Discussion Topic
Important firsts in Lord of the Flies
Summary:
In Lord of the Flies, important firsts include the boys' initial assembly, the election of Ralph as leader, the first signal fire, and the first hint of savagery when Jack hesitates to kill a piglet. These events set the stage for the group's descent into chaos and underscore the themes of leadership, civilization, and inherent human savagery.
Who is presumed dead first in Chapter 2 of Lord of the Flies?
Well, it seems to me that the below quote from Ralph inspires the thought of the children who have died on the plane:
'The plane was shot down in flames. Nobody knows where we are. We may be here a long time.' The silence was so complete that they could hear the fetch and miss of Piggy's breathing.
Yet the real deaths come at the end of the chapter. Piggy tells Ralph that they don't know how many people were on the island:
'I told you to. I told you to get a list of names!'
'How could I,' cried Piggy indignantly, 'all by myself? They waited for two minutes, then they fell in the sea; they went into the forest; they just scattered everywhere. How was I to know which was which?' Ralph licked his pale lips.'Then you don't know how many of us there ought to...
Unlock This Answer Now
Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
be?' 'How could I with them little 'uns running round like insects?
Piggy then realises that the boy with the birthmark on his face, who spoke at the first meeting, is missing:
'That little 'un-' gasped Piggy-'him with the mark on his face, I don't see him. Where is he now?'
He never reappears in the novel. It's pretty clear - I think - that he, and however many anonymous other littluns, die in the fire.
Hope this helps!
Who is the first character introduced in Lord of the Flies?
Ralph is the first character introduced in the novel as "the boy with fair hair." Ralph is the protagonist of the story and a staunch proponent of civility. He is elected leader by the group of boys and desperately attempts to establish a civil society on the uninhabited tropical island. The next character introduced in the story is Piggy, who is described as being significantly shorter than Ralph and "very fat." Piggy is also a proponent of civility and is depicted as an intelligent, unathletic individual. Piggy is continually ridiculed and criticized because of his weight, asthma, and rather annoying personality. Together, Ralph and Piggy discover the conch in the lagoon and Ralph proceeds to call the other boys scattered throughout the island to assemble on the platform, where they elect him to be their leader before establishing a set of rules. As the novel progresses, Jack undermines Ralph's authority and Piggy and Ralph become extremely close friends before Piggy is brutally murdered by Roger in chapter eleven.
The opening paragraph in Lord of the Flies refers to
the boy with fair hair lowered himself down...
He starts a conversation, moments later with another boy
shorter than the fair boy and very fat.
These characters, we later learn, are Ralph and Piggy. They then discuss the probability of there being other survivors:
I expect there's a lot more of us scattered about
as'the fat boy' Piggy states. eNotes has study guides to assist you understand the novel and other questions and answers which will provide information.
Ralph and Piggy begin to establish their relationship and Ralph shows his excitement at the discovery of the island. We learn something of both boys - Piggy's asthma and his references to his'auntie' and we learn that Ralph's father is a commander in the Navy; things that may seem incongrous (unimportant) at this stage but which will be instrumental in understanding the leadership and progression of the novel.