In the spirit of creating great discussion amongst my two classes, I want you to discuss with one another what you think of LOF so far? What are your initial impressions? What questions do you have? Can you help to answer one another's questions? Talk to me people!
I think that LOF is well written with great vocabulary, but the actual story itself isn't very appealing to me. My initial impression of the Island was that it was beautiful and probably extremely humid which has stuck with me so far throughout the story. I honestly have no questions about the first three chapters so far.
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ReplyDeleteReading “Lord of the Flies” makes me feel sorry and a little annoyed with the boys on the island. So many young people stranded on an island would make anyone feel sorry for them. But then they treat it like it’s a vacation and it will all be over in a few days. They don’t seem to realize that they need to collect food and make shelter and other necessities for survival. They expect that their chief, Ralph, will solve everything. However, it isn’t tell chapter three that Ralph and Jack start to see the danger there in. Only Piggy has seen the danger since the beginning. I am also annoyed at the fact that all the boys are so mean to Piggy even though he might be the only reason for their survival. The only question I have is what is the significance of Simon going off into the jungle alone?
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the first 3 chapters of Lord of the Flies, I am, like Kimberly, annoyed and sad for all of the children. The book is depressing but I am interested in the outcome. Already the boys have 2 children fighting for the leadership over them. Only Piggy is the one with any common sense and they shut him out. If not for Piggy, I doubt people would realize the absence of the smaller children for some time. One thing I do not understand is the boys' rudeness to Piggy. He is trying to help them and they are awful to him. I think the reason they are like that is because Jack is a leader and who was rude to him in front of everybody first? Jack. I believe the boy's following the leaders will lead to some bad things in the book because they are not making the most careful choices now. I am curious to see if people will start to appreciate Piggy's intelligence or will become more and more savage as the book goes on.
ReplyDeleteI would love to know about this war that's going on and why they were evacuating everyone. I'd also wonder; were they from a christian school because of the choir. The person I dislike the most is the main character. He was jerk to piggy and is rude and bossy. I think he is almost just like Jack. I think Piggy should be leader because he shows that he is very smart and confident once he is pushed around or questioned.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mariah in thinking that the island must be humid and beautiful but I found the story to be great. I literally couldn't put the book down until I got to the 4th chapter. I can't wait to continue reading!
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if anyone else thought there was a lot of symbolism concerning shelter and the idea of home? I saw this as a recurring theme through the huts being a new idea about living conditions and the fact that the conch shell that once was a home to a crab is now a prized procession among the children and a symbol of power. Another mention of houses being imitated through nature is on page twelve in chapter one where a pink granite floor beneath a green roof of foliage is mentioned. I have a feeling that that these motifs will appear more throughout the book and have to do with the new shifting perception of “home.”
Finally, I find it interesting that the conversation between characters changes so rapidly between chapter one and chapter three. The use of language becomes sparse as if the separation from true society is changing the children already.
After reading the first three chapters of LOF, I am really enjoying the book. I agree with Logan, I have been seeing a myriad of different symbols. Though I do find the plot a bit confusing. The author seems to be trying very hard to make sure the reader lingers on every single word. One thing I really don't understand is why there would be an entire plane with all adolescent boys? If it was some sort of school or missionary trip, wouldn't they at least have a few chaperones? My favorite character is without a doubt Piggy. Piggy is a very realistic thinker. He also seems to have his ducks in a row, he knows what needs to happen first and what is most important. Overall, I am really enjoying this book and can't wait to uncover how everything works itself out!
ReplyDeleteAfter reading through the comments above, I felt like Logan had some good points. The way that he relates the different characteristics of the forest to home is very interesting. I feel as the book is extremely descriptive and I rather read books with more action and dialogue in it. In the first three chapters we are informed of many of the characters and the landscape. LOF reminds me of the television show “Survivor”. I think that people are going to slowly drop and not be able to survive on the island. There also seems to be an alliance between Jack and Ralph. They act as the leaders of the group, but they also outcast others, for example Piggy. In our society today Jack and Ralph would be the “popular” group. Piggy is a realistic thinker and knows what needs to get done for them to survive. I look forward to getting into the action and events in LOF and really finding out where the characters fall.
ReplyDeleteI am a little confused on what the scar is. I think it is some are of the land they are on but not sure of its total characteristics. In answer to Kimberly’s question, I think that Simon went into the jungle alone because he felt very controlled by Ralph. I would also like other people opinions and thoughts about this question.
