Lord of the Flies
by Joseph DeCicco
1. "That's what the shell's called. I'll give the conch to the next person to speak. He can hold in when he's speaking." (Golding 33) Josh L.
1.1. The conch is established as a symbol that gives a person the right to speak. It poses as a religious symbol because it gives power to a specific person during meetings.
1.1.1. The Magic Conch from Spongebob, idea quite possibly taken from The Lord of The Flies -Joe D.
2. "Roger's arm was conditioned by a civilization that knew nothing of him and was in ruins." (Golding 62) Josh L.
2.1. This quote expresses spirituality becuase Roger's spiriutually controlled by civilization. Although his civil personality is deteriorating, spiritually, he's contained by the remains of any civilization.
2.1.1. Roger understands the power in civilization and he knows how people work, how they break, etc. and he uses that to hisa dvantage throughout Lord of the Flies. -Cianna
3. "Ralph felt kind of an affectionate reverence for the conch, even though he fished the thing out of the lagoon." (Golding 78) Josh L.
3.1. This passage represents how the conch has created a spiritual bond amongst the boys and especially with Ralph. It is an important artifact becuase it symbolizes power, yet that power has been rapidly deteriorating with how Jack is acting
4. " This head is for the beast. It's a gift" (Golding 137). Josh L.
4.1. The pig head for the beast show's spirituality because instead of the head being a gift for the beast, it's actually the lord of the flies. The Lord of the Flies represents the savagery and evil that dwells beneath Jack and the hatred that's consumed him. We know this because Simon had a 'conversation' with the Lord of the Flies about this.
4.1.1. The pigs head, The Lord of the Flies, is the foil object of the conch. It is the primary symbol for the savage and violent group that Jack has created. -Joe D.
5. "Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood." (Golding 69). Devin Ackerman
5.1. This chant is similar to most chants that happen in most religions religious practices. Also it show how savage the children have gotten inn this point of the book by telling how the boys are happy and dance around because they toke the life of an animal.
5.1.1. The chanting is one of the most instinctual and primal examples of the savagery developing within the group of boys. -Joe D.
6. “At once the crowd surged after it, poured down the rock, leapt on to the beast, screamed, struck, bit, tore. There were no words, and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws.”(Golding 152) Devin Ackerman
6.1. This quote doesn't just show how savage the boys have become but it also shows how Simon has “sacrificed himself” just like many other religious heroes. Such as in the christian religion Jesus in the holly savor and in the Buddhism religion were the Buddha is the symbol for happiness.
7. “Tomorrow,” went on the chief,” we shall hunt again.”( Golding 160) Devin Ackerman
7.1. In many religious cultures the most strongest and or most dominant ,like in this one being presented in The Lord Of the Flies, become the leader out of the fear of their followers not out of democratic choice.
7.1.1. Many powerful leaders use religion to control people. They know that people do things they may not agree with for their religious purposes. -Cianna
8. "The conch doesn't count on this part of the island" (Golding 150). Josh L.
8.1. This is an example of how the conch has lost its spiritual power on the island. Before, everyone would abide by the conch's power, but it seems that it has overall deteriorated. Although it represents order and democracy, that seems to just phase Jack.
8.1.1. The conch has developed into the symbol for democracy and civilization, much like the donkey of the democratic political party -Joe D.
9. "Maybe," he said hesitantly,"There is a beast"..... "We could be sort of" (Golding 89). Josh L.
9.1. This is a symbol of spirituality portraying to how the beast may be a spiritual being that's in the boys. Instead of the beast being a physical creature, Simon has an idea that the beast could just be the boy's evil and savagery.
9.1.1. Simon, throughout the book, has a deeper understanding of human nature that the other boys. -Cianna
10. "The dancing, chanting boys had worked themselves away until their sound was nothing but a wordless rhythm." (Golding 92) -Cianna
10.1. This quote is significant because the boys are expressing spirituality. The chanting and painted faces and dancing are all almost spiritual. After the hunters kill a pig, the boys reenact the kill and dance and chant around the fire. -Cianna
11. ”Perhaps,” said the chief. A theological speculation presented itself. “We better keep on the right side of him (the beast), anyhow.” (Golding 161). -Joe D.
11.1. Jack and his group of hunters are justifying the murder in an entirely different way. They believe that the beast is still alive, and used Simon as a host until they killed him. The “theological speculation” says in itself that the act of passing from one person to the next in a parasitic manner is spiritual, and occurs in religious context. -Joe D.
11.1.1. This is an example of the Hinduism religion. -Devin Ackerman
12. "Maybe he means it's some sort of ghost." (Golding 89) -Cianna
12.1. The boys on the island are starting to be afraid and they are thinking about the afterlife and the unknown. They are putting their fear into a tangible object so they have something to blame for their terror. -Cianna
12.1.1. Jack is using fear as a control mechanism in order to obtain power. However, the littluns seem to not realize this power Jack has. Josh L.
13. "Piggy." "uh?" "That was Simon." "You said that before." "Piggy." "Uh?" "That was murder." (Golding 156) --Cianna
13.1. Ralph is starting to recognize the beast for what it is and it scares him. He doesn't know what to do. This quote is significant because the reader sees that Ralph is starting to identify the savagery within all of us. -Cianna
13.1.1. The beast has passed through multiple states, including being the dead parachutist, and the older boys are slowly realizing the true power of the beast, not only as something to fear, but as a tool. -Joe D.
14. "seems to me we ought to have a chief."(Golding 22)Devin ackerman
14.1. This relates to many religions where they designate high hierarchies through religious beliefs. Such as in the catholic religion how the highest leader is based on their religious belief.
14.1.1. A priest in a church is an example of this. - Cianna
15. "But they'll be painted! You know how it is." The others nodded. They understood only too well the liberation into savagery that the concealing paint brought. (Golding 172) -Cianna
15.1. This quote is describing the paint as masks. The boys become another being when they paint their faces. They claim to be hunting the beast, but they really are serving the beast inside them. They are obeying the demonic ways of their own nature. -Cianna
16. ”There’s pigs,” he said (Jack)” (Golding 35). -Joe D.
16.1. Jack has brought up the pig multiple times after his encounter. I think he has used the pig as a symbol of killing. He has become pressured into killing the next pig he sees by Ralph and Simon. -Joe D.
16.1.1. Please don't hurt me Jack! Josh L. MM
17. The chief was sitting there, naked to the waist, his face blocked out in white and red. The tribe lay in a semicircle before him. The newly beaten and untied Wilfred was sniffing in the background. (Golding 160) -Cianna
17.1. In this passage, imagery is being used to show Jack as a definite leader of the tribe. He is almost described as a godlike figure because he is shown in the center of the boys, painted and in a position of total power. -Cianna
18. :”But otherwise they (littluns) seldom bothered with the biguns and their passionately emotional and corporate life was their own.” (Golding 59) -Joe D.
18.1. The littluns have created their own sub population away from the older kids in the group. Their separation has developed into almost complete isolation from the biguns other than the meetings twice a day. The littluns have created their own laws and culture within their group. -Joe D.
18.1.1. The littluns have created their own group because they aren't on the same level as the older boys. -Cianna