Unit Created by Mrs. D. Wittmann
Choose which statement best represents your belief. Be able to provide reasons: 1. People can be either good or evil. 2. Good and evil are linked. 3. All people have some good and some evil within themselves. 4. Everyone is born good. 5. What is considered good and what is evil depends on the situation. Timed Writing: What is your opinion on the nature of good and evil?
“Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win.” ― Stephen King Do you think that evil can get into someone's mind? If so, how could this affect the way they act or see the world?
What makes good people do bad things? Melissa Dittmann 2004 Passage Summary: In this article from the Monitor on Psychology, researcher Melissa Dittmann explores the circumstances that drive people to commit immoral acts. When and How to Pair: Have students read this text before they begin Lord of the Flies, in order to provide them with theoretical background in which to study character. As students read the book, ask them to consider Zimbardo’s findings on human nature and the social situations discussed in “What Makes Good People Do Bad Things?” How did these social situations contribute to an individual’s good or evil actions? Ask students to take notes on how the social situations in Lord of the Flies shape the morality of the boys’ actions.
Utopia versus Dystopia 1. What makes a perfect society? 2. What can lead a utopia to become a dystopia? 3. How do you define "happiness"? Some see the past as a better, purer time. Ideas like the Garden of Eden, the pastoral Arcadia of ancient Greece, King Arthur's Camelot, and El Dorado, the lost city of gold, make us long for the way things used to be. Others hold hope for the future. We seek better technology, faster travel, healthier lives.
ACTIVITY 1. On ONE side of a blank piece of paper, briefly describe your own utopia. What specific qualities of your society would make it "perfect"? Try to be as specific as possible. Then, sketch out a rough picture that illustrates your utopia. Leave the back of the paper blank. 2. Exchange your piece of paper with a classmate. After you have read your partner's description of their utopia, turn the piece of paper over and explain what might go wrong with those perfect qualities and change the society into a dystopia. In other words, what is the mirror image or worst-case scenario of the utopia described on the other side. Then, sketch a brief illustration of what this dystopia might look like.
Edward Hicks, The Peaceable Kingdom, (1834). National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. The painting by Edward Hicks presents a utopia world in which predator and prey lie side by side in peace. Notice the scene in the background in which William Penn is signing a treaty with the native inhabitants. The term "utopia" was coined in 1516 by British political philosopher Thomas More, who published a book about a fictional land of the same name. In it he laid out his ideals for the perfect government, social institutions, religion, and employment, all of which were intended to be a critique of the England of his day. More invented the word "utopia" by combining the Greek words ou and topos. An almost identical-sounding Greek word, eu-topos, means "a good place," but More's ou-topos means "no place" or "nowhere," slyly suggesting from the very beginning that the concept was both an ideal and an illusion.
Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Annotating a Text: Read Actively Reading actively helps you get to know the text better, how it makes its meaning and affects, understand its inner workings, and builds a relationship with that text. 1. Emotional sparks (immediate responses) 2. Figurative Language, Tone, Diction, Syntax, Imagery 3. Patterns and Repetitions (motifs) 4. Turns and Shifts (narration, dialogue) 5. Genre (textual features) 6. Allusions and Connections 7. Questions and Difficulties
BIG IDEAS AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS CHARACTER Characters in literature allow readers to study and explore a range of values, beliefs, assumptions, biases, and cultural norms represented by those characters. SETTING Setting and the details associated with it not only depict a time and place, but also convey values associated with that setting. STRUCTURE The arrangement of the parts and sections of a text, the relationship of the parts to each other, and the sequence in which the text reveals information are all structural choices made by a writer that contribute to the reader’s interpretation of a text. NARRATION A narrator’s or speaker’s perspective controls the details and emphases that affect how readers experience and interpret a text. FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE Comparisons, representations, and associations shift meaning from the literal to the figurative and invite readers to interpret a text. LITERARY ARGUMENTATION Readers establish and communicate their interpretations of literature through arguments supported by textual evidence.
Who is William Golding? (link)
TERMS 1. Deindividuation: Individuals loosen or forego their moralities, ideals, and opinions and adopt blindly those of the group 2. Ochlocracy: Mob rule-- decisions are made by a mass of people 3. Abilene Paradox: a group of people collectively decide on a course of action that is opposite of the preferences of any individual. The individual does not, therefore, raise any objection.
4. Bildungsroman: the combination of two German words: Bildung, meaning "education," and Roman, meaning "novel." Fittingly, a "bildungsroman" is a novel that deals with the formative years of the main character - in particular, his or her psychological development and moral education.
Lord of the Flies: Narration Third Person More specifically, Golding takes advantage of third person omniscient POV in this work. This type of narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of more than one the character, and relates those thoughts to the reader. This makes it really easy for you to understand the motivations and desires of multiple characters, but this also means you're not tethered to one character's interpretations You don't know who exactly is narrating this book, but that doesn't matter. The narrator isn't directly involved in the action, and is merely relaying events.
BIG IDEAS AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS NARRATION A narrator’s or speaker’s perspective controls the details and emphases that affect how readers experience and interpret a text.