I agree with Kimberly, none of the boys are taking this with the right mindset. But I think Piggy will be the one to finally start to think realistically and snap the rest into shape. But for now I think that Ralph is doing a decent job of setting priorities. I also think that Jack is going to more of a hindrance than a help to the rest of the boys; hes been trying for days now to skewer a pig but has been unsuccessful and has not contributed in any other form.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kimberly and Kelly. I am very annoyed at the boys for how rude they are to Piggy. He is only trying to fit in and help the others. Whenever he tries to talk, even if he is holding the conch, he is told to shut up. It seems as if the rules for the rest of the boys don't apply to him. My question is, what did he do to the boys to make them hate him so much? I do feel slightly bad for the boys, only because they are alone, and they are having many conflicts. But i don't feel too bad for them because they don't seem to feel too bad for themselves. The second they figured out there were no adults, they established a leader and took action. Despite this, though, they don't be seeming to take it seriously. Who knows how long they could be there. Already there are conflicts between boys over what was more important: food or shelter. Also, it annoys me that most of the boys aren't willing to help make the shelters. Like Ralph was saying, the boys get all excited about building something, and they help for about 5 minutes, and then leave the leaders to do the rest. I also agree with Mariah, that the book has great vocabulary, but honestly, i think it is pretty uneventful so far, and it doesn't interest me very much.
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ReplyDeleteAfter three chapters of Lord of The Flies my head is full of questions. First, how did they even survive the plane crash? How did it happen? Like Anna I was wondering why they were on a plane all by themsleves. I'm still trying to figure out the time period which the story takes place in, I think it might be during a war but the author is pretty vague about those details. I dont love the book but I'm hoping that some of these questions will be answered in the coming chapters.
ReplyDeleteI think after reading the first three chapters of LOF, most of us have the same questions. Like Mackenzie said, I seem to be thinking of how they survived the crash and why the boys were alone. What I keep connecting with the book is how much it relates to the TV show “Lost.” It’s the same principle of a group of people being trapped on an island where no one knows where they are. What I find especially interesting is the concept of the island not being a “good island.” After looking over the behavior of the children, I agree with Kelly and Kimberly about feeling bad but also slightly annoyed with the boys. Also, it's strange how Jack is particularly obsessed with hunting pigs, and you can start to see savageness developing within him. One thing that caught my attention was Simon. In the last part of chapter three, he went off on his own and it seemed to me that he knew his way around the island. He has his own little fort and was also the one who pointed out the “bad island” idea. Is there more to Simon than Ralph and Jack see as just a quiet boy?
ReplyDeleteAlong with Kimberly’s comment on Piggy, I agree that he really is the only one thinking clearly. His little speech on top of the mountain shook the boys because only then did they start to realize the seriousness of their situation. What I also don’t understand is this “beastie” the little boy was talking about. Is there a monster somewhere on the island with the boys? I find the book to be interesting because you see how much being stranded on an island can change people, and how each of them adapt to it.
The constant usage of English vocabulary in the reading has been irritating me alot. Words like “specs” and “beastie” forced me to pause and overlook all possible words that they could be reffering to at the moment, ever so slightly slowing my reading speed. In some sections of the text I got confused on what was going on so I had to re-read the passages in the end of chapters two and three to get a basic understanding of what the author was implying. I feel that Jacks hunt for pigs has blinded him of the nessecities the other children need to keep them comfortable and he is only hurting the group as a whole. He needs to take charge of the other boys and make them work so they can have shelters and fruit to eat. The time-period of the book is WW2 era because of the evacuation of English children and the threat of the nazi atom bomb that was never completed before Germany surrendered. I know this because I read other books with the same concept of evacuations taking place because of the constant bombing of London. Does anyone know the reason for Simon’s trek into the jungle at the end of chapter three?
ReplyDeleteI think that Lord of the Flies is a creative and well written book, although I don't think of this book as overly appealing to me. It just hasn't hooked me yet. I completely agree with Kimberly's impression on the plot of the book. Ralph may have the right intentions, but he just simply doesn't know how to bring everyone together. Then there is Jack also who is completely obsessed over the fact of catching a pig on the island, and is really standing in the way of Ralph's leadership it seems. I also agree with Kimberly in the sense that Piggy is their only chance of survival.
ReplyDeleteI feel as though as the book goes on that Ralph and Jack will take their separate ways and probably take half the kids with them both. Although,
I think that they will see how Piggy has been right all along, and maybe the only one out of them with any sense. After all, they can't stay on this island vacation forever. I am also puzzled on why Simon goes off into the forest alone, along with Kimberly. I think that he has found his own way to survive apart from the group in that clearing, and that he may just kind of break off from all the rest of the kids.
