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READ THIS
Because of the disaster of the ship on the horizon but with the fire having gone out, Ralph called another
assembly, a meeting which continued into the dark.
Apart from being very pedantic in laying down rules, Ralph attempted to get the assembly to accept that
there was no such thing as a beast.
The assembly failed. Indeed, the boys decided that there was indeed a ghost on the island. Jack then
mutinied, leading a ritual dance down onto the beach.
Ralph called for a sign from the adult world that would tell them precisely what the adults would do.
READ THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE
Ralph turned to the chief's seat. They had never had an assembly as late before. That was why the place
looked so different. Normally the underside of the green roof was lit by a tangle of golden reflections, and
their faces were lit upside down, like -- thought Ralph, when you hold an electric torch in your hands.
But now the sun was slanting in at one side, so that the shadows were where they ought to be.
Again he fell into that strange mood of speculation that was so foreign to him. If faces were different when
lit from above or below -- what was a face? What was anything?
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.
Once more that evening Ralph had to adjust his values. Piggy could think. He could go step by step
inside that fat head of his, only Piggy was no chief. But Piggy, for all his ludicrous body, had brains. Ralph
was a specialist in thought now, and could recognize thought in another.
Have you looked at the questions
in the right column?
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TEST YOURSELF!
Read the left column and then answer
the following questions:
They had never had an assembly as late before. That was why the place looked so different. Normally
the underside of the green roof was lit by a tangle of golden reflections, and their faces were lit upside
down, like -- thought Ralph, when you hold an electric torch in your hands.
- What has happened to drive Ralph into calling this late but urgent assembly? (4)
[Need help?]
The hunters, whose task it was to look after the rescue beacon, had allowed the fire to go out while they
had hunted and killed their first pig.
Things were clearly getting out of hand and Ralph realised that an urgent meeting was needed in order
to re-establish the rules, and to clear up other matters like their inordinate fear of the beastie -- a fear that
was keeping them awake at night and causing nightmares.
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- Why was it that at their usual meetings "the underside of the green roof was lit by a tangle of golden
reflections, and their faces were lit upside down"? (4)
[Need help?]
The boys normally met in the morning when the sun reflected off the waves below their rocky platform,
and so caused a glow on the underside of the leaves.
Indeed, the light always appeared to come from below them and not from on top.
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Again he fell into that strange mood of speculation that was so foreign to him. If faces were different
when lit from above or below -- what was a face? What was anything?
- Why should the world of speculation have been so foreign to Ralph? (4)
[Need help?]
Ralph was essentially an athlete, not a boy given to philosophical speculation. On this island he was the
leader, but he found it difficult to follow logical thought processes so as to arrive at correct conclusions
in an argument.
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- In these brief words, the author makes a deeply thought-provoking statement about the boys' life on
the island. Can you explain what this statement is? (6)
[Need help?]
Since they had been on the island, it seemed that the whole world was standing on its head.
They had been accustomed to adults making all decisions for them, looking after them, commanding
them. Yet there were no adults on this island and rules as they had known them seemed to be
disappearing.
It was also becoming increasingly difficult to justify taking certain actions and doing certain things. They
still wore school uniforms but there seemed no longer a logical reason for doing so.
Was there a reason for anything anymore? And ultimately, what actually was the meaning of life?
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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 --
- How accurate is Ralph's train of thought? How much truth is contained in them? (4)
[Need help?]
Ralph's conclusion is that a chief needs to be wise, needs to be able to think clearly. This is certainly true
in the ideal world.
Indeed, the great Greek philosopher, Plato, made an argument for a leader to be both a philosopher and
a mathematician. Ralph is therefore echoing the sentiments of Plato.
Is this, however, true? How wise have the Presidents of the United States been? What about the Prime
Minister of England? And the Prime Minister of Israel, the Presidents of Iran, Pakistan or South Africa?
One could argue that a leader needs to be first and foremost a strong person, but one who surrounds
himself with wise councillors.
Ralph's leadership should therefore depend on justice and strength, while seeking the guidance of wise
councillors like Piggy and Simon -- and perhaps even Jack.
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- At this stage of their adventure, how successful is Ralph's leadership? Where are his weaknesses?
Where are his strengths? (4)
[Need help?]
Ralph at this stage is certainly showing clear signs of sensible leadership. He is doing all the right things
to keep the boys alive, caring for the littluns, and seeking rescue.
His weakness, however, is that he lacks diplomacy. He is unable to bring Jack under his wing or, failing
that, to surround himself with sufficiently strong boys to hold Jack at bay and make his little tantrums
irrelevant.
In short, Ralph lacks the strength of character to be a successful leader.
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Piggy could think. He could go step by step inside that fat head of his, only Piggy was no chief.
- If Piggy could indeed think, why could he not make a successful chief? (4)
[Need help?]
Piggy certainly had two attributes of good leadership, i.e. the ability to think logically and put the good of
the community before all else.
Nevertheless, he was not a person who could be admired. His obesity made him the laughing stock of
the bigger boys. His whining ways irritated them.
Because of his obesity and his asthma, he could not join in the fun like hunting, playing, swimming, etc.
In short, he could not be one of them.
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- What was the predominant focus of Piggy's thoughts? (2)
[Need help?]
Piggy's predominant focus was on rescue. He cared about little else. He thought that things like hunting
and playing were for children, and he couldn't bring himself to join in the lighter side of life.
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