Lord of the Flies: Setting The action of Lord of the Flies takes place during the Cold War on a deserted “boat-shaped” (38) island in the Pacific Ocean (76). In the wake of atomic war a group of school boys between the ages of six and twelve, as we infer gathering scattered references from the novel, were being transferred from an English town to a safe place supposed to be somewhere in Australia via Gibraltar and Addis Ababa. "Then one of the boys flopped on his face in the sand and the line broke up. They heaved the fallen boy to the platform and let him lie. Merridew, his eyes staring, made the best of a bad job. 'll right then. Sit down. Let him alone.' 'But Merridew.' “He’s always throwing a faint,'said Merridew. 'He did in Gib.; and Addis; and at matins over the precentor ' " (28). Gib: Gibraltar Addis: Addis Ababa is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia Precentor: musical director of a choir
In Chapter Two, Ralph mentions the Queen, and as Elizabeth became queen on February 6, 1952, it can be inferred that the story is set around this time. The novel itself was published in 1954. " 'My father’s in the Navy. He said there aren’t any unknown islands left. He says the Queen has a big room full of maps and all the islands in the world are drawn there. So the Queen’s got a picture of this island.' Again came the sounds of cheerfulness and better heart. “And sooner or later a ship will put in here. It might even be Daddy’s ship. So you see, sooner or later, we shall be rescued' ”(38).
England in 1952 Newly crowned, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Philip Duke of Edinburgh, HRH Princess Margaret and Her Majesty Elizabeth The Queen Mother on June 2,1953. Elizabeth became Queen on February 6,1952 upon the death of her father, HM King George VI, but the coronation did not take place for more than a year. Elizabeth was only 26 years old.
The imaginary island on which the tube crash-landed is thought to be Papua New Guinea, past the Sunda Islands (i. e. Indonesia). In fact, the Cold War was a political and psychological game, not a direct combat like the World Wars. In a likely way, the fictionalized incidents of the Cold War, which form the immediate background of the novel, have close resemblance to the incidents of the World War II. Golding’s boys in Lord of the Flies are the representatives of thousands of English school boys who had had traumatic experiences during the Second World War.
Nuclear Testing in the Pacific 1950s-80s From the beginning of the nuclear age, the Pacific islands were used for the development and testing of nuclear weapons. Between 1946 and 1996, the United States, Britain and France conducted Cold War programs of nuclear testing in the deserts of Australia and the atolls of the central and south Pacific. Over five decades, more than 315 nuclear tests were held across the region: From 1946 to 1958, the United States conducted 67 atomic and hydrogen bomb tests at Bikini and Enewetak atolls in the Marshall Islands. In the 1960s, there were 25 further US tests at Christmas (Kiritimati) Island and nine at Johnston Atoll. "Starting in 1952, the United Kingdom tested nuclear weapons in Australia and UK Pacific colonies. There were 12 atmospheric tests at the Monte Bello Islands, Maralinga and Emu Field in Australia (1952–57). Under “Operation Grapple”, the British government conducted another nine atomic and hydrogen bomb tests at Kiritimati and Malden islands in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony, in 1957-58.
What is War? War is organized, armed conflict The Cold War? A Violent Peace
“How can the examination of the past inform us about our present lives and what our responsibility is toward one another?”
A plane crashes on a desert island and the only survivors, a group of schoolboys, assemble on the beach and wait to be rescued ...
BIG IDEAS AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS SETTING Setting and the details associated with it not only depict a time and place, but also convey values associated with that setting.
Lord of the Flies STORY ELEMENTS 1. Examine the narrative perspective (POV) 2. Characterization: Major - Ralph, Piggy, Jack, Simon, Roger, Samneric (the twins) + the significance of minor characters 3. Setting: General to the specific and the passage of time 4. Conflict: the struggle of opposing forces both internal and external 5a. Plot - Storyline: two climaxes 5b. Plot Devices: Foreshadow, flashback, suspense, irony, deus ex machina 6. Theme: Multiple messages FURTHER ANALYSIS 1. Archetypes 2. Symbolism and Motifs (recurring elements) 3. Imagery and Figurative language 4. Beelzebub and biblical allusions 5. SOAPStone 6. Connections to poetry
CHAPTER ONE: The Sound of the Shell Let's meet the boys: (more to come) Ralph* Piggy* Johnny Sam and Eric* (twins) Jack* Merridew Simon* Maurice Roger* Bill Robert Harold Henry *main characters
BIG IDEAS AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS CHARACTER Characters in literature allow readers to study and explore a range of values, beliefs, assumptions, biases, and cultural norms represented by those characters.
FRUIT “Them fruit.” He glanced round the scar. “Them fruit,” he said, “I expect—” He put on his glasses, waded away from Ralph, and crouched down among the tangled foliage. “I’ll be out again in just a minute—” (4). Eating unripe fruit is like eating half cooked potatoes. Eating too much fruit can lead to ... diarrhea.
Definition of Motif A motif is a narrative element with symbolic meaning that repeats throughout a work of literature. Motifs may come in the form of reoccurring imagery, language, structure, or contrasts. In drama, motifs may also take the form of repeated music, visual components, or physical movements. Motifs strengthen a story by adding images and ideas to the theme present throughout the narrative. The word motif (pronounced moh-teef) is derived from the French phrase motif meaning “pattern.”
The BIBLICAL Motif The island begins like the Garden of Eden - a utopia. How would you describe your own utopia? (ideal world) "He undid the snake-clasp of his belt, " (15). How would you describe a dystopia? TRACK this motif (biblical pattern) throughout the novel. Adam and Eve Genesis 2-3
The WAR Motif "Ralph danced out into the hot air of the beach and then returned as a fighter-plane, with wings swept back, and machine-gunned Piggy" (6). "The great rock loitered, poised on one toe, decided not to return, moved through the air, fell, struck, turned over, leapt droning through the air and smashed a deep hole in the canopy of the forest. Echoes and birds flew, white and pink dust floated, the forest further down shook as with the passage of an enraged monster: and then the island was still. 'Wacco!' 'Like a bomb!' 'Whee-aa-oo!' ” (25). TRACK this motif (war pattern) throughout the novel.
Dialects The United Kingdom is probably the most dialect-obsessed nation in the world. With countless accents shaped by thousands of years of history, there are few English-speaking nations with as many varieties of language in such a small space. Check out this "Dialect" blog :-) http://dialectblog.com/british-accents/ CHALLENGE: Piggy is heard before he is seen - and is the voice of reason. Can you determine Piggy's dialect?
