Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Requirements

'Lord of the Flies' by William Golding

1. Before you read the novel, read the author’s biography, and say what you know about his childhood, education, and further career.

2. Comment on the philosophy of existentialism (Jean-Paul Sartre, Iris Murdoch, Kobo Abe). Give the definition of parable (F. Kafka, T. Mann, Ch. Aitmatov, Kobo Abe).

3. Comment on fascism, communism, the Cold War

4. Comment on the statements and answer the questions (they’ll come in handy to understand the novel):

Ch 1

1). Where do the boys find themselves after the crash of the plane? How is the island described? Jot down on half a page what the place is like. There’s a ‘scar’ smashed into the jungle. What do you think it is?

2). At the start of the book the reader meets two boys Ralph and Piggy. Jot down a paragraph each about these two characters. Have you left out anything important? (well-built, a good swimmer, fat, short-sighted, a ludicrous body, suffers from asthma, etc). Note down which boy would you rather make friends with? Why do you prefer him?

3). What is Jack like? How do the boys select a chief?

Make two columns: at the top of one write ‘Ralph’ and at the top of the other write ‘Jack’. Now list, in each column, first the characteristics which would make each boy a good chief, and then the characteristics which would make each boy a bad chief. Which of the two comes out with the most points in his favour?

4). Jot down the names of the boys we meet in the first chapter, apart from Ralph, Piggy and Jack. How many boys do you think there are altogether?

Ch 2

1). What are the results of the boys’ exploration of the island? How does Ralph reassure the boys that they will be rescued in the end? What does a boy with a birthmark on his face tell the others? Has he really seen a ‘snake-thing’?

2). What do the boys discuss at their second meeting? What is more important: making a fire, building huts, hunting pigs?

3). How do the boys ignite the fire? Why does Jack snatch Piggy’s glasses, rather than asking him to lend them? Why is the fire dead?

Ch 3

1). When do Ralph and Jack begin feeling antagonism towards each other? Consider the striking difference between the three main characters in the story: Ralph, Jack and Simon. Contrast Jack’s madness with Ralph’s reasonableness. What is Jack’s obsession? What is special about Simon? What makes him creep away in the jungle by himself?

Ch 4

1). What’s the day’s rhythm? Write a short list which shows the differences between the way the ‘biguns’ live and the way the ‘littluns’ live.

2). Translate the part of the text pp 67-71 (‘Three were playing here now… No. You two come with me.’)

3). The boys see a ship passing along the horizon. Jack and his hunters bring a dead pig. For Jack, the spilling of the blood and the sense of power it releases at him, are of the most urgent importance; whereas for Ralph, the constant flame of the fire is most urgent. The writer makes us understand the importance of both. But do the boys understand each other?

Ch 5

1). Ralph becomes aware of new discoveries about himself and about life. List what you think these discoveries are.

2). Make a list of the rules the boys have already made, but not kept. How do the boys discuss the point how to deal with the fear they all feel. What does it mean: life is ‘scientific’ and there is no beast.

3). Consider what Simon says. Do you agree that fear is ‘only us’?

4). Jack and Ralph argue, Ralph tries to take control by reminding Jack that he, Ralph, has been chosen chief. Do you think choosing makes any difference?

Ch. 6

1. What does the dead pilot on the mountain represent?

2. How does Jack interpret the body of the dead pilot?

3. How is the tension between Jack and Ralph increasing?

4. How do Ralph, Piggy and Jack represent three facets of human thought?

5. The group’s hysterical reaction to the ‘beast from air’. The boys’ interpretation of the reality. a political allegory rooted in the Cold War.

