sloppy escape or should i say bad ending

OMG!!!golden's ending is very bad because of the fact that its seems like ralph and the rest went through a lof stuggle but when ralph got rescued its seems like i snap thats it happy ending. the officer is stupid. i cant believe he told ralph that they are just playing games and having fun!!! a bunch of little kids who is in a very random island where no adults are there and still the officer didnt even realize how bad there situation was. But anyway the book is really good its just the ending and for jack when ralph got rescued, choosing to stay instead of going with ralph is very manly or should i say matured to do because he stood up for what he belives.

-sharief-

Jack is a Bad Ruler

I think that the biggest mistake made by the group in The Lord of the Flies was listening to and letting Jack become their new leader. Ralph was very smart and really cared about all of the people’s feelings. Ralph cared about all the important things which could have eventually led to a rescue like the fire. By letting Jack become their new leader all they thought about was meat and hunting, neither would help them be rescued. If they would have listened to Ralph and let him be the leader I believe they would have been rescued way earlier then they were with Jack in charge. The boys made a bad decision by letting Jack rule and in the end it hurt them with people being killed and treated badly.

Jack Moonshower

Happy Ending

The book Lord of the Flies is not one of my personal favorites. The ending of the book is the main cause for this opinion. I feel like Golding created a terrible ending. According to critics, he sacrificed artistic excellence for a happy ending. I definitely agree with these critics. While reading the book I hoped that the boys would be rescued. However, happy endings rarely happen and honestly make books worse. While Ralph was being chased to his death at the end, I was very in to the book and caught up in the excitement. When the naval officer appeared out of nowhere, it ended the chase and excitement very suddenly. This made me lose interest in what I was reading and the novel all together. As we discussed in class, people argue that it actually was not a happy ending because the naval officer was going to take them away from the war on the island to the war going on in the world. I believe it is still a happy ending for Ralph at least because he was saved from being murdered. With Ralph being the main character, people tend to feel the emotions he is feeling and going through. So, I still believe Golding ended it with a happy ending. This ruined the book for me.

The Island as a Microcosm

The ending of the book shows that the island is definitely a microcosm of the world. There were was a lot of fighting going on while the boys were on the island and this was a smaller picture of World War II that was going on in the world at that time. I think that Jack was a younger verson of the Navy Officer that came to rescue the boys on the island. I think this because the officer didn't really care about the boys' emotions they were showing. This would be what Jack would be like in a few years after being on the island for so long. I think that it was a good thing that the officer came when he did because the boys would have turned into worse savages then they already were.
-Samantha

I agree with Aaron that the children were good when they came but as they stayed there and started to pick there leaders they became bad. for exsample when the children came they all semed to be nice to each other but towards the end they started to kill eachother. They especially started to do this when the leaders were recognized. In jack's gruop there were very agressive and were not afraid to kill somebody but it seemed like in Ralphs group they remained to be good and would not kill anybody until they all ended up becoming a part of Jack's group. then it semmed like they all started to become evil.

Tyler Coll

Isn't it the Right Thing to do?

At the end of the book when the boys are rescued, it came up in class that Ralph never said anything to anyone about the deaths. I started thinking that eventually something would have to be said to someone because parents would obviously realize that their child is missing. Although, I understand why Ralph would not say anything, not that I agree with it but he would be guilty as well for Simon's death even though that was an accident. If Ralph would speak up about the savage boys killing Piggy then trying to kill him, the savage boys would fight back and claim he had a part in Simmon'd death as well. So if Ralph would say something it would get him into quite a pickle but, it would be the right thing to do and thinking of Ralph's character it seems he would speak up... eventually. This may just be my opinion, but in the ending, there should have been something told about whether or not someone spoke up because that would show that the person who spoke up still had some sense left and there still is good in people. However, this would go against Golding's entire view of the world at that point but, he did end the book with a semi happy ending with the boys being rescued.