Not brushing? 10. Breeding of germs 9. Bad Smell 8. Tooth Discoloration and Stain 7. Tooth Decay and Cavity 6. Loss of Teeth 5. It Affects the Baby Too! (no girls on the island - oops!) 4. Impact of Smoking + Not-Brushing 3. Other Major Health Issues 2. Social Issues 1. Impacts on Personal Life Moral of the story - don't forget your tooth brush :-) QUESTION: How would you clean your teeth on the island?
Compare the three boys as potential leaders: Ralph, Jack, and Piggy
Chapter One Tasks 1. Complete the Venn Diagram from the previous slide. Who would you vote as leader and why? 2. Explain the significance of the chapter title "The Sound of the Shell". 3. Making four-squares: Fold you paper in four. On the front-side label each square Ralph, Piggy, Jack, Simon On the back-side label each square Samneric, Roger, littluns, bigguns As you progress through the novel, fill in the squares. Include both physical and personality traits and their role. APPLY the acronym S.T.E.A.L.
CHAPTER TWO: Fire on the Mountain 1. "We'll have rules ... Lots of rules!" (32). What rules would you create? 2. "We ought to have more rules" (42). Why are rules so important to the boys? Why are rules important for us?
Allusion An allusion is a literary device used to reference another object outside of the work of literature. The object can be a real or fictional person, event, quote, or other work of artistic expression. It is just a passing comment and the writer expects the reader to possess enough knowledge to spot the allusion and grasp its importance in a text. Therefore, allusions can be a test of a sort of cultural literacy.
"Piggy! Have you got any matches?" (40). Question 1: Define allusion. Provide an example of your own. Question 2: Can you really start a fire with "specs"? Are his lenses convex or concave? Would that make a difference? Question 3: How is this connected to the Greek myth of Prometheus (one of the Titans)?
QUOTATION ANALYSIS Q1. UNDERSTANDING: Describe the circumstances surrounding the quotation. Include who, what, where, and when. Q2. LANGUAGE: Analysis of effect (how) Select TWO elements of style from the quotation and explain their effect or function. INTEGRATE key words or phrases from the quotation in your answer. You may consider such elements as tone, diction, syntax, figurative language, and imagery. Q3. EXTENDING: Analysis of meaning (why) In a well-argued paragraph, explain how the EXCERPT reveals a theme in the novel. You may consider such elements as characters, thoughts, conversations, actions, effects, looks, symbols, motifs, structure, setting, conflict, narration, events, and choices.
"Smoke was rising here and there among the creepers that festooned the dead or dying trees. As they watched, a flash of fire appeared at the root of one wisp, and then the smoke thickened. Small flames stirred at the trunk of a tree and crawled away through leaves and brushwood, dividing and increasing. One patch touched a tree trunk and scrambled up like a bright squirrel. The smoke increased, sifted, rolled outwards. The squirrel leapt on the wings of the wind and clung to another standing tree, eating downwards. Beneath the dark canopy of leaves and smoke the fire laid hold on the forest and began to gnaw. Acres of black and yellow smoke rolled steadily toward the sea. At the sight of the flames and the irresistible course of the fire, the boys broke into shrill, excited cheering. The flames, as though they were a kind of wild life, crept as a jaguar creeps on its belly toward a line of birch-like saplings that fledged an outcrop of the pink rock. They flapped at the first of the trees, and the branches grew a brief foliage of fire. The heart of flame leapt nimbly across the gap between the trees and then went swinging and flaring along the whole row of them. Beneath the capering boys a quarter of a mile square of forest was savage with smoke and flame. The separate noises of the fire merged into a drum-roll that seemed to shake the mountain. 'You got your small fire all right' ” (44).
A1. UNDERSTANDING: In this excerpt, the narrator is describing the scene. The quotation ends with a statement made by Piggy. At this point in the novel, the boys have raced to the top of the mountain to make a fire to get noticed by a passing ship. After they start the fire with the help of Piggy's glasses, they begin to add more and more wood. Unfortunately, as the fire grows, it moves to the side of the mountain to a great patch of dead wood and begins to burn out of control.
BIG IDEAS AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE Comparisons, representations, and associations shift meaning from the literal to the figurative and invite readers to interpret a text.
Q2. LANGUAGE: Analysis of effect (how) William Golding employs similes to effectively reveal the fire as a living, breathing, entity. The first simile is used to describe the quick movements of the fire. The narrator describes, "One patch touched a tree trunk and scrambled up like a bright squirrel" (44.) Describing the fire like a squirrel allows the reader to visualize the fire leaping and jumping amongst the trees with the speed of this little creature. A second simile is also used to describe the movement of the fire. The narrator explains, "The flames, as though they were a kind of wild life, crept as a jaguar creeps on its belly towards a line of birch-like saplings" (44). Golding's second simile describes a slower moving fire creeping along eying its next prey. The force and power of a jaguar illustrates both the strength and the power of the fire. Through the use of similes, Golding effectively produces an image of a fast moving, predatory fire, that is engulfing the mountainside.
Q3. EXTENDING: Analysis of meaning (why) Irresponsible behaviour can lead to unexpected and unwanted results. This theme is first revealed through the setting. The boys ignore the dangers that surround them as they build the fire to an uncontrollable size. As the fire burns it moves towards a large dead patch of wood resulting in "a quarter of a mile square of forest was savage with smoke and flame" (44). The setting illustrates the dangers of irresponsible behaviour with the unexpected result of destroying a portion of the island. This theme is further proven through the characters. The boys' actions are irresponsible. With a total disregard for the consequences, the boys build a huge pile of wood that feeds the fire. The narrator describes the scene: "At the sight of the flames and the irresistible course of the fire, the boys broke into shrill, excited cheering" (44). The behaviour of the boys does not reflect the serious nature of the fire, but rather, the thrill of experiencing the power of their actions. Again, this irresponsible behaviour puts both their lives in jeopardy and the health of the island. Clearly, through irresponsible behaviour, the boys destroy a portion of the island, a result they did not expect nor want.
