Lord of the Flies Group at eNotes

The idea behind Socratic Seminars like this one is to see how deeply you...

Sun, 7 Sep 2008 16:27:48 PST

The idea behind Socratic Seminars like this one is to see how deeply you and your classmates understand the novel. You will want to think about the passage (or entire book, in your case) you are discussing and prepare questions you would like answered. You don't necessarily have to know the answers already, but you should care about finding out the answer. For instance, with Lord of the Flies, you might consider a question such as:...

I am having an inner/outer circle at school on the book "Lord of...

Sun, 7 Sep 2008 14:30:29 PST

This is my first inner outer circle, and I don't really know what I'm doing.

The full quote is "I agree with Ralph. We've got to have rules and...

Sun, 7 Sep 2008 04:55:33 PST

The full quote is "I agree with Ralph. We've got to have rules and obey them. After all we're not savages. We're English; and the English are best at everything. So we've got to do things right." It's towards the end of chapter 2 on page 42 in my copy of the book - though that may differ across different editions.

On which page of "Lord of the Flies" does Jack state that the...

Sat, 6 Sep 2008 10:08:37 PST

On which page of "Lord of the Flies" does Jack state that the English aren't savages and are the best at everything?

Percival inarticulation only suggests that evil indulgences can make...

Fri, 5 Sep 2008 07:55:24 PST

Percival inarticulation only suggests that evil indulgences can make people be forgetful of their good heritage.We remember Percival introducing himself with full inclusion of his religious affiliation which suggests that he is a boy with some degree of moral and spiritual understanding. He gives us first insight on the accurate possible object of fear for the boys on the island when he says "a beast come out of the sea." He is...

Initially, Samneric are scared by the "Beast of the Air". They deal with...

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 21:03:13 PST

Initially, Samneric are scared by the "Beast of the Air". They deal with it through loyalty to Ralph and don't desert him like Roger and Maurice. They are the last "biguns" to stay loyal to Ralph. However, after being captured and beaten by Jack's group, they are afraid for their lives and tell Jack that Ralph has run into the jungle.

What were Samneric afraid of and what caused those fears? How did they...

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 20:46:28 PST

What were Samneric afraid of and what caused those fears? How did they deal with those fears?

As time passed and no rescue came into sight, the boys became aclimated...

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 10:10:19 PST

As time passed and no rescue came into sight, the boys became aclimated to their surroundings and their new reality. In fact, they began to embrace their independence. They were feeling personal power for the first time, power over themselves without grown-ups, but also (for some of them) power of others. As the saying goes, "Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely."With rescue (since the fire was designed to be a...

In "Lord of the Flies", why do the children seem less eager to...

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 09:35:49 PST

In "Lord of the Flies", why do the children seem less eager to build the fire as time passes?

Your question isn't very clear, but I will give you a brief review of...

Wed, 3 Sep 2008 04:27:25 PST

Your question isn't very clear, but I will give you a brief review of some of the characters and their significant contribution to the story. I suggest you follow the link listed below for some very helpful information however.Ralph is the protagonist in the story. He is the fair-haired boy who tries to lead the boys in a positive, organized direction but he lacks the skills to be a leader.Jack is the antagonist. He has leadership skills...

Who were the characters in "Lord of the Flies" (important and...

Tue, 2 Sep 2008 19:41:14 PST

Who were the characters in "Lord of the Flies" (important and less important characters included)?

I would highlight the chant that the choir boys yell while on the...

Mon, 1 Sep 2008 19:50:08 PST

I would highlight the chant that the choir boys yell while on the hunt:"'Kill the pig! Cut his throat! Kill the pig! Bash him in!'"Combined with Ralph's observations when finally faced with the pig itself:"The desire to squeeze and hurt was over-mastering."And, finally, any description associated with Roger, the most evil of the boys:Roger stooped, picked up a stone, aimed, and threw it at Henry— threw it to miss. The...

To keep it simple, I believe the primary question Golding asks, and...

Mon, 1 Sep 2008 15:59:33 PST

To keep it simple, I believe the primary question Golding asks, and answers to an extent, is "Are human beings inherently evil or savage?" I agree, however, that there are many sub-questions, such as: "When outside of civilization's rule, how do people act?"

It definitely answers the question about whether or not a group of...

Mon, 1 Sep 2008 12:08:54 PST

It definitely answers the question about whether or not a group of "civilized" British boys would succumb to the darkness of man's heart and allow that to color their existence on an isolated island where there is no adult supervision to keep them in line.Almost immediately, they shed the clothing that makes them look civilized. There is also a breakdown in communication and between what the boys need to do for survival and rescue...

"Lord of the Flies" was written after World War II when many were...

Mon, 1 Sep 2008 11:39:32 PST

"Lord of the Flies" was written after World War II when many were questioning how such evil events like the Holocaust could have happened. Golding suggests that in the absence of competent, moral leadership people will gravitate to cruelty and depravity. There is a "dark side" to humanity that must be controlled by the rules and consequences of a strong government. Thus, the reason for the holocaust and other crimes against humanity was the...

I'm not sure we can ever really say a book answers any one single...

Mon, 1 Sep 2008 11:21:53 PST

I'm not sure we can ever really say a book answers any one single question - particularly when written by a Nobel Prize-winning author like William Golding. "Lord of the Flies". The novel deals with a whole host of themes: the "darkness of man's heart", the potential that evil is an quality innate in humans, what it means to be a child and to grow up, the interaction of humans with nature... and so on. There are plenty of...

What question does "Lord of the Flies" answer?

Mon, 1 Sep 2008 11:09:01 PST

I think the novel is about the human condition - but is it about other things?

The boys decide to use the conch as a physical representation of...

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 20:05:17 PST

The boys decide to use the conch as a physical representation of order. The conch serves as a governing devise. In order to speak the person must hold the conch, at which time the individual has "the floor" so to speak. The boys decide to use the conch in this manner in order to maintain their perception of civilization. Democratic societies create governments to maintain order.The premise is that free societies choose to place...

It is more the irony of the entire circumstance involving the fire...

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 16:55:15 PST

It is more the irony of the entire circumstance involving the fire there. Early in the book, the fire was two things: it was a way to signal for a rescue, and it was a tool to cook food and keep them warm. In both cases, it was a marker of civilization. However, by Chapter 12, things have reversed. Fire is now a sign of savagery, as the boys are trying to burn Ralph out. Rather than helping them stay civilized, it burns down the shelters...

The boys decide that whoever is hold the conch will be the one to speak....

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 16:24:10 PST

The boys decide that whoever is hold the conch will be the one to speak. The boys decide they need some sort of order to their society or chaos will ensue. Unfortunately, since there is no one to enforce these rules, their society, despite their best intentions, dissolves into chaos and disorder.