Characters
Who is the first character introduced in the novel?
Ralph
Where does the story take place?
On an uninhabited tropical island
What item does Piggy find that Ralph uses to gather the boys?
Conch shell
What does the conch shell symbolize?
Order, authority, civilization
What is a 'conch'?
Ralph had stopped smiling and was pointing into the lagoon. Something creamy lay among the ferny weeds. ‘A conch he called it. He used to blow it to call his mates.’
A large spiral shell used like a trumpet.
What is Piggy’s real name?
Never revealed
What event caused the boys to end up on the island?
A plane crash during a wartime evacuation
How do the boys establish order in their first meeting?
Whoever holds the conch speaks
How do the boys respond when they first hear the conch?
They gather together
In Chapter 1, the boys notice a long “scar” on the island. What does this word mean in this context?
“All round him the long scar smashed into the jungle was a bath of heat.”
The mark left by the crashed plane.
Which character shows leadership qualities by blowing the conch?
Ralph
What feature of the island do Ralph and Piggy first encounter?
The lagoon and the scar
Who nominates Ralph as chief?
The choirboys, reluctantly through Jack, but most raise their hands for Ralph
What does Piggy’s glasses symbolize later in the story?
Intelligence, survival, fire
Question: Ralph is tricked by the “specious” appearance of a pool in Chapter 1. What does “specious” mean?
Sentence: “Ralph had been deceived before now by the specious appearance of depth in a beach pool and he approached this one preparing to be disappointed.”
Something that looks true or real but is actually false or misleading.
Who is the leader of the native inhabitants (the choir)?
Jack
What is “the scar”?
The damaged area from the plane crash
What is Jack’s role after Ralph is chosen leader?
Leader of the hunters/choir
Why is the act of Ralph blowing the conch important?
It establishes his leadership from the beginning
Question: What does the word “clambering” mean when Golding describes Ralph moving through the creepers and trunks?
Sentence: “He was clambering heavily among the creepers and broken trunks when a bird, a vision of red and yellow, flashed upward with a witch-like cry.”
Climbing awkwardly or with difficulty.
How does Golding (the author) describe Piggy physically that makes him stand out?
Overweight, asthma, glasses
What clue suggests the boys may be stranded for a long time?
No adults survived; isolated island
What is their first decision as a group after electing Ralph?
Explore the island to see if it’s inhabited
What does Jack’s knife foreshadow in Chapter 1?
Violence, savagery, and hunting
Question: In Chapter 1, Golding writes that a “vague, bright ebullience” kept the boys from acting too soon. What does “ebullience” mean?
Sentence: “A kind of vague, bright ebullience had kept them from taking the step.”
Lively or enthusiastic expression; bubbling excitement.