Discovering Themes in Literature
BIG IDEAS AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS LITERARY ARGUMENTATION Readers establish and communicate their interpretations of literature through arguments supported by textual evidence.
Chapter Two Tasks 1. Explain the significance of the chapter title "Fire on the Mountain". 2. READ the quotation analysis exemplar. Pay close attention to the use of clear and concise language, as well as the attention to details. 3. What does the conch symbolize? Can you think of another object that has been used in the same way? Explain. 4. Find TWO examples of "dialogue." For each example, explain how the conversation helps develop and define the characters.
5. "There was a group of little boys urging him forward and he did not want to go. He was a shrimp of a boy, about six years old, and one side of his face was blotted out by a mulberry-colored birthmark. He stood now, warped out of the perpendicular by the fierce light of publicity, and he bored into the coarse grass with one toe. He was muttering and about to cry" (33-34). In detail, explain the importance of this character in terms of plot (P1) and conflict (P2). Answer in a full and complete paragraph. TS + PEE + PEE + CS
CHAPTER THREE: Huts on the Beach Time has passed ... Character focus: Jack and Simon What more do we learn about these two boys in this chapter? Add to your four-squares.
BIG IDEAS AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS STRUCTURE The arrangement of the parts and sections of a text, the relationship of the parts to each other, and the sequence in which the text reveals information are all structural choices made by a writer that contribute to the reader’s interpretation of a text.
Literary Symbolism A character, an action, a setting, or an object representing something else can be a symbol. Most often, the symbol in a story is an object that represents its owner’s character or situation, or both. Something that on the surface is its literal self (tangible) but which also has another meaning (intangible) or even several meanings. A literary symbol gains its meaning from the context of a literary work and often changes as the work develops.
Example 1 - Character: Piggy is a symbol of intelligent, rational thinking, science and technology - and is virtually blind. This marks him as a symbol of justice, which is traditionally characterized as blindfolded. Blind Justice is the theory that law should be viewed objectively with the determination of innocence or guilt made without bias or prejudice, hence, Lady Justice (Justitia) wears a blindfold.
Example 2 - Action: Climbing a mountain is one of the oldest symbols of struggling towards the truth. Ralph, Jack, and Simon climb the mountain (22-23). Example 3 - Setting: The island is described as "roughly boat-shaped" (26). The ship is an old symbol of human society. At the outset, the island is a utopian society (Garden of Eden). Example 4 - Object: The conch symbolizes law and order (democracy).
Literary Symbolism A character, an action, a setting, or an object representing something else can be a symbol. Create a four-square. Label each square: Character Action Setting Object TRACK the symbols as we read the novel.
Chapter Three Tasks 1. Explain the significance of the chapter title "Huts on the Beach". 2. For each of the three settings listed below, answer the following questions: the forest, the beach, Simon's thicket and surroundings a. Is the setting symbolic? Explain. b. How well do the characters "fit in" with the setting? c. Does the setting help establish the atmosphere?
CHAPTER FOUR: Painted Faces and Long Hair "The fire was dead" (71). Compare to the "living" fire in Chapter Two. Examine the powerful use of repetition and punctuation.
Cooking A Piggy The most crucial step is securing the pig to the spit. Dead pigs are heavy, and unless they are extremely well secured, they have a tendency to flop around as the spit turns if you don't secure them properly.
The cooking itself is a lazy process. Once you get the coals under the pig and the pig turning (most spits have an electric motor to rotate the pig automatically), you can sit back and relax, tending to it only once every half hour or so to ensure that the coals are still hot and the pig is not over or under cooking. Low and slow is the goal. If your pig starts taking on a burnished color within the first hour, you're going too fast. Either slow down the rate at which you are adding coals, or raise the pig a few inches from the heat source (most spits are also adjustable in height). The last half hour is where all the skin-crisping crackly magic happens, and requires high heat, so you'll want to pile on the coals at the very end, rotating the pig as necessary to expose every inch of skin to the intense blast of heat. If all goes well, it'll bubble into blistery pustules that crackle and dissolve in your mouth. Yum. Question: How do you suppose the boys cook a pig?
ONLINE IDENTITY Passage Summary: This text directly examines the way online social networking affects our concepts of identity (Are we truthful about the way we portray ourselves on the Internet? Will this change who we really are?). When and How to Pair: Have students read this text after they’ve completed Chapter 4, when the boys don the masks in the novel, in order to explore how masks have the ability to reshape individual identity. Ask students to compare the masks that can be constructed through online identities with the masks the boys in Lord of the Flies create with colored clay. What kind of behavior do the masks compel their wearers to take part in? How does the behavior of the boys differ when they are not wearing the masks?
Complete a Quotation Analysis "A sudden breeze shook the fringe of palm trees, so that the fronds tossed and fluttered. Sixty feet above Roger, several nuts, fibrous lumps as big as rugby balls, were loosed from their stems. They fell about him with a series of hard thumps and he was not touched. Roger did not consider his escape, but looked from the nuts to Henry and back again. The subsoil beneath the palm trees was a raised beach, and generations of palms had worked loose in this the stones that had lain on the sands of another shore. Roger stooped, picked up a stone, aimed, and threw it at Henry-- threw it to miss. The stone, that token of preposterous time, bounced five yards to Henry's right and fell in the water. Roger gathered a handful of stones and began to throw them. Yet there was a space round Henry, perhaps six yards in diameter, into which he dare not throw. Here, invisible yet strong, was the taboo of the old life. Round the squatting child was the protection of parents and school and policemen and the law. Roger's arm was conditioned by a civilization that knew nothing of him and was in ruins" (64-65).
