Friday, February 9, 2007
Chapters 1 - 3
Through the first three chapters, the characters of the book “Lord of Flies” are revealed to us gradually. These characters have bonded together after some sort of crash or accident, where only these kids are left. The first thing I notice about these characters is that they are generally outgoing. After a crash where you do not know where you are and do not know who everyone is, it is reasonable to assume that they would be shy, timid, and/or scared. But these characters bond together and start to get a group going to help each other and survive. Ralph, the designated leader is very outgoing, as we learn from the very beginning as “he leapt back on the terrace, pulled off his shirt, and stood there among the skull-like coco-nuts with green shadows from the palms and the forest sliding over his skin. He undid the snake-clasp of his belt, lugged off his shorts and pants, and stood there naked, looking at the dazzling beach and the water”(Golding 4,5). Here Ralph is, standing naked, with piggy close-by, as they go looking for more kids. If I was on a strange island with strange kids, I do not think I would be stripping down in front of them. That goes to show what the environment and atmosphere is like on the island. It is hot, and the kids can do what ever they want. I find it surprising that the kids would actually think to create a gang and work together at their young age. Ralph really shows leadership in how he initiates the meetings with the conch shell and takes control by making decisions. Jack also shows good leadership. I see Jack and Ralph working well together for the good of the kids. Piggy rather seems like the kid everyone is going to make fun of, and will always want to do something, but no one will listen. There are many differences between all the characters, but the same goal is shared, which I think is quite helpful for the benefit of the group to survive.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Trying to say this in the least creepy way possible, I agree with your point about the boys stripping down as it shows a sense of freedom. Ralph has no shame and is quite confident with himself to be able to do that in front of another peer. Around the boys’ ages, they are less self-conscious about their appearances. As opposed to Ralph’s action, I do not believe that Piggy would act the same way as Ralph. Ralph is a lot more confident of himself than Piggy is. Piggy comments about his weight and is very sensitive to criticism. He took offense when he was named “Piggy” as it referres to his weight. This contrasts the different self-esteems of Ralph and Piggy. As it appears that the boys are working together, there is controversy about roles and tasks. The ‘littluns’ do not seem to be doing their job and are more interested in finding their own food, sleeping or playing. Ralph seems to be stuck in the mother role, as he is forced into the task of making shelter while Jack goes off hunting. Ralph becomes frustrated as he does not like his job. He becomes fed up with Jack being able to go off and hunt with no one but Simon to help him build shelter. At this time in the story, it may appear that everything seems to be working out nicely, but there is the potential that there will be conflict between characters regarding their tasks. Later on I doubt the boys will be working together as well as they are at this point.
I agree with what Kohl is saying about the characters being outgoing at this point in the story. Throughout the first three chapters, the characters begin to meet one another and develop friendships with one another, or at least become friendly aquaintances if nothing else, and slowly become comfortable around one another. Kohl's reference to their openness in the form of stripping down naked among one another is a good example of their comfort around eachother. Though when originally published, the idea of nakedness was not such a big deal, however, it still implies that there is some measure of comfort between the characters trapped on the island. I also agree with the idea that Ralph and Jack are showing dominant, leading characteristics in the story up to this point. Both Ralphs leadership in the form of rallying characters together, aswell as Jacks leadership in the form of organizaing the characters into specific funtions (ie. hunting) are very useful in the story, and set up further analysis for the characters along the first three chapters. Finally, the idea of Piggy being made fun of or getting in the way is also quite truthful. Piggy has even up to this point proven to be a nuisance, and has no doubt gotten on Jacks "bad-side". The tension he causes among the characters also proves to cause many consequenses throughout the story. All in all, I think Kohl's post has been accurate and truthful up to this point, and I agree with him 100%.
It is a good idea to look at character, especially in the exposition of a novel. A suggestion to enahnce your thought is to take each character individually and explain all you know before moving to the next. In this kind of assignment, you may just want to focus on one. This way you have to make a number of points and prove them. Your insights into the character/s would be more insightful this way.
Post a Comment