Lord of the Flies Chapter 5

Plot

Life on the Island

• life on the island is transitioning from Beauty to the Beast
• assembly begins with Ralph confronting the group about how they haven't conformed to the rules
• results in commotion within the group
• progresses to talking about the "beasties" and the fear they have brought upon the group
• Jack continues to tell them that they're not real, to which piggy agrees
• ghosts are brought up and the fear is stirring again, particularly between Piggy, Jack, and Ralph
• Jack ends up storming away from the group
• controversy is created by Jack and Ralph, which leads to division of the tribe
• Jack questions his ability to lead the group
• chapter ends, leaving the reader wondering about what will happen next (cliffhanger)

Before

After

CHARACTERS

Jack

SETTING

Where?

• the assembly takes place on the beach
• the area that they are sitting in is shaped like an irregular triangle, composed of several logs and a trunk that faces the darkness of the island

Ralph

When?

• the sky is gradually darkening, suggesting that it is in the evening

• violent and evil, desirous of power
• does not abide by the rules
• transitions from human to savage -is captivated by the idea of killing
• has given up on getting back to civilization (the fire)

Mood/Atmosphere

• tense and uneasy due to the incident with the fire and the topics brought up in the assembly, such as the existence of "beasties" and ghosts

• charismatic and civilized leader
• works hard to get rescued and gets frustrated when the boys don’t work
• overwhelmed by Jack’s antagonism
• shows us that reinforcement of laws are important
• morals are prone to corruption

Foreshadowing

This is similar to the place where Ralph and the others had their assembly.

• darkness of the island foreshadows dangerous and terrifying events (i.e. members of the tribe may have encounters with "beasties")

Lord of the Flies Chapter 5

CONNECTIONS

"I been in bed so much I done some thinking. I know about people. I know about me. And him. He can't hurt you: but if you stand out of the way he'd hurt the next thing. And that's me." (p. 101)

"Ralph moved impatiently. The trouble was, if you were a chief you had to think, you had to be wise. And then the occasion slipped by so that you had to grab at a decision. This made you think; because thought was a valuable thing, that got results...

Only, decided Ralph as he faced the chief's seat, I can't think. Not like Piggy." (p. 83)

Is leadership a skill that needs to be taught, or are people born with the ability to lead others?

Are people drawn to dictators, or leaders that rule with justice and integrity?

Can people work in harmony without different levels of power?

Simon

By: May Liu, Cherry Wu, Polly Zhang, Eric Chu, Nicholas Chan

Piggy

• Piggy acknowledges Jack's power and his willingness to use it for evil
• Piggy knows that if Jack become chief, he will be in danger

Although the boys have become comfortable with their lives away from the rest of the world, they still do not dare stray away from the rules that society has taught them. When Ralph brings up the fact that everyone needs to listen to what he has said because he is chief, everyone "quietened, slowly, and at last were seated again" (page 87). In order to maintain an orderly lifestyle, different levels of power must be attained.

Jack proves that he is not one to follow rules set by others when he refuses to follow the rules of the conch. Do human beings behave the way they do because they are born that way, or are their behaviours largely influenced by outside forces?

• shows Ralph reflecting on his responsibilities as chief
• he is constantly thinking of ways to uphold civil morals and maintain organization in the group
• Ralph is not presumptuous or arrogant and he recognizes his personal weaknesses, yet this does little to discourage him from his duties

• embodiment of spiritual intelligence, basic morals, and human goodness
• understands that the real “beasties” are the boys themselves
• understands that evil is in all of us
• overshadowed by Ralph’s leadership and Jack’s antagonism

• symbol of intellect
• his power is restricted by his physical weakness
• anxious to go back to civilization where laws are set and reinforced
• supports Ralph and encourages him to lead the group

SYMBOLISM

Phil's Nightmare

Percival

Empty Coconut Shells

• demonstrates the littluns' acknowledgment that living on the island will not be all fun and games
• shows one of the largest weaknesses of the group: fear

• symbolizes innocence, youth, and naivety
• Golding may have chosen the name Percival because it is the name of one of King Arthur's knights, which further increases the reader's feelings of pity and sorrow on his behalf

• symbolize the tribe's lack of responsibility
• at this point in the novel, it is obvious that most of the tribe members do not realize the severity of their situation