Helpful Prompts A1. In this excerpt, the narrator is describing the scene. At this point in the novel ... A2. William Golding employs visual imagery and repetition to effectively reveal the cautious actions of Roger. A3. The laws of civilization are there to protect those who cannot protect themselves.
Chapter Four Tasks 1.Explain the significance of the chapter title "Painted Faces and Long Hair". 2. Find one example for each of the following. Include the page number: metaphor, personification, simile, onomatopoeia, visual imagery, auditory imagery, gustatory imagery
CHAPTER FIVE: Beast from Water "Things are breaking up. I don't understand why" (87). Question: Why are things breaking up?
because, because ..... Again he lost himself in deep waters (82). Describe Ralph's view on "thinking" (83).
How about YOU? 1. What changes would you make to solve the conflict between Ralph and Jack? 2. Suppose you were one of the younger boys living on the island (littluns), discuss how life would be different for you compared to one of the older boys (bigguns) like Piggy, Jack, and Ralph? 3. How would you compare Ralph's leadership skills to Jack's based on the facts given to the reader during the first five chapters of the book? 4. Can you think of an original way for Ralph to establish his view that there is not a ghost on the island? 5. If you were in Piggy’s position, how would you would you react and respond to Jack's bullying?
Chapter Five Tasks 1. Explain the significance of the chapter title "Beast from Water". 2. " 'I'm calling a meeting even if we have to go on into the dark. Down on the platform. When I blow it. Now' ... 'This meeting must not be fun, but business'" (82-83). a. Ralph needs to put things straight. What "things" need to be done? Make a list. b. How do the boys explain the beast? c. Simon plays a significant role in this chapter. Explain how and why. Include quotations (and add to your t-chart).
3. How has Jack's opinion of the rules changed? Answer in paragraph form. Topic Sentence: Point One: Original view Example from the text: Explain: Point Two: Revised view Example from the text: Explain: Concluding Sentence:
CHAPTER SIX: Beast from Air
"A sliver of moon rose over the horizon, hardly large enough to make a path of light even when it sat right down on the water; but there were other lights in the sky, that moved fast, winked, or went out, though not even a faint popping came down from the battle fought at ten miles’ height. But a sign came down from the world of grown-ups, though at the time there was no child awake to read it. There was a sudden bright explosion and corkscrew trail across the sky; then darkness again and stars. There was a speck above the island, a figure dropping swiftly beneath a parachute, a figure that hung with dangling limbs" (103).
DRAW the twins description of the "beast"
“It was furry. There was something moving behind its head—wings. The beast moved too—” “That was awful. It kind of sat up—” “The fire was bright—” “We’d just made it up—” “—more sticks on—” “There were eyes—” “Teeth—” “Claws—” “We ran as fast as we could—” “Bashed into things—” “The beast followed us—” “I saw it slinking behind the trees—” “Nearly touched me—” Ralph pointed fearfully at Eric’s face, which was striped with scars where the bushes had torn him. “How did you do that?” Eric felt his face. “I’m all rough. Am I bleeding?" (108-109).
A Study in Contrast Jack was excited. “What a place for a fort!” A column of spray wetted them. “No fresh water.” “What’s that then?” There was indeed a long green smudge half-way up the rock. They climbed up and tasted the trickle of water. “You could keep a coconut shell there, filling all the time.” “Not me. This is a rotten place.” Side by side they scaled the last height to where the diminishing pile was crowned by the last broken rock. Jack struck the near one with his fist and it grated slightly. “Do you remember—?” (115-116). Compare and contrast Ralph and Jack at this point in the novel. How has their relationship changed?
Archetype The term "archetype" has its origins in ancient Greek. The root words are archein, which means "original or old"; and typos, which means "pattern, model or type". The combined meaning is an "original pattern" of which all other similar persons, objects, or concepts are derived, copied, modeled, or emulated. An archetype is a reference to a concept, a person or an object that has served as a prototype of its kind and is the original idea that has come to be used over and over again. Archetypes are literary devices that employ the use of a famous concept, person or object to convey a wealth of meaning. Archetypes are immediately identifiable and even though they run the risk of being overused, they are still the best examples of their kind. What types of characters, situations, or image patterns have you seen repeated in movies or books?
Psychoanalyst Carl Jung identified numerous archetypes - character models which help to shape our personalities and which we aspire to be more like. Test your personality and find out which of the main Jungian archetypes you match the closest with this archetype test.
https://www.psychologistworld.com/tests/jung-archetype-quiz
Chapter Six Tasks 1. Explain the significance of the chapter title "Beast from Air". 2. For each of the following characters on the next slide, complete the following: a. research the archetype, b. provide a brief description of the archetype, c. and find examples from the text that supports their identifiable nature
Ralph: "The Hero" "The Leader" Jack: "The Trickster" or "The Villain" Simon: "The Outcast" or "The Christ Figure" or “The Redeemer” Piggy: "The Scapegoat" or "The Mentor" or “The Mother” Roger: "The Shadow" or “The Enforcer” Sam and Eric: “The Helpers”
TEST: CHAPTERS 1 - 6 Explain the SIX story elements: Method of Narration (POV) Plot (Storyline) Characters Conflicts (Internal and External) "Hot" Topics and Themes Setting PLUS Symbolism and Archetypes Quotation Analysis Figurative Language, Imagery, Tone, Diction, Syntax
TEST: QUOTATION ANALYSIS A1. In this excerpt, Jack is speaking to all the boys. The narrator adds brief commentary. At this point in the novel ... A2. William Golding employs repetition and dialogue to effectively reveal Jack's anger and frustration. A3. Fear, while intangible, can be powerful and controlling.
