Lord of the Flies Study – Flashcards
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Ralph
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main protagonist, chief of 1st tribe
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Piggy
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outcast, bullied for weight, loyal friend to Ralph
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Simon
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visionary, understands true nature of the beast, CHRISTLIKE
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Jack
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leader of hunters, prefers hunting over civility, makes own tribe
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Samneric
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twins who act as one, remain loyal to Ralph
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Maurice
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one of Jack's main supporters, eager to raid Ralph's camp
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Roger
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"evil" character, kills Piggy, cruel to weak and vulnerable, hangman of Jack's tribe
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littl'uns
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little boys between 4-6 years who remain loyal to Ralph
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How did the boys come to the island?
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their evacuation plane crashed
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What do the boys have that is a symbol of authority in their Society?
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a conch shell
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Why does Jack hesitate when he lifts his knife to kill the piglet and what does he promise will happen next time?
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Jack's still to "civilized" to kill the pig; he vows not to hesitate next time
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Who are the hunters and what is their job?
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The choir boys; getting meat for everyone
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What does a littl'un think he sees in the forest?
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a beastie
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How and why do the boys make a fire?
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They use Piggy's glasses and dead wood; to be rescued
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Why does the boys' plan for rescue fail?
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Because they use dead firewood which burns out quickly and starts a forest fire.
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What does Ralph complain to Jack about?
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That no one is helping build shelters
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How does Jack defend the fact that he spends his days hunting instead of helping others?
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That he hunts for everyone; needs to prove himself
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What does Jack admit to Ralph and Simon?
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That it feels like you're being hunted when alone in the jungle.
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When Jack yells "got it," what does Ralph think might have caused Jack's excitement? What was the source of his excitement?
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a ship; finding the pigs nesting spot
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What does Ralph day about people in general? What did he want to explain?
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People don't help much; people where never quite what you thought they were
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What do Ralph and Jack feel as they look at each other in the pool?
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both love and hate
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What effect does their time in the bathing pool have on Ralph and Jack?
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it brings them together again
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Doe's Jack's desire to kill a pig fit into either of the group's two main priorities established by Ralph?
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No
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Ralph wants to express to Jack that people are never quite what one thinks they are. Do you agree with Ralph or not? Explain.
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Yes. First impressions are not always accurate. You always learn new things about people. Some could not be what they say they are.
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Simon finds a secluded place in the high jungle where he can be alone. Why do you think he does this? What does this indicate about Simon?
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to be alone to think, the shock of crashing on an island and having to deal with the fights of the boys may be to much; that he is intuitive and sort of like Christ in going off to be alone.
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Why does Maurice feel guilty when he kicks sand in Percival's eyes?
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Because he remembers being chastised for kicking sand in someone's eye before and recognizes it is wrong.
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When Roger throws a rock at Henry, why doesn't he aim to hit?
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Because he still is living by rules inflicted while in England. However, throughout the book, he quickly realizes there is no one around to inflict them.
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What effect does Jack's mask have on Roger? On Bill? On Samneric?
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Roger understands, Bill thinks it funny at first then scary, and Samneric see it as a show of authority. Wh
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What is Jack's response when Ralph first accuses him of letting the fire go out?
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We can light it again.
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How does Ralph reassert authority?
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By declaring he was chief
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What is Ralph's reaction to Jack and the hunter's acting out the pig kill? What does he do?
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he is furious; he makes them understand the gravity of the situation
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Both Maurice and Roger torment the littluns, but they still feel guilty and are still conditioned by the civilization they knew before. How much time do you think has passed since the boys arrived on the island? How do you think a further passage of time will affect them?
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about a week; it would cause them to break more rules and become savage because of no supervision
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Jack masks himself with clay and charcoal. What effect does this have on his behavior?
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It causes him to act with savage tendencies. His thirst for blood becomes more urgent. He is also relieved from self-consciousness.
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What is the purpose of any mask, either real or imagined? Do all of us wear masks from time to time? Explain.
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To hide a certain aspect or feeling; Yes to hide something we don't like about ourselves so that we will be more appealing towards others.
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How does Ralph feel while watching the hunters dance and chant? Why does he feel this way?
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envy and resentment; because he wants to be free like them and he wanted to be rescued
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What conclusion does Ralph come to about being chief? What about his own ability?
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that you have to think and be wise; he couldn't think, not like Piggy
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Why doesn't Ralph call back the boys who follow Jack?
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Because he's afraid if he does and they don't come back then they couldn't keep the fire going and they'd never get rescued.
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Why is Ralph considering giving up leadership of the group? What are his complaints?
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because he doesn't think he's doing a good job of protecting everyone; he, Simon, and Piggy are three blind mice and Jack hates him.
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How do Piggy and Simon react to Ralph's idea? Why do they react that way?
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they become frightened because Jack is the only one keeping them from getting killed or hurt
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What does Piggy say about Jack's feelings for him and Ralph?
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"He hates me. I dunno why. If he could do what he wanted - you're all right, he respects you. Besides, - you'd hit him.
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What conclusion does Piggy come to?
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They are scared of Ralph and that's why they hate him. And Jack hates Ralph because he's scared of him.
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Ralph tells the group they should die before the let the fire go out. What does he mean by that comment?
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That they should do everything in their power to keep the hope of getting rescued alive.
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Why do the twins assume that the dead parachutist is the beast?
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Because of the way he drops from the sky and the way he moves with the wind.
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What is Jack's reaction to the news of the beast? Why does he react this way?
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Fear; because he may have to acknowledge the beast is real and no one wants to because that would be succumbing to fear
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As the biguns, except for Piggy, set out to find the beast, what image of the beast forms in Simon's mind? What does this image mean?