The book, so far, feels like other survival stories I've read, with control being fought over and chaos ensues periodically, I'm looking forward on how the book will unfold and end.
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ReplyDeleteSo far, I really like Lord of the Flies. It reminds me a lot of Peter Pan, with the boys stuck on an island paradise without any adults (minus the pirates and magic). Like Anna W. (and many others), I feel really sympathetic towards Piggy. He seems to be the only one on the island who uses common sense and thinks his actions through, but all the other boys refuse to accept him because he’s not as instinctive and immature as they are. I agree with Logan in that the book is really interesting, and I think we will see a shift between where the boys call home, especially if they are on the island for a while. Many people commented that they felt sorry for the boys, but I can’t feel sorry for them. They are treating this catastrophe like one big vacation and party, and seem to be relying too heavily on the fact that help will come soon. Unfortunately, from what I gathered so far, it sounds like a war (maybe World War II) is occurring in the world, and if it is, extreme measures will not be taken to recover one airplane load of boys. A few things I have been wondering are: how did the boys manage to survive the plane crash if no adults survived and the plane caught fire, and where were they headed when their plane went down? The author gave clues that the boys originated in England, but where were they going if they landed in a tropical island? I’m excited to keep reading and see how the story plays out. I predict that the “beastie” the little boys have been talking about will have a big role in this next section.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Anna and Logan. I am confused by the plot and have so many questions. My main one being what actually happened with the plane crash? Also why were there no adults on the plane? I like all the boys but I also agree with all the people who have said they don’t like how Ralph treats Piggy. It bugs me that they call him that and it makes me mad how badly they all treat him. This book is constantly reminding me of the movie The Little Rascals, and the show Survivor. I am suprised at how well these boys are handling being stranded on the island. I would be a wreck especially at that age! I am getting better with annotating too. I didn’t write much in the begging but I am getting better at it as I get further in the book. I am enjoying the book so far and am excited to keep reading!
ReplyDeleteSo far, LOF has been very interesting. It is addressing some deep issues, such as leadership over those not used to authority, and balancing staying alive and trying to be found. I hope it keeps up these underlying themes.
ReplyDeleteThe scariest, and most morbid, part for me was when the forest caught on fire, and Piggy revealed that there were boys unaccounted for. This was like a punch in the face to all the boys. It said, "This is not a game. This is real. There is a high chance that you will die." I think this is just what the boys needed, but it seemed ineffective on many in the third chapter.
Can't wait to see how it turns out!
After chapters 1-3, Lord of the Flies has not captivated me. It was very descriptive, which does not make it sound like an exciting read. It would be more interesting to have more action, which I am sure is coming. The book is confusing, and I have had to reread sections everal times.
ReplyDeleteI think Jack seems very dark and even a little bit sinister at times. He is very hostile to Piggy, and scarily intent on killing, which suggests savagery. And like Carl S. and Kimberly, I am confused by the point of Simon wandering to the jungle by himself. Does anyone know why the author chose to include this scene? I am also confused by the "beastie." Is it a monster or a figment of the little boys imagination?
I think Piggy is has an idea of how to survive, but no one will listen to him. I think their only chance of survival is to listen to what Piggy has to say. Jack and Ralph have a strange friend/enemy relationship, which I believe will not turn out well. The book has the potential to be good, which I am hoping it will get better.
Chapters 1-3 of Lord of the Flies is very descriptive, yet the plot is very confusing to me. I was confused about the "scar" and the "pilot dropping them off." I am implying that there was a plane crash but why was there no wrekage of the plane in the beggining chapter? I did not know how that all the kids got seperated on different parts of the island either. Overall the plot is very simple and like a survival story with Piggy as the only sensible one. Also like Kendall, Kimberly, and Carl i am confused of the scene of simon in the wild alone. And as Kendall implied I suspect more savegery in Jack. The book seems very simple so far and I hope that there is more of a twist later on.
ReplyDeleteSo far, Lord of the Flies has captivated me, again. This being the second time I've read the book, its very interesting looking back on how things escalate. All of these boys have been raised to be disciplined and orderly, and now that they are on their own, they feel the need to " break the rules." I would have to say that if Jack weren't quiet as savage, the rest of the boys would fall more in line. But Jack insist on pushing the rules of civilization and this unknown concept appeals to a great deal of the tribe.
ReplyDeleteAs for the beastie, the frightening part is that you don't know whether or not its real. That's what scares the big and little kids, the unknown.