CHAPTER SEVEN: Shadows and Tall Trees Plot Device: Flashback A flashback (or analepsis) is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point in the story. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story's primary sequence of events to fill in crucial backstory and add context. The purpose of the flashback is simple: it is a technique that bridges time, place and action to reveal information about the character, or move the story forward. Look at the flashback as a tool that could be used to reveal information about the character or story that you can't reveal any other way. It can reveal emotional as well as physical information; it can reveal thoughts, memories or dreams, like what happened in Berlin that Jason Bourne is trying to remember.
Plot Device: Foreshadowing Foreshadowing is a literary device in which a writer gives an advance hint of what is to come later in the story. Foreshadowing often appears at the beginning of a story or a chapter and helps the reader develop expectations about the coming events in a story. There are various ways of creating a foreshadowing. A writer may use dialogues of characters to hint at what may occur in future. In addition, any event or action in the story may throw a hint to the readers about future events or action. Even a title of a work or a chapter title can act as a clue that suggests what is going to happen. Foreshadowing in fiction creates an atmosphere of suspense in a story so that the readers are interested to know more.
The Power of Knowledge versus The Power of Fear Simon says, "I think we ought to climb the mountain" (141). He follows this with the question, "What else is there to do?" (141). TASK: Explain the significance of these two pieces of dialogue. NOTE: Climbing a mountain is one of the oldest symbols of struggling towards the truth.
Reviewing "Dialogue" According to William Harmon and C. Hugh Holman’s “A Handbook to Literature,” dialogue is most easily defined as a “conversation of two or more people.” Dialogue may be more precisely defined as words spoken aloud by a character in a scene as indicated by quotation marks. In a novel, dialogue serves to bring a sense of realness and immediacy to scenes by letting readers “eavesdrop” on characters. It advances the story, develops the characters, provides realism and information, and defines characters.
THE MAN IN THE WELL Ira Sher 1995 Passage Summary: Ira Sher is a contemporary author who writes short fiction. In this story, a man in a vulnerable position asks a group of children for help. When and How to Pair: Have students read this short story after they finish Chapter 7, when Robert is treated like a pig by the others boys, to explore what motivates people to be cruel. Why are the boys in Lords of the Flies motivated to stick Robert like a pig, and cause him pain? How does this compare to the children’s motivations to leave the man in the well in Sher’s short story? How do the children’s cruel treatment of others make them feel in Lord of the Flies and “The Man in the Well”?
Chapter Seven Tasks 1. Explain the significance of the chapter title "Shadows and Tall Trees". 2. Find the flashback in this chapter. Explain its purpose. 3. Find two examples of foreshadowing in this chapter. Explain its purpose. 4. Exclamation points were originally called "notes of admiration." Explain how this type of punctuation is used during the "game." 5. Repetition is used to give emphasis to a particular word, phrase, or idea. Find two examples of repetition. Why and how is repetition used?
CHAPTER EIGHT: Gift for the Darkness The Pig’s Head Delivers a Sermon (Harangue) From The Hot Gates, an essay given as a lecture in a series William Golding delivered in 1962: William Golding explains, "I included a Christ-figure in my fable. This is the little boy Simon, solitary, stammering, a lover of mankind, a visionary, who reaches common-sense attitudes not by reason but by intuition. Of all the boys, he is the only one who feels the need to be alone and goes every now and then into the bushes…the pig’s head delivered something very like a sermon to the boy; the pig’s head spoke."
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” ― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Complete SOAPStone for Jack's speech In Chapter Eight, Jack attempts to win followers away from Ralph through mudslinging, a rhetorical strategy (Ad Hominem fallacy) common in political races (pages 137 - 140). Fill in the information: Speaker: Occasion: Audience: Purpose: Subject: Tone:
Chapter Eight Tasks 1. Explain the significance of the chapter title "Gift for the Darkness." 2. The pig's head knows Simon is there. What is the significance of this imaginative conversation in Simon's spiritual place? How does this scene translate into a theme of the novel? 3. Character Brain Map: Pick ONE major character. Think about his personality traits, motivations, actions, and temperament. FILL the character's head with quotations, images, symbols, thoughts, ... Be creative! For submission. Use information gathered from Chapters 1 - 8
CHAPTER NINE: A View to a Death The Beautification of Simon Read from "Towards midnight ... to the end of Chapter 9. The description of Simon's murder and the description of his final journey out to sea after his death are completely different to each other. 1. Contrast this description of Simon's beautification (169 - 170) to the previous description of his murder (168 - 169). Make a t-chart. 2. How is Simon's role in the novel captured in this excerpt?
Chapter Nine Tasks 1. Explain the significance of the chapter title "A View to a Death". 2. Describe both Simon and Jack in this chapter. Apply S.T.E.A.L. (see next slide) Pay particular attention to "Looks." 3. How is this the spiritual climax of the novel? Answer in a full and complete paragraph. (TS + PEE + PEE + CS)
CHAPTER TEN: The Shell and the Glasses Dialogue (One more time) A dialogue is a literary technique in which writers employ two or more characters to be engaged in conversation with each other. In literature, it is a conversational passage or a spoken or written exchange of conversation in a group or between two persons directed towards a particular subject. The use of dialogues can be seen back in classical literature, especially in Plato’s Republic. Generally, it makes a literary work enjoyable and lively. Explain the significance of the conversation between Robert and Roger.
