Characters & Leadership
Who is elected chief?
Ralph
Who is allowed to speak during meetings?
The person holding the conch
How do the boys start the fire?
The specs from Piggy's glasses
How does the conch represent power?
It gives the person holding it the right to speak
Give one example of civilization in chapters 1-3.
Meetings, conch, shelters
Who challenges Ralph's leadership by focusing on hunting?
What is the conch used for?
To call meetings and give the right to speak
What goes wrong with the fire?
It gets out of control
What do Piggy's glasses symbolize?
Intelligence, knowledge
Give one example of savagery
Fire chaos, Jack's hunting obsession
Which group of boys is the most fearful of the "beastie"?
The littluns
What is one way the boys try to create order?
Rules, meetings, fire, shelter
What might the fire symbolize?
Hope, rescue, or loss of control
How does the meaning of a symbol (like the conch, fire, or Piggy’s glasses) begin to change in Chapters 1 - 3?
The signal fire started as hope for rescue ---> danger/ chaos
The conch started as order, power, authority ---> losing that power as the boys focus on hunting, playing & less focuses on following the rules
How does the signal fire represent both hope and danger?
It represents hope for rescue but also becomes destructive when it gets out of control
How does Piggy respond to the chaos of the fire?
Piggy is angry and points out that the boys were irresponsible and may have caused harm.
Why do the boys initially follow the rules created with the conch?
They still value order and are used to structure from society/ adults
What does the boys’ inability to control the fire reveal about their readiness for survival?
It shows they lack responsibility and maturity, making it difficult for them to survive safely
What do you think Piggy's glasses symbolize? What evidence from the text makes you think that?
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Why does Ralph compare the island to adventure novels?
He sees it as exciting and fun, shows innocence
Which character do you think has the most power? Defend your claim with a specific example from the text.
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What does the boys’ gradual disregard for rules suggest?
Civilization is breaking down and they are moving toward savagery
What is the significance of the fire getting out of control and how do you think this might foreshadow future events?
It reveals how quickly the boys lose control when they act on impulse rather than responsibility. It foreshadows that chaos make continue and take over the island.
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What do the boys’ actions reveal about them?
They lack maturity / struggle with control / shift toward chaos