1. Piggy
1.1. "Piggy could think. He could go step by step inside that fat head of his, only Piggy was no chief. But Piggy, for all his ludicrous body, had brains. Ralph was a specialist in thought now, and could recognize thought in another." (Golding 78)
1.1.1. This quote is direct characterization. It describes how intelligent Piggy is, and how Ralph has changed since he arrived on the island.
1.1.2. Ralph realizes that, while Piggy would be a terrible leader, he is very valuable to have as a partner in leadership. Piggy has the thinking skills that Ralph lacks, and Ralph has come to rely on Piggy for advice.
1.1.2.1. Piggy is really smart and in some way has control because his ideas are logical and ingenuitiive.
1.2. “Mind my specs,” said Piggy. “If I get water on the glass I got to get out and clean ‘em” (Golding 147).
1.2.1. This is showing a very important piece, because even though the boys are practically savage, Piggy still cares about getting his specs dirty. This may be an excuse not to get in the water, knowing that he cannot swim. Piggy is still a civil person, but many people do not know that, thinking that Simon is the only civil one.
1.2.2. (Same quote) "Ralph squirted again and missed. He laughed at Piggy, expecting him to retire meekly as usual and in pained silence. Instead, Piggy beat the water with his hands. 'Stop it!' He shouted. 'D'you hear?'" (Golding 147)
1.2.2.1. The severity of their situation has forced the boys to mature quickly. Piggy has become more assertive, and can now stand up for himself.
1.2.2.1.1. Piggy represented civilization on the island. He was the only boy who focused on staying clean, proper, and prim while also trying to get home. He had to mature a lot faster than all of the other boys on the island, and if he had not focused on getting the boys back, the island would have fallen into savagery a lot faster and steeply.
2. Simon
2.1. "Then, amid the roar of bees in the afternoon sunlight, Simon found for [the littluns] the fruit they could not reach, pulled off the choicest from up in the foliage, passed them back to the endless, out-stretched hands." [Golding 56]
2.1.1. Simon is the only older boy that is nice to the littluns. Everyone else either ignores them, bullies them, tells them to shut up, or tells them that their fears are stupid and irrational. Simon, however, helps them out by getting them fruit that won't make them sick.
2.2. "And the news must reach the others as soon as possible. He started down the mountain and his legs gave beneath him. Even with great care all he could do was stagger." (Golding 147)
2.2.1. Simon, though he doesn't know it is walking to his death. The boys in the end kill him but all he can think of is warning them and trying to save them. Simon is showing how he can be Christ like by dragging himself as a selfless boy to save a savage group.
2.2.1.1. Simon was the most innocent boy, yet he still was killed. The intent of Golding was to show that bad things still happen to good people.
2.3. “Simon shook his head violently till the coarse black hair flew backwards and forwards across his face” (Golding 111).
2.3.1. This quote resembles the boys growing into the island and all its traits. AS their hair begins to grow, Golding constantly turns back to this point, explaining the boy’s hair and its growth. These quotes about the hair track back to the beginning on the island with short, fresh cut hair. But now as they grow their hair, they begin to grow savage.
2.4. "He was a small, skinny boy, his chin pointed, and his eyes so bright they had deceived Ralph into thinking him delightfully gay and wicked. The coarse mop of black hair was long and swung down, almost concealing a low, broad forehead. He wore the remains of shorts and his feet were bare like Jack's. Always darkish in color, Simon was burned to a deep tan that glistened with sweat." (Golding 55)
2.4.1. Simon is characterized as having a rough and wild look about him. This contradicts Simon's personality and the way he acts on the island. He is actually very calm and one of the boys least affected by the harsh fear among the boys.
3. KEY
3.1. Maggie: PURPLE
3.1.1. Josh: BLACK
3.1.1.1. Katelyn: DARK BLUE
3.1.1.1.1. Lauren: GREEN
4. Hunters
4.1. All three were masked in black and green. Behind them on the grass the headless and paunched body of a sow lat where they had dropped it. (Golding 176)
4.1.1. The hunters became more and more savage the longer they stayed on the island. They hid their faces in paint and beheaded pigs as a ritual. Their humanity has gone away and in its place there is savagery.
4.1.1.1. I think that they feel more comfortable to do the savage things because they can cover up who they once were with paint and camouflage. When they lost humanity and civilization they also lost themselves.
5. Littleuns
5.1. Percival
5.1.1. "As if this information was rooted far down in the springs of sorrow, the littlun wept. His face puckered, the tears leapt from his eyes, his mouth opened till they could see a square black hole." (86-87)
5.1.1.1. Percival does not have a very strong set of mind. He allows the other boys to bully him and he doesn't fight back. When he gets upset he will cry and the others have to deal with is blubbering.
5.1.1.1.1. It is difficuult enough for the older boys to cope with their own sanity and push off their troubles onto the little ones. This make the littleuns even more annoying breaking the older boys, especially Ralph and Jack's patience.