-Madeline Blackmore

Simons Death

In the book Simon was known as the christ figure. He helped everyone out all the time from the little ones to ralph, the leader. His death was caused by the savages, including Ralph and Pggy too. No one knew it was Simon but they did kill him. This just shows what can really happen in a society where there is no rules or control. After Simons death Pggy was killed and the twims were captured this left Ralphs tribe to just him. This resulted very badly it was everyone on the island against Ralph. They were out to kill him so Ralph goes and hides. The interesting thing about this is that Ralph goes and hides in the spot where Simon always went to be safe and alone from everyone else. Simon being the christ figure of the book makes this part in the book significant. Its like that being Simons spot and Ralph hiding there made him be safe for a while and not die.It waslike he was watching over him and making sure he was ok. Also by Ralph hiding here Jacks tribe caught the island on fire to try and get him out of his hiding space by doing this they got rescued. I think it is very significant that Simon is the Christ figure in the book and because of his hiding space they got rescued. Even though if everyone would of listened to Ralph in the first place about keeping the fire lit they would have been rescued along time ago.

Tiffany Pierce

Are They Really All Savages?

In Lord of the Flies, it is evident that there is a separation from Ralph, Piggy, and Sam and Eric to Jack, Roger, and the tribe. Ralph and his group are trying to hold on to civilization and a society with some order. This is evident because Piggy especially and Ralph still hold on to the value of the conch. The conch is the symbol of society. Jack and his tribe could care less about a well organized society and the conch. All they care about is hunting. Jack and his tribe are very savage and Ralph and his group aren't. At one point in the novel, all of the boys become savages for a short period of time. This was when all of the boys, including Piggy and Ralph, did the dance in the circle. When they did the dance, they killed Simon. All of the boys were involved in the death of Simon too. Ralph and his group had the capability to be savages just like Jack and his tribe. This backs up Golding's belief that men are mostly evil. Ralph and Piggy were good people, they just had a temptation that they couldn't resist. They gave in to the evil. They wanted a well organized society, but when the evil looked like fun, they didn't think about what was right, they were just involved in the moment. This holds true in our society today. Many people are good on the inside. When they get caught up in the moment or with the wrong crowd, they tend to do things that they know are wrong. This helps prove that all men have the capabilty to be evil, and it also backs up Golding's main theme for the whole novel. Men are mostly evil. Even the mostly good people do bad things.

Molly Gamble

Piggy's death brings Ralph strength?

Ralph often used Piggy for wisdom and often looked to him for help in situations in which he didn't know what to do. With Piggy's death I think Ralph found that he had to figure it out for himself on what to do and realized how smart Piggy really was on taking names and how much he reallied on him. During the time when Piggy was alive Ralph realized that without Piggy he wouldn't be able to survive on the island and it was Piggy's knowledge that may have been keeping them alive and not becoming a savage; for Piggy often kept Ralph on track for having the priority be to keep the fire going so that they get rescued. When Ralph witness' his friends death I think that is when it really clicks to him that these savages aren't afraid to kill a person and will most likely do it again. Ralph has to gather himself and get himself rescued because he has nobody left to take care of him or look out for him. I think it's through Piggy's death that Ralph realizes how important being rescued really truly is if he wants to live. Yes he knew being rescued was important, but seeing someone being purposely murdered shows him that in order to live he has to leave the island. All of the order they had at all is completely gone at this point also and this also may give Ralph the strength to survive.
*Kaylee

Ralph feels smart?

In chapter 12, as Ralph was sneaking into his secret hide out in the thicket, he realized that he was at the scene where Piggy was killed. Golding said that Ralph felt safe and smart while he was in this hiding spot. I think that what Golding meant by that is that even though Piggy is no longer on the island physically, his presence can still be felt by Ralph. Samneric have abandoned him, so at this point, Ralph is really in need of something to keep him going. I thought that it was an interesting way to separate Ralph from the rest of the boys because, even though they don't want to admit it, all the boys on the island have to be somewhat scared. I mean, come on? Any 12-year-old child would be scared to be on a deserted island, especially when he knows that he isn't liked by everyone on the island. And at this point, can you consider any of them smart due to their actions (example: killing Piggy and Simon). So to point out that Ralph feels safe and smart while being surrounded by his enemies was an interesting way to separate the savages from Ralph.

