Quotes Flashcards
(16 cards)
“a closed circuit of sympathy with piggy outside”
Ralph tells all the boys Piggy’s nickname even though piggy asked him not to and they are all laughing at Piggy.
Piggy is described as “outside” the “circuit” because he isn’t part of the joke but rather the object of it.
The quote shows the boys have bonded but the thing that has bonded them is ridicule. this makes the reader feel sympathy for Piggy. The metaphor comparing the boys to an electric circuit highlights how the boys are linked together with Piggy on his own, this makes the reader feel sorry for him.
“Until the grown-ups come to fetch us we’ll have fun.”
Chapter 2 - Ralph. The use of the word “grown-ups” rather than “adults” sounds childish - emphasising the boys young age. It suggests that Ralph doesn’t know the severity of the circumstance because he’s suggesting the adults will come and get them even though he knows the adults have no idea where the boys are, or that he doesn’t want to accept it, when he says “we’ll have fun” it shows he thinks the island is a game. The idea of young boys on an island without adults makes it seem like its going to be a fun adventure story like coral island which makes it even more shocking when the boys end up taking a much darker turn, with he boys becoming violent.
“we’ve got to have rules and obey them.”
Jack is saying this to agree with Ralph. The word “got” sounds forceful and authoritative. As the novel progresses Jack starts to disagree with this line for example when someone is speaking while holding the conch Jack says “Bollocks to the rules!” However later on when he becomes chief he appears to love making new rules, such as telling his tribe to “challenge everyone.” this suggests he only agrees to rules he gets to make. The boys are good at creating rules but not so much with follow through.
“Here, invisible yet strong, was the taboo of the old life.”
A “taboo” is a subject or action which is forbidden that people don’t talk about. Roger is feeling this “taboo” and this stops Roger from throwing stones at Henry. This shows Roger is still being influenced by civilised society/”old life”. He won’t hurt Henry because it is too “taboo” in normal civilisation. The word “strong” shows Rogers link to civilisation still being powerful enough o make Roger act a certain way. However it does not remain powerful throughout the rest of the novel as the more time passes the more likely they are to commit violent acts like murder (piggy) and torture (same + eric). this shows how the taboo no longer affects him as he deliberately throws the rock at piggy but misses on purpose for Henry.
“His laughter became a bloodthirsty snarl.”
Golding is describing Jack, Jack has painted his face to no longer look like himself, the mask makes him feel “liberated from shame and self-consciousness.” Goldings choice of words shows how Jack is being animalistic as he goes from “laughter” (human) to “snarl” (animal). The use of the word “bloodthirsty” also adds to this as it makes him seem play animal hungry for prey. Golding uses this quote to create a sinister mood. Jacks laugh turns to a snarl making him seem dangerous and angry and aggressive, he also changes it very quickly making Jack seem unstable adding to the sinister feeling.
“What is mean is … maybe it’s only us.”
Simon thinks the beast is “only us.” He isa suggesting the beast isn’t a physical thing but the true beast is the evil within the boys. Simon feels nervous about saying this, it is shown in the ellipsis (…) . He hesitates to go on showing he’s afraid to say it. The boys don’t take Simon seriously, which suggests they don’t agree with him, even Piggy disagrees and Piggy is usually wise ( Piggy says “Nuts!” ) , Jack mocks Simon by answering his question jokingly with the word “shit”. Simon is usually presented as quiet and has very little dialogue but when he does speak he is presented as wise for example he says the island might not be a “good island”.
What are we? Humans? Or animals? Or savages?”
Piggy says this after some boys vote that they think there may be ghosts. It is a rhetorical question. The quote makes Piggy sound like an adult, his repeated questions make him sound like an parent telling the boys off, Golding does this to show that Piggy is the most rational character. You could either talk about how the boys are still most like “Humans” because of democracy or “animals” because they now animalistic rules like not sticking to the toilet rule.
“Bollocks to the rules! We’re strong - we hunt!”
Jack says this, Piggy and Ralph still think rules are important Ralph even says “the rules are the only thing we’ve got.” Piggy wants Ralph to blow the conch to get the boys to listen, showing how Piggy the the rules of the island should be followed. The fact that Jack uses a swear word shows he no longer obey society’s rules. the ! shows Jack is shouting and is passionate , the use of the dash to split Jacks increases the pace, making his ideas seem more exciting to the other boys. In the quote Jack directly contradicts Ralph, who said “ the rules….. we’ve got”. This is Jack trying to undermine Ralphs authority. When Jack says “we hunt” is refers to him and his hunters not Ralph, this shows how Jack thinks his hunters and above Ralph authority, further challenging Ralphs rules.
“I’m not going to play any longer. Not with you.”
