almost need to engage in hunting and his barbaric tendencies, gets caught up. It's surprising as he has never indulged in this behavior, and it hints that Ralph isn't exempt from the primative and animalistc behavior that he looks down upon. 

6. Why do you think Golding (the author) plotted the story so that the boys would go up the mountain in the dark?

Plotting the story that way allows for the reader to see the clear power struggle with between Ralph and Jack. Jack insists that they go up the mountain even though it is dark in order to prove that he reigns supreme over Ralph. Ralph challenges him by going with him, against his better judgement, so he can prove his dominance as a leader, once again.

They biguns don't want to make their rebellion to Ralph obvious and they are ashamed of their decision. Their betrayal isn't just to Ralph, its betryal and abandon to tradtion and order as well. Supporting Jack means that they have left all civility behind, and that they are embracing their inner primal being, rather than the familiar rationality that has been instilled in them. 

8. What happens to Simon after the hunters leave his clearing?  What is the “lord of the flies”?  What does it represent?  How does it talk to Simon—what does its speech really indicate?

Simon hallucinates, and the boar head comes to life and speaks to him. The boar is the "Lord of the Flies". He tells Simon that he is the beast, though he is something that can't be hunted, as he in everyone, even Simon. The "Lord of the Flies" represents the primal part of the boys that the boys are slowly succumbing to. He talks with a degrading and condesending tone to Simon, mocking him and picking at his insecurities. He also confirms Simon's suspiction that the boys were deep down violent savages. It indicates that humans have savage instincts buried deep within, and it shows why the boys have succubed to vulgar and violent behvior, despite never being exposed to it in their lives.

Jack's generosity shows the boys that he is fair and kind. He uses Ralph and the remaining boys not under his powers' hunger as ploy to give in to him. It shows that he is a diplomatic leader who can cater to his followers needs. 

2. Why does Jack command the boys to dance and chant, and why is this an effective leadership tactic?  What psychological effect does dancing and chanting have on the boys? Think back to the effect that 

putting on makeup had on them in Chapter 4.

Jack commands the boys to dance and chant as it shows the boys the fun of hunting. This solidfies his leadership as it shows the excitement and exhilaration Jack's way of leading brings, compared to strict and laborus way of order Ralph preffered to bring. By giving the boys this experience, the boys find Ralphs way boring and tiresome, but Jack's way of life better as it is stimulating. Because of the dancing and chanting, the boys become dazed and are high off of excitement. The adrenaline from the dancing and chanting, makes them act impulsively and agressively, without hesitation. 

3.  What is the “beast” that the boys kill?  How is this event ironic and especially tragic (not only for the “beast,” but for everyone on the island)?  How is it symbolically significant?

The boys adrenalized state, make them think that Simon, was the beast. They kill him, without a second look. Simon was the only person in the group who knew that there was no 'beast' and that they had been disillusioned. This event symbolises the overtake of primal instincts and savagery in the boys; all morality, rationality, or humanity was abandoned. Simon represented that. His death demonstrates that all innocence and morality in the boys has died.