Chapter Ten Tasks 1. Explain the significance of the chapter title "The Shell and the Glasses". 2. Piggy and Ralph come to an understanding: “ ‘That’s right. We was on the outside. We never done nothing, we never seen nothing’ ” (174). What “nothing” are they refusing to accept? What do the twins say? 3. How does Jack use the beast to control the boys? Refer to the slide “Power and Control Wheel.” Make connections between the handout and the novel. 4. Describe the attack at the shelters. Who were Ralph and Eric fighting? What was stolen? Explain its significance.
CHAPTER ELEVEN: Castle Rock The Social Climax of the Novel “I’m going to him with this conch in my hands. I’m going to hold it out. Look, I’m goin’ to say, you’re stronger than I am and you haven’t got asthma. You can see, I’m goin’ to say, and with both eyes. But I don’t ask for my glasses back, not as a favor. I don’t ask you to be a sport, I’ll say, not because you’re strong, but because what’s right’s right. Give me my glasses, I’m going to say—you got to!” (211). TASK: Explain the development of these two symbols - the conch and the glasses - in this chapter.
THE STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT Saul McLeod 2008 Passage Summary: The Stanford Prison Experiment was conducted by Phillip Zimbardo in 1971. By organizing an exercise that simulated prison life, Zimbardo intended to discover how quickly people conformed to the roles of guard and prisoner. While many people thought that brutality reported among American prison guards had to do with personalities, some thought it had to do with the prison environment. When and How to Pair: Have students read this study after they finish Chapter 11, when Ralph and Jack struggle for leadership, in order to examine social roles in the text and the concepts of “leaders” and “followers.” How is Jack’s treatment of the other boys, when he becomes the leader, similar to how the guards treat and view prisoners in the experiment? How does the boys’ response to Jack assuming a leadership role support the findings of the experiment, that people will fill the social roles expected of them? What social roles are the boys of Jack’s tribe expected to fill? How do the social roles that the boys take on contribute to their cruel treatment of each other?
Chapter Eleven Tasks 1. Explain the significance of the chapter title "Castle Rock". 2. The boys attempt to make a stand at Castle Rock. Ralph wants to call an assembly. What is he hoping to achieve? 3. How does the death of Piggy signify the social climax of the novel? Explain the implication of the conch as it “exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist” (200). 4. Who does Ralph call a beast? Track the progression of the beast throughout the novel. 5. A hangman is defined as a public executioner who hangs the condemned person - an official who inflicts capital punishment. Who is given the legal position of hangman? Is this new role surprising? What evidence is there that he could be a threat to Jack? Provide a quotation.
CHAPTER TWELVE: Cry of the Hunters If only one had time to think! "There were many things he could do. He could climb a tree; but that was putting all his eggs in one basket. If he were detected, they had nothing more difficult to do than wait" (217). "What was to be done, then? The tree? Burst the line like a boar? Either way the choice was terrible" (217). "Break the line. A tree. Hide, and let them pass" (218). What does Ralph decide to do?
Deus Ex Machina
Deus ex machina is a plot device whereby a seemingly unsolvable problem is suddenly and abruptly resolved by the contrived and unexpected intervention of some new event, character, ability, or object. From ancient Greek and Roman drama, it is Latin for “god out of the machine”, where a crane (meckane) was used to lower actors playing gods on stage. Some critics believe that Golding employs this plot device with the unexpected appearance of the naval officer on the beach: "It was a white-topped cap, and above the green shade of the peak was a crown, an anchor, gold foliage. He saw white drill, epaulettes, a revolver, a row of gilt buttons down the front of a uniform" (202).
That deus ex machina is evidence of a weak plot Aristotle espoused this view in his philosophical treatise, Poetics. He argued that the resolution of any conflict should arise internally, from the action, objects, and events that have already been introduced in a story. In other words, Aristotle and many others argue that if a plot were coherent, then its conflicts would be resolvable within the circumstances that the writer has already established.
In Defense of Deus Ex Machina While deus ex machina carries an unequivocally negative connotation for many people, others argue that the device can be used in situations in which the author has carefully considered its effect. Not everyone will agree on when deus ex machina is appropriate and when it isn't; examples that some people consider to be thoughtful and deliberate, others believe to be lazy and absurd, but it's important to note that people often argue in favor of the device. Golding's use of deus ex machina is surprising, but not implausible or utterly unforeseen. Agree or disagree? Is this intervention unexpected?
YOUR TASK: Create your own ending for Lord of the Flies using the plot device of deus ex machina. Continue in the same point of view: third-person omniscient. BEGIN: He stumbled over a root and the cry that pursued him rose even higher. He saw a shelter burst into flames and the fire flapped at his right shoulder and there was the glitter of water. Then he was down, rolling over and over in the warm sand, crouching with arm to ward off, trying to cry for mercy ... (222). (To be submitted: two-thirds of one page).
Chapter Twelve Tasks 1. Explain the significance of the chapter title "Cry of the Hunters". 2. What is the significance of the meaning, “Roger sharpened a stick at both ends” (210). 3. How do Roger and Jack discover where Ralph is hiding? Reread the conversation between Ralph and the twins. Why were the twins put on guard? 4. Explain the irony in the following line: “We saw your smoke” (221). 5.Why does Ralph weep for Piggy, not Simon?
"And in the middle of them, with filthy body, matted hair, and unwiped nose, Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy" (224). Ralph describes Piggy as a true, wise friend. How would you like to be remembered?
6. What is our view now of what the officer stands for, and what is the effect of the last sentence of the book? "He turned away to give them time to pull themselves together; and waited, allowing his eyes to rest on the trim cruiser in the distance" (224).