6. What does the parachutist serve as? (Lucifer – the first fallen angel – Satan – the incarnation of evil)

Ch. 7

1. The struggle between the two characters.

2. The boys’ descent into disorder, violence and amorality. (the parallel between the boys and animals)

3. Ralph’s disgust over his appearance.

4. The boys’ hunting rituals.

5. The boys’ collective misrecognition of the dead parachutist as a beast (magnifying the importance of the unknown)

Ch. 8

1. Ralph, Piggy, and Jack – as personifications of various facets of human spirit.

2. Jack’s explicit attempts to overthrow Ralph as chief. Two ‘governments’ on the island – which system is domineering?

3. Jack and his hunters’ behavior (the killing of the sow)

4. Simon confronting the pig’s head, which he calls the Lord of the Flies. What does the pig’s head symbolize?

Ch. 9

1. Ralph losing his leadership. How? Why?

2. Jack’s appearance as an ‘idol’ sitting on a log.

3. Jack’s rise to power, the tension between Ralph and Jack is strongly ideological which eventually leads to violent conflict.

4. An elaborate mythology that is constructed around the beast, qualities that are attributed to it (immortality, ability to change shape)

5. The Lord of the Flies as the embodiment of the mythology of the beast.

6. The murder of Simon by Jack’s tribe (comment on the parallel between Simon and Jesus). What happens to Simon’s body and the body of the parachutist? What is the implication of it?

Summarize your observations concerning the symbols and their role in the novel. Piggy (Glasses) – clear-sightedness, intelligence, the status of social order. Ralph, the Conch – Democracy, Order. Simon – Pure Goodness, ‘Christ Figure’. Roger – Evil, Satan. Jack – Savagery, Anarchy. The Island – a microcosm representing the world. The shape of the island - (the boat shape) an ancient symbol of civilization. The Scar – Man’s destruction, destructive forces. The Beast – the evil residing within everyone, the dark side of human nature. Lord of the Flies – the Devil, great danger or evil, it substitutes the conch.

D. Defo 'Robinson Crusoe', J. Verne 'The Mysterious Island', R.M.Ballantine 'The Coral Island', W.Golding 'Lord of the Flies', G. Orwell ‘Animal Farm’ Make a comparative analysis of the books.

Complete the table. (as in the sample)

Author	Novel	Characters	Comments
D. Defoe	Robinson Crusoe	R. Crusoe (white)Friday (black)	An optimistic story, positive human qualities are important. The white man is shown superior, intelligent, religious, industrious
Jules Verne	The Mysterious Island
R. M. Ballantyne	The Coral Island
W. Golding	Lord of the Flies

Each student is required to present a portfolio for the assessment and the exam. The progress of your work on the portfolio will be checked gradually at the seminars. Your understanding and appreciation of the novel will be much increased if you give thought to the themes.

Find information about the William Golding. Give the definition of parable, existentialism (Albert Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre, Bykov V.), fascism, communism, the Cold War.

It should include the following obligatory items:

1. Character profiles (Ralph, Piggy, Simon, Jack, Roger, Maurice, Percival, Samneric, Robert, the boy with a birthmark, etc.)

2. Symbolism in the novel, the analysis of the symbols (the Beast, Conch, Facepaint, Fire/Smoke, Island, Glasses, the Parachute Man, the 'Scar', Paradisiacal Setting, Biblical parallels, etc.)

3. The analysis of the themes -
'society holds everyone together'
'morals come directly from our surroundings'
'the fear of the unknown can be a powerful force'
'inner savagery'
civilization
power
Ralph's loss of innocence
internal and external conflict

whose slogan was ‘Bread and circus’?
Readers tend to spot more and more new themes, you are very welcome to suggest your ideas.

4. Glossary of terms (words and phrases that attracted your eyes, sentences with the vocabulary from Arakin)

5. The examination topics:
- Ralph and Jack: evolution and degradation.
- Feeling and common sense in the novel.
- The meaning of the title.
- Symbolism in the novel.
- 'Paradise lost...' (comment on the setting)

6. Give thought to the notions New Testament, Beelzebub, Lucifer, etc.

7. Give a summary of the book.

8. Give written translation of the extracts:

pp 67-71 (ch 4) ‘Three were playing here now. … No. You two come with me.’

pp171-172. ‘You are a silly little boy. … Simon was inside the mouth. He fell down and lost consciousness.’

The exam topic should contain: an introduction, a main body ( which focuses on the details requested by the rubric), a conclusion. Structure your topic logically making use of linking words and phrases, support your arguments by quotations and examples from the text.

The deadline is December 12!

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