Lord of the Flies chapters 7-8 SQ and vocab – Flashcards

luxuriance

maternal

coverts

cynicism

obtuseness

rebuke

impervious

sanctity

When a boar comes charging down the path, Ralph immediately throws a spear at it, hitting it in its snout. Although he did not nearly kill the boar, he is overcome with excitement and eager to retell the story. This brings out a new side to Ralph's personality, as he becomes violent and excited about the concept of killing.

Because of his demonstration of his hunting skill, Ralph gains respect from all the boys. It solidifies his position as chief and causes the littluns to fear him. Unfortunately, it also leads to a reenactment of what happened, with a boy named Robert used as the boar. However, the reenactment escalates, and Robert ends up injured and almost killed.

On the mountaintop, the boys (Ralph, Jack, Roger) see the corpse of a parachutist, but believe that it is the beast that everyone fears.

When the story began, it was bright and happy and it took place in sunshine during the day. As the intensity of the story increases, and the boys become more violent and savage, the action moves near to nighttime, when it is dark out. This affects the mood, making things seem more dark and mysterious.

Ralph's self-confidence begins to decrease when he realizes that he is not an effective leader and that many of the boys are starting to join Jack's side. This in his words and actions. During his speech, Ralph continually loses track of what he is saying and needs to think harder than in the past. He also bites his nails, plays with his hair, and talks to himself.

Although he is not able to get the boys to vote Ralph out of office as chief, Jack manages to overthrow Ralph's authority. He creates a tribe of his own and invites everyone to join him. Some go and some stay with Jack. However, when Jack catches a pig offers it along with other food to the boys, almost all who stayed loyal to Ralph switch to Jack's side.

Jack suggests that in order to keep the beast happy, they should stay off the mountain and give the beast an offering of the sow's head mounted on a stick and her guts.

Simon finds the head of the sow the hunters killed mounted on a stick in the clearing he had previously visited, left as an offering to the beast. He has a hallucination, seeing the pig's head swarming with flies. The head speaks to Simon, as the "Lord of the Flies," explains that he will never be able to escape from the beast, because it lives in all humans.

The "Lord of the Flies" is the concept of evil. It is represented by the sow's head, mounted on a stick.