5.1.2. "Ralph peered at the child in the twilight.'Now tell us. What's your name?' 'Percival Wemys Madison. The Vicarage, Harcourt St.Anthony, Hants, telephone, telephone, tele--'" (Golding 86)
5.1.2.1. Percival is characterized in this quote. Like many of the littluns, he is not doing well being away from his family and the other things that he was used to being around before they got strandeed. He begins crying. At the same time, Ralph is only slightly angry. Being responsible for all of the kids on the island has matured him.
5.1.2.1.1. Percival is like a little kid lost in a store who can't find his parents. He will cry and cry and can't be consoled because he is feeling lost and alone on the island. He misses his parents and authority.
5.1.2.1.2. This quote is a sign that Percival is becoming more savage. He forgets his telephone number, which he was probably supposed to have memorized in case any emergency situation. Later on he also forgets more of the thing, and almost forgets his own name.
5.2. "The littluns, those aged about six, led quite a distinct, and at the same time intense, life of their own. They ate most of the the day, picking fruit where they could reach it and not particular about ripeness and quality" [Golding 59].
5.2.1. The littluns have been playing and eating all day, with no worries about any future problems. The surplus fruit has been effecting their physical ability and making them sick. This littluns have also been having weird dreams about a so called “beast”. Some also claim to have seen the beast before.
5.2.1.1. The littluns also spend a lot of time on the beach building sand castles and playing games with one another.
5.2.2. The part about them not being "particular about ripeness and quality", I think, is a large part of the quote. It sort of shows how they are not mature, and so they do not feel like the quality of something matters. Thye do not want to look for the good fruit, so they grab whatever they find.
6. The Characteristics of the boys
7. Ralph
7.1. ““That was Simon.” “You said that before” “Piggy.” “Uh?” “That was murder” ” (Golding 156).
7.1.1. Ralph is so overwhelmed with his actions, he doesn’t even know what he or the rest of the boys did to Simon. Simon was being considered as the beast so the boys have an excuse to kill something. The worst part is with the loss of Simon, the loss of every civil being went with him.
7.1.1.1. This image symbolizes how normal society deals with crimes and savagery like murder
7.2. "some hidden passion vibrated in Ralph's voice" (Golding 51)
7.2.1. Ralph is becoming obsessed with this idea of the fire and is not commanding oothers in a good way making them think he is "off his rockers" not them. The conotation of mutinously is ovverwhelming forshadowing that in the near future the boys will be faced with a choice; Jack the fun cunning hunter who has a dark and roboding tone or Ralph the obseeivly controlling one who is actually keeping the boys sane and healthy
7.3. "'We can help them to find us. If a ship comes near the island they may not notice us. So we must make smoke on top of the mountain. We must make a fire.' 'A fire! Make a fire!' At once half the boys were on their feet. Jack clamored among them, the conch forgottten. 'Come on! Follow me!' The space under the palm trees was full of noise and movement. Ralph was on his feet too, shouting for quiet, but no one heard him. All at once the crowd swayed toward the island and was gone- following Jack. Even the tiny children went and did their best among the leaves and broken branches. Ralph was left, holding the conch, with no one but Piggy.'" (Golding 38)
7.3.1. Ralph tries to maintain order, but the others explode into exitement, and he is unable to control them. Jack takes advantage of the chaos, and asserts himself as leader ("Follow me"). The fact that Piggy is the only one that stays behind with Ralph shows Piggy's maturity and loyalty to Ralph.
7.4. "'I'm cheif. We've got to make certian. Can't you see the mountain? Are you all off your rockers?' Mutinously, the boys fell silent or muttering." (Golding 108)
7.4.1. I used this picture because it relates to how Ralph is chief. Ralph is demanding how he is chief and he is leader, and wants all the kids to know he is confident in his decisions. The leadership by Ralph helps control the kids in multiple ways.
7.4.2. Ralph top priority is to keep the fire going strong; to get rescued. However, this is not a popular opinion among the other boys, who want to focus on hunting, rolling rocks, and just having fun. Ralph uses his position as chief to force everyone to go to the mountain (where the fire is). This definitely causes some resentment towards Ralph.
7.4.2.1. And because the other boys don't understand why Ralph wants to keep the fire going, because they would rather roll rocks than tend it, they choose Jack once he decides that it's time to take over and become the chief.
7.5. "Bathing," Said Ralph, "that's the only thing to do."
7.5.1. This shows that Ralph is still clinging onto his old life. While many of the boys have forgotten about bathing, he still hollds onto its importance.
7.6. "This wind pressed his grey shirt against his chest so that he notices - in this new mood of comprehension - how the folds were stiff like card-board, and unpleasant; noticed too how the frayed edfges of his shorts were making an uncomfortable, pink area on the front of his thights. With a convulsion of the mind, Ralph discovered dirt and decay, understood how much he disliked perpetually flicking the tangled hair out of his eyues, and at last, when the sun was gone, rolling noisily to rest amont dry leaves."(Golding 77)
7.6.1. This quote describes Ralph by letting us know how he is maturring, being the leader of the large group of kids. He is realizing how much he dislikes being stranded.
7.6.1.1. Ralph has gone a long time without a shower and proper scrubbing. He hadn't noticed it, however, until worse and worse things started happening on the island. The worse things get the more Ralph notices them.
