Characters
Who is elected leader of the boys at the beginning of the novel?
Ralph
How do the boys end up on the island?
a plane crash
What is the first major sign that order is breaking down on the island?
The boys let the fire go out
Who says, "We’ve got to have rules and obey them. After all, we’re not savages."
Jack, ironically early in the novel
Which character represents savagery and the desire for power?
Jack
Why is the fire important to Ralph and Piggy?
It’s their signal for rescue
What does Jack’s tribe steal from Ralph’s group?
Piggy's glasses
What does Simon mean when he says, "Maybe there is a beast… maybe it’s only us"?
He realizes the beast is their own inner savagery
What represents intelligence and civilization in the novel?
Piggy's glasses
Who is the first boy to mention the beast?
the boy with the mulberry birthmark
How does Simon die?
He is mistaken for the beast and killed by the boys in a frenzy
How does Roger show he has fully embraced savagery?
He kills Piggy by rolling a boulder at him
Who says, "Which is better—to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill?"
Piggy
What is "the beast" really?
The boys' fear and savagery; a dead paratrooper
Which character is described as a "Christ-like figure" and is the only one to realize the true nature of the beast?
Simon
What happens to the conch shell?
It is shattered when Piggy is killed
Why do the boys start hunting Ralph at the end of the novel?
Jack wants total power, and Ralph is a threat
What are Ralph’s final thoughts about the end of their time on the island?
He weeps for the end of innocence and the darkness of man’s heart
What do the painted faces symbolize?
The boys’ descent into savagery
Who is the last person to remain loyal to Ralph and his leadership?
Piggy
How does the novel end?
A naval officer rescues the boys, and Ralph breaks down crying
How does the naval officer react when he sees the boys?
He is disappointed, calls them little boys, tand urns around when they cry.
Who says, "The thing is – fear can’t hurt you any more than a dream."
Ralph
What does the "Lord of the Flies" refer to and what does it represent?
The pig’s head on a stick, representing evil and chaos, reference to Beelzebub