Jack says this to all the other boys, Jack tries to become the new leader by holding another vote but the vote still has Ralph as the leader. He was upset with “humiliating tears” running from his eyes. The word “play” makes Jack seem childish. It suggests that jack still sees the island as a game . This reminds the reader that the boys are all still children, despite having to deal with all these problems. The quote shows Ralph and Jacks relationship have finally broken apart, as Jack refused to follow Ralph and the 2 boys openly become enemies. This is a turning point in the novel, this is when Jack starts setting up his own dictatorship.
“Jack, painted and garlanded, sat there like an idol”
Jack is sitting on a “great log” in the “centre of the lawn” and around him are the other boys enjoying a party. “garland” means decorated with a garland, which is a wreath of flowers or leaves. “Idol” is an image of God which people worship. The quote is a simile of Jack being like an Idol. The quote suggests Jacks new community is not democratic and Jack being described as a “idol” suggests the boys are expected to worship him like a God, which hints that he is all-powerful within the tribe. Earlier in the novel, face paint was described as freeing jack from shame and … so the fact that he now wears paint as the chief of his tribe shows he new tribe are free from the responsibilities of civilisation.
“Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!”
The boys start to chant because they are pretending to kill a pig and Jacks feast. The boys then kill Simon in the next scene. Although the narrator describes Simon as the beast, he is also referred to ass Simon. This hints that the boys are aware of what they are doing, which is reinforced when later in the text “each savage flinched away” from the memory of killing him, suggesting they knew they killed him. The chant creates threatening mood, the repetition of the imperatives is aggressive as is emphasises the violence of the words. The rhythm of the chant makes it seem ritualistic which reminds the readers of sacrifices of people. The structure emphasises that their violence has escalated from earlier on in the novel. The reader is reminded of earlier when the boys were killing the pig for meat but now killing humans for no reason.
“I’m frightened. Of us. I want to go home.”
Ralph says this to Piggy, Thew murder of Simon has prompted this fear. The simple language in the sentence “ I want to go home” makes Ralph seem childish. ralphs short, fragmented sentences suggest he is so scared he is unable to express his feelings properly, he cant even form full sentences. Earlier in the novel ralph seems unconcerned by the idea that they might not return home for a while (“we may be here for a long time”) but then he says they will have fun in the meantime. however the longer he spends op n the island the more he wants to go home for example he was speaking of his home as being “good humoured and friendly”. this shows how he will fell safe at home because he is frightened now.
“Savages appeared, painted out of recognition”
The savages are Jacks tribe. the phrase means they have painted their face and no longer look like themselves. They appeared because ralph blew the conch to call an assembly. the paint gives the boys something to hide behind. Golding presents them as “freed by the paint”. this suggests the paint allows them to behave badly because they can hide behind the paint and don’t have to take responsibility of their actions. As time progresses on the island the boys care less and less about hygiene in the beginning the littluns and described as “filthy dirty” but now they no longer care for hygiene which was important in their former civilisation.
“Roger sharpened a stick at both ends.”
Sam and Eric say this to Ralph. the quote suggests that the tribe are planning on putting ralphs head on the stick like they did with the pig earlier in the novel. ralph is confused, he tried to “attach meaning” to this statement but cant. the quote shows how the boys violence has become more calculated, Simons death was in a frenzy, Piggy’s was during a confrontation and Ralphs is planned and they have already planned what to do with his body after showing the boys incarnate evil. The quote shows roger has come a long way from being civilisation because before he wouldn’t theow stones at henry but now he is planning and willing to kill Ralph, it shows how the taboo of his old life no longer affects him.
“Jolly good show. Like the coral island”
“jolly good show” refers to a phrase often used by upper glass meaning well done. The naval officer says this to the boys after finding them. Coral island is a book where 2 boys just shipwrecked on an island and have lots of fun adventures. The naval officer reminds the reader that the boys are returning to a society at war. This suggests that even though the boys are escaping the island, they cant escape the evil of mankind. they are moving from one war to the next. The naval officers belief about the boys experience on the island is wrong as in the coral island the boys have fun and work together throughout the entire novel but in LOTF the boys become divided and descend into savagery.
“Ralph wept for the end of innocence “
Ralph has come across the naval officer who makes him think about how things used to be on the island. The other boys “shake and sob too” the officer is “moved and a little embarrassed” and looks away. Ralphs loss of innocence is shown by how he was ready to wound another boy in the final chapter . this contrasts the beginning of the novel where ralph is innocent, playing in the lagoon. he loses his innocence after he becomes aware of the evil within everyone when he takes part in the murder of Simon. Golding became aware of the evil of human nature when he fought inww2 and learnt about the evil things the Nazis were doing. this could have been seen as an “end of innocence” for Golding as well as many other who lived through ww2. the “ end of innocence” in LOFT is when ralph witnesses evil and commits it with the rest of the boys.
