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William Golding

Lord of the Flies

Chapter 9:
Easier questions to cut your teeth on!

Keith Tankard
Knowledge4Africa.com
Updated: 4 March 2014
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A thunderstorm is brewing. Ralph and Piggy, finding themselves isolated, decide to join Jack's group in order to participate in their feast.

The storm terrifies the boys. Jack calls them to form a circle and do their hunter dance. Into this circle stumbles Simon . . .



THE THEME OF EATING MEAT

Eating of meat is a central theme in Lord of the Flies. Indeed, it was that action which contributed most to the clashes between Ralph and Jack, and which ultimately gave Jack the upper hand in the struggle for leadership.

In the hierarchy of needs on the island, rescue was at the top. Ralph and Piggy were focussed on this, and the rest of the boys knew logically that rescue meant ultimate salvation. But, in order to be rescued, there had to be a fire.

The problem was that Ralph appointed Jack and his hunters to be in charge of the fire. This meant that Jack had two fundamental tasks to perform: keeping the rescue fire burning, and bringing much desired meat for the boys to eat.

Therein lay the seeds of the collapse of their society because Jack put the provision of meat ahead of their need for rescue.

Why did he do it?

It was Simon who identified the crisis. At a meeting to discuss the existence or not of a beast on the island, Simon voiced his philosophy that there was no physical beast or monster as such. The beast, he said, was them.

There was indeed an evil spirit -- Beezebub or the Lord of the Flies -- but it was not something external. It lived within them as a spirit which was tearing their society apart.

How did the the Lord of the Flies tempt Jack? By placing before him a desire which it would be difficult for him to resist.

Jack was put in charge of the hunters whose task it was to provide meat. He was also placed in charge of the rescue fire. It was fundamental that hunting should always be subservient to the greater good, i.e. rescue.

It was the Lord of the Flies who worked on Jack to reverse the order of things. The Evil One offered Jack power and wealth, i.e. the ultimate chieftainship of the boys. The key to acquiring this status, however, was the provision of meat.

For many months Jack had hunted for meat but failed. It became an obsession with him so that often he would go out hunting alone.

Failure to provide meat eventually came to be seen as his own personal failure. Ultimately he abandoned all else so that his obsession would be fulfilled. In this way, the rescue fire was ignored.

Have you noticed that Jack's success at providing meat happened at the precise moment when he was the cause of their ultimate failure? He allowed the fire to go out, and a ship appeared just then on the horizon offering hope of rescue.

Ralph was rightly incensed by this dereliction of duty. But it was also at this precise moment that Jack had his first kill and provided the boys with meat.

He expected praise but, instead, he received a tongue-lashing from Ralph -- and so the rift between them widened and Jack made a definitive step towards the promised goal of leadership.

Ralph had little to protect him from this evil. The boys all wanted meat. Even he wanted meat. And ultimately the provision of meat would be the cause of Jack's political advance.

The boys would follow him because he could offer immediate material reward, whereas Ralph offered only long-term hope of salvation.

Ralph's leadership demanded hard work and faith. Jack's leadership offered adventure and an immediately full tummy -- but ultimately death.

Once Jack attained his goal of leadership, he would allow the Lord of the Flies -- Beelzebub -- to reign supreme.

Jack thereupon became the custodian of life and death. He rewarded his faithful servants with life but handed out death to his enemies, first to Piggy and then Ralph.

Ultimately he would bequeath death to all on the island.

Have you looked at the questions
in the right column?
TEST YOURSELF!
Read the left column and then answer
the following questions:



All the boys of the island, except Piggy, Ralph, Simon, and the two tending the pig, were grouped on the turf. They were laughing, singing, lying, squatting, or standing on the grass, holding food in their hands. But to judge by the greasy faces, the meat-eating was almost done; and some held coco-nut shells in their hands and were drinking from them.
  • What do these words tell you about Jack's growing power? (4)

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  • Why is it that Jack has somehow achieved this status in the tribe? (4)

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  • Why has Ralph become so isolated that he is forced to join Jack's group? (4)

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  • Why have Piggy and Simon chosen to stay with Ralph? (4)

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  • Why have Ralph and Piggy now chosen to spend the evening with Jack's group? (4)

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Before the party had started a great log had been dragged into the centre of the lawn and Jack, painted and garlanded, sat there like an idol. There were piles of meat on green leaves near him, and fruit, and coco-nut shells full of drink.
  • What is an "idol"? (2)

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  • In what way does Jack resemble an "idol"? (4)

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  • What does this first insight into Jack's form of leadership tell us of the difference between him and Ralph? (4)

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  • What were they eating? How do you know? (4)

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  • What drink filled their coconut shells? (1)

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