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"the picture of a human at once heroic and sick"; it supports Simon's theory that the beast may be the boys themselves.
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What does Jack say the new place he and Ralph have just explored would be a good place for? How does he suggest it could be defended?
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for a fort; by setting a palm tree at the entrance and rolling it down when enemies came.
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When Jack and the others roll a rock into the sea, what is Ralph's reaction?
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He scolds them for wasting their time rolling rocks into the sea instead of starting another fire.
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After various protests from the boys, what does Ralph insist upon? Why?
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Going on and finding the beast so they can regain their fire spot and get a signal fire going again.
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Ralph wishes for a message from the grownups. The parachutist could be such a message. Why could the arrival of the figure have suggested something positive to the boys?
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It could mean that people may be looking for the parachutist and find him and the boys on the island. RESCUE
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What is ironic about the twins' declaration that it was the beast?
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the parachuter could have meant rescue.
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Why are the boys so ready to accept the idea that the parachutist is the beast?
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Because they didn't know what he looked like and now they know where he is.
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Simon does not beleive in the beast. Why not? Is his disbelief reasonable? Why, or why not.
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Because if it was really a beast he would have caught and killed Samneric. His disbelief is reasonable because he is thinking things through logically.
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Why do the boys need a fort? What would it defend them from?
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to be concealed; the beast
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What does Ralph notice about himself and the other boys?
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that they are very dirty
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What does Simon tell Ralph?
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"You'll get back to where you came from."
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With Jack in charge of the hunt, what does Ralph daydream about?
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his mum and dad and life at home when he was little
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How does Ralph react when a boar comes charging down the path?
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he throws his spear at him
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To what does Ralph's demonstration of his hunting skill lead?
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A reenactment of pig hunting
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Why does Robert insist they need a real pig? Who does Jack suggest?
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So that they can kill him; a littlun
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What does Ralph sense about Jack after Ralph asks him about the pig run? What does this tell him about Jack?
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the annoyance of not being leader; Jack feels this often and could lead to an argument
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How does Jack challenge Ralph?
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by going up the mountain to hunt the beast and asking if Ralph wants to join
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What did the boys see on the mountain top? How did they react?
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The body of the parachutist moving about; they advance
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Why does Ralph believe they are beaten?
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because they can't have a signal fire
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Although he is not able to get the boys to vote Ralph out of office as chief, Jack manages to overthrow Ralph's authority anyway. How?
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By blowing the conch to call an assembly.
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As ralph considers the need to reassign fire-keepers, what does he realize?
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That most of the biguns have joined Jack's tribe.
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Jack suggests a way to keep the beast happy. What is it?
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Giving it a share of their hunting
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In Simon's strange encounter with the Lord of the Flies, what does it tell him?
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That he is a silly little boy and he (TLOTF) is the beast
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Who or what is the Lord of the Flies?
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He is a sows head speaking to Simon. Also, a figment of Simon's imagination
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Why does Ralph take his group to the platform? What problem is Ralph having at this meeting?
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To discuss Jack's tribe's actions; remembering what he is going to say
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What does Simon realize is happening to him?
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he is fainting
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What does the Lord of the Flies "tell" Simon they are going to do to the island? What will happen if Simon interferes?
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They're going to have fun; they will kill him
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After Simon regains consciousness, what does he come upon as he walks across the mountaintop? What does he realize?
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the dead parachutist; the parachutist was the beast and was dead
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Ralph uses reason to reach the boys. What does he say to Jack's followers as it begins to rain? Why does he bring this up now?
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"Going to be a storm. and you'll have rain like when we dropped here. Who's clever now? Where are your shelters? What are you going to do about that?"; he wants to gain back the boys
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Immediately after Ralph's tirade, Jack tells his tribe to start dancing. Why?
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To distract the boys from their fear of the storm.
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What crawls into the horseshoe circle of chanting boys? Do they recognize who it is? Why or why not?
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Simon; no; because it is dark and they are to overcome by their desire for blood to think logically
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What happens to the parachutist? Why was this able to happen?
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The wind blows the body into the ocean; because of the storm.
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What happens to the "beast" the boys beat? Who is it?
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the kill him; Simon
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When Ralph admits to Piggy that they all murdered Simon, what is Piggy's reaction? Was Ralph scared?
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he denies it; yes
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What is Piggy's suggestion about the signal fire? Why? How does Ralph react?
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They light it for warmth; because the boys had been using it for signal and warmth; he builds it
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What happens to Piggy's glasses?
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Jack and his savages steal them.
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After all that has happened, why does Piggy still try to reason with Jack to get his glasses back?
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to be able to see and to prove that he's not dumb because of his physical appearance
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Why do the twins suggest they all paint their faces before going back to see Jack?
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to blend in with the rest of the tribe
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Why might the boys prefer Jack's leadership to Ralph's? Do they fear Jack? Why?
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b/c Jack's is fun. Hunting and eating; yes, a little; because he is demanding and mean
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What does Roger do?
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he rolls a rock down a hill to get rid of Ralph and his crew
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What happens to the conch? To Piggy?
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the conch shatters; PIGGY DIES (a moment of silence for Piggy)
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What does ralph realize about the savages and Jack?
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That they are no longer school boys but savage human beings
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Who are the boys hunting now? Why?
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Ralph; because he is the only boy left that is not in the tribe and poses a threat to them
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After Ralph reaches the beach and falls down, who does see? Why did he come?
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A British Naval Officer; he saw the fire the tribe started
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How is described at this point?
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a timid, little boy
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When Ralph starts crying uncontrollably, what is he weeping for?
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the end of innocence, the darkness of man's heart, and Piggy