- Tyler Norman

P.S. my page numbers are different than the rest of the books used in class, so that's why there are no page numbers sited in my blog.

Could the pigs also be the beast?

In Chapter 8, Jack and his hunters had killed the mother pig and put her head on a stick for the beast. Later in the chapter, Simon finds the pig’s head on a stick. Simon is a little out of it and slightly delusional and ‘talks’ to the pig. Although, it’s more of his ‘good side’ verses ‘evil side’ conflicting. On page 143, the pig says, “There isn’t anyone to help you. Only me. And I’m the beast.” When I read this line I thought that Golding was indicating that the pig was actually the beast and not just the boys themselves. This is so because the pigs are bringing out the savageness in the boys by making them want to kill, which is causing chaos throughout the island; therefore, making the pigs the beast–the one who brings out the worst in the boys. So when I read that and pieced it together in that aspect, I thought the beast was the boys, but also partially the pigs. But after discussion in class, I see that the beast is really just the boys themselves, but the pig being the beast was just another way that I had looked at it.

-Kearsten

Piggy and Science

Golding: "Piggy understand society less than almost anyone there. He's a scientist. He is naive, short-sighted, and rationalist, like most scientists."

Think about Piggy's death and how much he valued the conch. How might it illustrate this quote?

There are many ethical issues in science facing us today where "naive" or "short-sighted" decisions could have serious consequences. Your thoughts?

In your opinion, have there been time in the past when scientific advancements, inventions, and technology should have been prevented?

Politics and beyond

Golding: "It seems to be the dilemma we are faced with that, on the whole, the politician is likely to be a Jack, and, at best, a Ralph--never a Simon."

Do you agree with this quote? Evaluate the leadership qualities of these characters and/or compare/contrast them with past or current political figures.

Golding's Thoughts and Yours

Years later in an interview tiha reporter from the New York World-Telegram and Sun (1963), Golding insisted that the novel’s primary purpose is to serve as a warning of man’s potential for brutality to his fellow man. He said, “I learned during World War II just how brutal people can be to each other. Not just Germans or Japanese, but everyone. I tried to point that out…Some have said that the brutality of the novel is impossible. It’s not. Look at any newspaper.”

What do you think? Do you agree with Golding's theme? Offer evidence one way or another.

If you're stuck #2....

...get your brain going! Here are some discussion prompts you could use for your posting if you don't have another idea. It could make for some good discussion.

Golding has referred to himself as a pessimist intellectually and emotionally an optimist. Discuss _Lord of the Flies_ in light of this.

If you're stuck #1....

...get your brain going! Here are some discussion prompts you could use for your posting if you don't have another idea. It could make for some good discussion.

1. The conclusion of the _Lord of the Flies_ has been criticized on the grounds that Golding sacrificed artistic excellence for the sake of a "happy ending." What do you think?

Welcome back! Othello

In a story by Salman Rushdie (The New Yorker, July 2001), a character makes the following remarks about Othello:

"Othello doesn't love Desdemona....He says he does, but it can't be true. If he loves her, the murder makes no sense. For me, Desdemona is Othello's trophy wife, his most valuable and status-giving possession, the physical proof of his risen standing in a white-man's world. You see? He loves that about her, but not her. Desdemona's death is an "honor killing." She didn't have to be guilty; the accusation was enough. The attack on her virtue was incompatible with Othello's honor. She's not even a person to him. She's his Oscar-Barbie statuette. His doll."

Do you think this is a valuable commentary on the character? Why or why not? Support your thoughts with evidence from the text. The text is our best support for dealing with controversial topics like this.


Answer by Friday, April 16, 2010. Remember to sign your name so I know who earned credit for your post.