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William Golding

Lord of the Flies

Chapter 12:
Some contextual questions!

Keith Tankard
Knowledge4Africa.com
Updated: 4 March 2014
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Jack decided to hunt down and even kill Ralph, his only known opposition. Ralph, however, was so well concealed inside a thicket that there was just no way to reach him. Jack therefore chose to smoke him out.

The fire went hopelessly out of control and destroyed the entire island. Ironically, however, it sent up a vast smoke signal into the heavens, causing a British naval cutter to investigate and come to the boys' rescue.



READ THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE:

Other boys were appearing now; tiny tots some of them, brown, with the distended bellies of small savages. One of them came close to the officer and looked up.

"I'm, I'm -- "

But there was no more to come. Percival Wemys Madison sought in his head for an incantation that had faded clean away.

The officer turned back to Ralph.

"We'll take you off. How many of you are there?"

Ralph shook his head. The officer looked past him to the group of painted boys.

"Who's boss here?"

"I am," said Ralph loudly.

A little boy who wore the remains of an extraordinary black cap on his red hair and who carried the remains of a pair of spectacles at his waist, started forward, then changed his mind and stood still.

"We saw your smoke. And you don't know how many of you there are?"

"No, sir."

"I should have thought," said the officer as he visualized the search before him, "I should have thought that a pack of British boys -- you're all British aren't you? -- would have been able to put up a better show than that -- I mean -- "

"It was like that at first," said Ralph, "before things -- "

He stopped.

"We were together then -- "

The officer nodded helpfully.

"I know. Jolly good show. Like the Coral Island."

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



Other boys were appearing now; tiny tots some of them, brown, with the distended bellies of small savages.
  • Why does the author use the word, "tiny tots"? (2)

[Need help?]

  • Why do these tiny tots have "distended bellies"? (2)

[Need help?]




Percival Wemys Madison sought in his head for an incantation that had faded clean away.
  • What is an "incantation"? (2)

[Need help?]

  • What is the significance of Percival Wemys Madison having completely forgotten his "incantation"? (4)

[Need help?]




"Who's boss here?"

"I am," said Ralph loudly.
  • Ralph's words claiming to be boss reveal the full extent of his leadership. Can you explain why? (4)

[Need help?]




A little boy who wore the remains of an extraordinary black cap on his red hair and who carried the remains of a pair of spectacles at his waist, started forward, then changed his mind and stood still.
  • This short paragraph sums up the awful truth about Jack's leadership. Can you explain what this is? (4)

[Need help?]




"I should have thought," said the officer as he visualized the search before him, "I should have thought that a pack of British boys -- you're all British aren't you? -- would have been able to put up a better show than that -- I mean -- "
  • Why would the officer have "visualized the search before him"? (4)

[Need help?]

  • Why would the officer have expected that the boys "would have been able to put up a better show than that"? (4)

[Need help?]




The officer nodded helpfully.

"I know. Jolly good show. Like the Coral Island."
  • What is the TONE of the officer's words? (2)

[Need help?]

  • What does the officer mean when he says, "Jolly good show"? (2)

[Need help?]

  • What is the significance of the officer's reference to "the Coral Island"? (10)

[Need help?]

  • Was the officer correct to compare the setting on this island with that of "the Coral Island"? (6)

[Need help?]




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