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READ THIS
Ralph, Piggy, Sam and Eric decided to go to Castle Rock to plead with Jack and his tribe to return Piggy's
specs which they had stolen.
The meeting, however, ended in chaos. Instead of a civilized debate, Ralph and Jack became involved
in a fight, during which Sam and Eric were captured.
In a final act of sheer barbarism, Roger levered a massive rock on top of Piggy, knocking him off the cliff
and causing his body to smash onto the flat rock in the sea below.
READ THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE:
The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch exploded into a thousand white
fragments and ceased to exist. Piggy, saying nothing, with no time for even a grunt, travelled through the
air sideways from the rock, turning over as he went. The rock bounded twice and was lost in the forest.
Piggy fell forty feet and landed on his back across that square, red rock in the sea. His head opened and
stuff came out and turned red. Piggy's arms and legs twitched a bit, like a pig's after it has been killed.
Then the sea breathed again in a long, slow sigh, the water boiled white and pink over the rock; and when
it went, sucking back again, the body of Piggy was gone.
This time the silence was complete. Ralph's lips formed a word but no sound came.
Suddenly Jack bounded out from the tribe and began screaming wildly.
"See? See? That's what you'll get! I meant that! There isn't a tribe for you any more! The conch is gone
-- "
He ran forward, stooping.
"I'm Chief!"
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:
What is the significance of the conch shattering into a thousand white pieces? (4)
[Need help?]
The conch had up until now been regarded as the symbol of authority. Whenever they held a meeting,
only the one holding the conch had been allowed to speak.
Jack had long been rejecting the conch's symbolism. At first, he attempted to claim that the conch was
no longer necessary but that only the leaders be allowed to talk.
Then he claimed that the conch's authority was only valid on the platform where they held their assemblies
but had no significance elsewhere on the island. Ralph had silenced that argument.
Now, at Castle Rock, Jack no longer recognised the conch. This act of destroying the conch -- shattering
it into a thousand pieces -- was therefore the final destruction of the last symbol of unity amongst the
boys. The initial attempt at working together was now forever over.
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At what point did Piggy die? (2)
[Need help?]
Piggy probably died the moment the rock struck him. He would have been at least unconscious during
his long fall onto the square rock below, and there would certainly have been no pain as his body
shattered. The pain was reserved for those who watched him die.
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Piggy's death is not only horrific but is portrayed as though he were a pig.
- What words can you find in this passage which create the image of the slaying of a
pig? (3)
[Need help?]
There are several words which have reference to a pig:
- No time for even a grunt;
- His arms and legs twitched a bit, like a pig's after it has been killed.
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- What is the significance of describing Piggy's death in terms of a pig image? (4)
[Need help?]
Piggy had always been portrayed as being much like a pig: sparse fair hair; pale skin which went pink
in the sun; piggy features of face.
At the same time, Piggy was bright -- pigs are supposed to be bright -- but his value was not recognised
by the boys. The pigs on the island, on the other hand, were recognised for only one thing: to be hunted
and killed.
Piggy's life was seen to be of no value and he was slaughtered by Jack's tribe in much the same way as
they would slaughter a pig -- with absolutely no feelings or show of remorse.
The image of a pig's death therefore reinforces this sentiment.
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Why does the author describe Piggy's brains flowing out in such graphic style? (4)
[Need help?]
Ralph has always admired Piggy for one thing: his brains. Piggy had the ability to think clearly and
logically.
It is in that sense that Piggy's brains are described as flowing out in such graphic style. This is more than
just the death of another boy. This is the death not only of Ralph's most trusted friend but also his most
intelligent advisor.
Piggy's brains flowing out is therefore the symbol of Ralph having lost his only intelligent advisor -- his
brains literally being spread across the rock for all to see.
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What is the relevance of Piggy's death? (4)
[Need help?]
The boy with the mark on his face had died by accident. Simon had then been killed but in a situation of
mass hysteria where everyone mistook him for the beast.
Piggy's death, however, was nothing less than murder. Roger deliberately dropped the rock on top of him.
Afterwards Jack claimed responsibility for it, stating that he intended it to happen.
Jack's tribe had now given up the last vestige of humanity. They were all killers.
And next on their list would be Ralph, for whom they would sharpen a stick at both ends.
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What was Jack's response to Piggy death? (4)
[Need help?]
Jack's response was one of jubilation. He claimed that he had arranged for Piggy's death and that he
meant to kill him in that fashion. He probably did not actually intend to do so but the death had now taken
him over the final step into pure barbarism.
He was, of course, also jubilant that Ralph was now isolated and that the conch -- once the symbol of
Ralph's authority -- has been destroyed.
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What was the implication of Jack's words, "The conch is gone"? (4)
[Need help?]
While the conch was still there, there would always be the possibility that Ralph could re-establish his
authority. The conch was the symbol of Ralph's authority.
With it gone, therefore, Jack feels free. He has destroyed Ralph's tribe. The destruction of the conch was
therefore also the celebration of Jack's own authority which was based upon his personal ego rather than
on a symbol created by the consensus of all the boys.
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He ran forward, stooping. "I'm Chief!"
- What do these words tell us about Jack's chieftainship? (4)
[Need help?]
While Ralph's leadership was based upon the collective will of the boys -- upon democracy. Jack's
chieftainship was based upon murder.
He was now a complete tyrant. Indeed, one could presume that, should the story continue much longer,
murder upon murder would become the hallmark of his tyranny -- until, of course, when he himself would
be murdered.
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Then the sea breathed again in a long, slow sigh, the water boiled white and pink over the rock; and
when it went, sucking back again, the body of Piggy was gone.
- Comment on the above imagery as a suitable conclusion to the story of Piggy's
death. (4)
[Need help?]
This is an example of personification. The sea is presented here as a living being, a sea-god.
It breaths, it sighs.
Although this sea-god is quite indifferent to the affairs of the boys on the land, it is nevertheless saddened
to witness the destruction of the innocent Piggy. It sighs a long, slow sigh of sadness.
It then reaches out with its waves and draws Piggy away for his burial in the deep, washing the flat rock
clean, leaving no evidence that there ever was a little boy name Piggy.
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