Quotation Analysis "Piggy broke off, sniveling. Ralph took back the conch as he sat down. 'Just an ordinary fire. You’d think we could do that, wouldn’t you? Just a smoke signal so we can be rescued. Are we savages or what? Only now there’s no signal going up. Ships may be passing. Do you remember how he went hunting and the fire went out and a ship passed by? And they all think he’s best as chief. Then there was, there was. . . that’s his fault, too. If it hadn’t been for him it would never have happened. Now Piggy can’t see, and they came, stealing—' Ralph’s voice ran up '—at night, in darkness, and stole our fire. They stole it. We’d have given them fire if they’d asked. But they stole it and the signal’s out and we can’t ever be rescued. Don’t you see what I mean? We’d have given them fire for themselves only they stole it. I—' He paused lamely as the curtain flickered in his brain. Piggy held out his hands for the conch" (188-189).
Analysis of the Text What is the purpose of the text? How does it achieve its purpose? Who is the target audience? Create an audience profile. Why is it interesting?
Making Text-to-Text Connections Are there similarities / differences in ... Text structure Plot - storyline Plot devices: foreshadowing, flashback, suspense, irony Characters Conflict (internal, external) Setting Thematic Concepts and Themes Point of View Symbols
PAIRING: Lord of the Flies and "Island Time" Island Time
Island time is not ordinary. It's space to open like a clam, and think. On your island reef, let waves wash up to cross the rocks and ripple through the tide pool. When the tide is low, sunlight dries the tears in rocky crevices. Then tide turns, and cooling water flows to fill the cracks, cleansing wounds with foam. When the tide is highest, breaking waves disperse what's old or dried like sane, and bring in healing waters from the open sea. Island time ebbs and flows around and trough you. Feel it pulse, and counterpoint with heartbeats.
PAIRING: Lord of the Flies and “A View From The Bridge” Look back at the first text studied in class. The speaker discusses audience expectations when watching a film. What are those expectations? Does a novel have those same expectations? How does Lord of the Flies compare and contrast to those expectations?
The Importance of Minor Characters What would the Wizard of Oz be without the wizard? Sure, you don't actually see the wizard (Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!) until the end, but the whole journey of Dororthy, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion, and Toto is to meet the wonderful Wizard of Oz. But really, he is a minor character. What about Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol? He actually is only mentioned a handful of times and only appears twice - once to utter his famous line, "God bless us everyone!" He, too, is a minor character. But the impact he has on the story is huge. Minor characters can do lots of things for our novels - they can reveal information, give us background, or set the mood. They can also be integral to the plot, to our main character's development, and in the revelation of theme. Look at how the snotty saleswomen in Pretty Woman affected Julia Roberts' character. They were VERY minor characters, yet they made a big impact on her. Minor Characters in Lord of the Flies: Explain their role Percival Wemys Madison, Johnny, Henry, Wilfred, Maurice
Irony Irony is an implied discrepancy between what is said and what is meant. The use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning; a statement or situation where the meaning is contradicted by the appearance or presentation of the idea. Three kinds of irony: 1. Verbal irony is when an author says one thing and means something else. 2. Dramatic irony is when an audience perceives something that a character in the literature does not know. 3. Irony of situation is a discrepancy between the expected result and actual results. This type of irony may occur when the outcome of a certain situation is completely different than what was initially expected. It is often referred to as an “irony of events.” TASK: Find examples of the different types of irony found in the novel
Analysis of Point of View: How is the narrative perspective of third-person omniscient used in this novel? Whose internal thoughts are revealed? How does this affect our understanding of the character? Analysis of Conflict: Do many conflicts remain unresolved? Are any conflicts resolved? Are any new conflicts established? Analysis of Imagery and Symbolism: What are some of the more dominant, recurring images or symbols in the novel? How have they developed?
Analysis of Style How would you describe William Golding’s style? Style is the writer's distinctive manner of arranging words to suit his or her ideas and purpose in writing. The unique imprint of the author's personality upon his or her writing, style is the product of an author's way of arranging and presenting ideas.
Syntax is the sentence structure, sentence variety, sentence arrangement, word order, parallelism, spelling, grammar conventions (or lack thereof), phrasing, punctuation, and repetition Dialogue is a written conversational exchange between two or more people Tone, the writer’s or speaker’s attitude toward the subject, the audience, himself, or herself provides the emotional coloring of meaning of a work Diction is word choice with its denotation and connotation as well as concrete and abstract details Emotive Language is the deliberate choice of words to elicit emotion (usually to influence).
Figurative Language relies on comparison and includes metaphor, simile, hyperbole, understatement, personification, synecdoche, metonymy, paradox, and allusion Musicality describes the sound of language — euphony, cacophony, or monotony Rhyme is the repetition of sounds and may be formal, informal, traditional, unconventional, and completely absent. Repetition can involve words, phrases, clauses, sentences, images, structure, or grammatical type. Punctuation is divided into middle marks, end stops (which sets the mood of the sentence), and other.
Analysis of Details: Authors choose to include or exclude specific details for specific reasons. The best writers never include insignificant details. Ask yourself 1. Which details are the most surprising or memorable? What makes them so? 2. Which details are mundane or insignificant? What makes them so? (Is this feeling of banality intentional?) 3. About which subjects does the author include the most detail, and why?
4. Which subjects does he choose NOT to describe in detail, and why? Are there any details that are conspicuously missing? 5. How do the author’s other choices (diction and syntax, for example) relate to his choice of details? How do they affect his presentation of these simple facts? 6. How does the inclusion or omission of details contribute to the author’s tone toward specific subjects? How does it contribute to his creation of a mood in the audience? How does it contribute to his overall purpose in the piece?
Can stories help young people in the 21st century develop resilience?
Does history repeat itself?
Wall of Resistance Students will create their own “Berlin” wall, focusing on the conflicts of the 20th and 21st century. Each panel of this Wall of Resistance offers student perspectives regarding the effects of the war on society, the human body, or even the individual human cell.