7.7. "'Call an assembly?' Ralph laughed as he said the word and Piggy frowned. 'You're still chief.' Ralph laughed again. 'You are. Over us.' 'I got the conch.' 'Ralph! Stop laughing like that.'" (Golding 156).
7.7.1. Ralph is turning bitter and resigned to the fact that he is no longer in control of the other boys. Piggy, however, remains insistent (and a little naive) that Ralph should be the leader- just as he was when Ralph wanted to give up being chief.
7.8. "Someones's got to go across the island and tell Piggy we'll be back after dark." -Golding 117
7.8.1. This is Ralph talking. He is characterized in this quote because it shows that even while he is doing something fun and entertaining, he knows that they have to take care of piggy as well, so he sees that they need to have someone go and make sure that Piggy knows what's going on.
7.9. "Lying there in the darkness, he knew he was an outcast" (186)
7.9.1. Ralph has been rejected and cast aside by Jack and his savages. They don;t view him as a human or someone to be acknowledged. He is now prey to them and they are the predators.
7.10. "Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man's heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy"(Golding 202)
7.10.1. Even though it took till the of the book Ralph fully realizes the evil that was discovered by Simon earlier on. He knows that he will never be able to look at things or people the same way and that there will never truly be peace. He no longer has te security of innocence.
8. Jack
8.1. “Ralph heard the mockery and hated jack" (Golding 121)
8.1.1. Jack is starting to become more and more confident in himself, but it is turning into a cocky attitude. Jack is saying how if Ralph didn’t want to climb up the mountain, then he will by himself. Jack wants to show people how he is the most powerful person in this group, and that he should be chief.
8.1.2. (Same quote) "'If you don't want to go on,' said [Jack's] voice sarcastically, 'I'll go up by myself.' Ralph heard the mockery and hated Jack. The sting of ashes in his eyes, tiredness, fear, enraged him. 'Go on then! We'll wait here.' There was silence. 'Why don't you go? Are you frightened?'"
8.1.2.1. For all of his brave words, Jack is afraid of the "beast." His mockery of Ralph backfires when Ralph finally loses his calm, cool, composure. Ralph fights back by returning the taunting, and forces him to go by himself by endangering his pride.
8.1.3. This also shows how Jack is taking control, in a way. If he can make Ralph hate him and treat him differently, the others will see that he is not a good leader, that he is angry and should not be in charge of them.
8.2. "Jack wrenched free and swung at Ralph with his spear. By common consent they were using the spears as sabers now, no longer daring the lethal points." (Golding 177) ..... "Viciously, with full intention, he hurled his spear at Ralph." (Golding 181)
8.2.1. In the first part of the quote, Jack is still just barely restrained by the rules of his past life. He is still savage in most aspects, but is still unwilling to kill a person with full intent. However, just a few pages later, he reaches a turning point: he throws the spear at Ralph, fully intending to stab him in the chest.
8.2.1.1. Jack used to be friends with Ralph and admired him, and when he stops aiming for Ralph's lethal points, and vice versa, I think that it is showing how they don't really want to kill each other at first. Jack however, gives into the madness and becomes a savage killer. Ralph doesn't want to kill, and instead becomes the object to be killed.
8.3. "'Why didn't you [kill the pig]?' They knew very well why he hadn't: because of the enormity of the knife descending and cutting into living flesh; because of the unbearable blood. 'I was going to,' said Jack. He was ahead of them, and they could not see his face. 'I was choosing a place. Next time-!'" (Golding 31)
8.3.1. Jack is held back by the natural reluctance to kill. However, he thinks that by killing pigs and being vicious, he will gain the others' approval (and by default, power).
8.3.1.1. Jacks innocent mind kept him from killing the pig. He still has all of his civilized mind, and doesn't want to hurt the pig, let alone kill it with his hands. I used this innocent boy to relate to Jack when he first came to the island.
8.3.1.2. I added this picture because society sees bacon and just accepts it as tasting good without thinking of the slaughter of pigs that got it there.
8.4. "His voice was vicious with humilaiation" (Golding 51)
8.4.1. This quote shows that Jack would not be as good of a leader as he wants the boys to think he is. He is not actually as confident on the inside as he seems. If Jack were completely confident and comfortable with himself, then he would not be humiliated.
8.4.2. In this scene, Jack is being blamed for a pretty bad mistake in front of the entire group. He probably realizes that this is causing the others to lose respect for him, which makes him furious. Jack's immediate reaction to humiliation and anger is to turn to violence (by hitting Piggy).
8.4.3. Jack can not stand being wrong or inferior to anyone else. When Ralph belittles him for not killing a pig and not helping with shelter is gets annoyed and enraged. That is nothing compared to his reaction when he comes back to a furious Ralph after he and the hunter's let the fire burn out right as a ship passes them by. He takes out his rage on others like piggy to remain in control.
8.5. "He was a truth now in truth; and he made stabbing motions with his spear. From his left hand dangles Piggy's broken glasses." (168)
8.5.1. Jack gained full control over his tribe by performing an act of violence upon Ralph and what was left of his followers. Jack's tribe is now vicious and enjoys bringing others pain.