Lord of the Flies
Study Questions & Essay Topics
Study Questions
1. What does it mean to say that Lord of the Flies is an allegorical novel? What are its important symbols?
2. Compare and contrast Ralph and Simon. Both seem to be “good” characters. Is there a difference in their goodness?
3. How does Jack use the beast to control the other boys?
Suggested Essay Topics
1. Of all the characters, it is Piggy who most often has useful ideas and sees the correct way for the boys to organize themselves. Yet the other boys rarely listen to him and frequently abuse him. Why do you think this is the case? In what ways does Golding use Piggy to advance the novel’s themes?
2. What, if anything, might the dead parachutist symbolize? Does he symbolize something other than what the beast and the Lord of the Flies symbolize?
3. The sow’s head and the conch shell each wield a certain kind of power over the boys. In what ways do these objects’ powers differ? In what way is Lord of the Flies a novel about power? About the power of symbols? About the power of a person to use symbols to control a group?
4. What role do the littluns play in the novel? In one respect, they serve as gauges of the older boys’ moral positions, for we see whether an older boy is kind or cruel based on how he treats the littluns. But are the littluns important in and of themselves? What might they represent?
Got questions for chapter 1
by iSpyChicken, October 03, 2012
1. Where were the boys going in the plane? Describe what happened to it.
2. Describe the island where the boys landed. What created the “Scar” on the island?
3. What does Piggy find? How is it used?
4. Who is chosen to be the chief? Why?
5. How does Jack wish to contribute to the survival of the boys?
179 out of 230 people found this helpful
6This is for question 4 i think!
by laloca52411, October 05, 2012
piggy finds a conch . and they use it to call a meeting .
23 out of 96 people found this helpful
4answers
by guardieforlife, October 07, 2012
1. the boys were hit by a(n?) (atom?) bomb
2. the "scar" is the crash site made by the plane in the jungle
3. piggy found the conch that is used to summon the boys by ralph. piggy has asthma, so he couldnt use the conch because he would run out of breath
4. ralph is chosen to be chief because he has the conch
5. jack is the leader of the hunters. the hunters are members of the choir and jack is the leader because he is 'chapter chorister and head boy'
102 out of 161 people found this helpful
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