I would have to disagree about the relationship between Piggy and Ralph. I think that Ralph is a natural leader but sometimes doesn't know how to lead, and Piggy has the knowledge but not the skills. This annoys Ralph because he likes to think he controls everything so its more of a defensive reaction in my mind.
I also enjoy the begging of books and can not wait to continue reading.
Like many other people who have posted, (Whitney, Kimberly, etc) I'm very annoyed with the boys' behavior towards Piggy. They are so mean! LOF has been oddly interesting to me, considering that I don't typically enjoy survival books. I also agree with Matthew in the way that the boys don't realize how dangerous and possibly bad their situation is until Piggy announces their missing compadres. I'm really confused with the beginning of the book, like how the plane actually crashed and how they survived but not the pilot? Where were all the adults? Are the boys really so naive to believe that during a time of war, the Navy's first priority will be to find the boys? Will Jack and Ralph have an epic showdown... possibly a dangerous one? I'm excited to see how the rest of the book plays out, figuring all their problems with basic surviving skills hasn't had the best turn out.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning of the book I was really annoyed. The author just sort sets you down in the middle of the story and it's hard to figure out what's going on, but as I progressed the book interested me more and more. I always love survival stories and the book reminds me of Robinson Crusoe and Tarzan, two books that I really interested me.
ReplyDeleteI like what Matthew said -- It seems like the boys are treating their circumstances like a game, despite constant wake-up calls.
To answer Anna's questions it seems as if the boys were evacuated from a boarding school. Also I think they did have a chaperone that is referred to as the man with the megaphone, but it's strange that all the adults died, but most of the children did not.
I don't really have any questions at this point.
I agree with Stephen when he is saying that Ralph does not seem the like the ideal, level headed leader that the group of kids think he is. Piggy has shown that he is much more logical and thinks farther into the future. Something I found strange was that Piggy was immediatly resented by the group of children that had just met him when he gave them nothing but logic and helped take names. Also, what was the signifigance of Simons journey into the forest? I think that the group of survivors need to start planning on account that this isn't a tropical vacation, but a survival mission.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with everyone else, the boys are very mean to Piggy. They also need to start taking what has happened to them more seriously. I do like the idea of the story though and it has really great vocabulary choice.
ReplyDeleteWow! Lord of the Flies has been surprisingly good so far! I really like these types of books that involve survival, problem-solving, and working as a team to accomplish a goal. To me, the novel is a combination of the show "Survivor" (like Emily stated above) and the 1st Boxcar Children book, where three children survive in a boxcar with very few possessions.
ReplyDeleteThe group dynamics on the island are tense. While Jack and Ralph seem to have bonded, poor Piggy is left to defend his own, sometimes very intelligent ideas, as he is picked apart and made fun of by the other boys. What really angers me is that the boys don’t take any time to get to get to know him as a person. They just see that he is overweight and immediately cast judges upon him. This brings up the idea of deceptive appearances. Just because Ralph was holding the conch shell, they thought he seemed like good leader. I think as the story goes on, the boys will learn to listen to every individual despite his outward appearance.
Many students have brought up great points! Logan’s post was very insightful to me. I agree with him.
One question I have is why would the plane be filled with all boys?
After reading the first 3 chapters of Lord of the Flies, I actually really like the story so far. The island that the boys are on seems like an amazing place to be (except for the fact that no one knows that they’re there). I like the character of Piggy and like a few other people said, he seems to be the only person there who actually realizes that they’re stranded on a deserted island that isn’t some tropical getaway. But, no one is even listening to what he has to say and they’re making fun of him and being cruel to him. Also, I didn’t like it when Ralph told everyone that Piggy’s name was Piggy after he had specifically told Ralph not to, and that he didn’t even apologize. I think that doing that wasn’t the best idea because now Piggy’s probably really mad at Ralph. A few questions I had were what was a scar, and a beastie, and also what the last two pages of Chapter 3 meant.
ReplyDeleteLord of the Flies is a pretty decent book so far. I find the book to be quite interesting. I have so many questions about everything so far. Like Natalie C said above why is there only boys? Where are the girls if there is any. What reasons would there be for a plane to be filled with all boys. Why did all the adults die? Did any of the children die? What in the world is the scar thing the author was talking about in the first couple pages. But i am catching just a hint of social darwinism in the book. Ralph tells Piggy that he is unable to scout out the land, Ralph was kind of saying that your arent in the best shape therefore you probally wont survive. That idea is exactly what social darwinism is only the strongest will survive. I feel like the other characters feel that way too since the elected the physically storng Ralph ad their leader insted of the realistic thinker Piggy. I want to read more and find out what happens next! i hope my questions are answered.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading "Lord of the Flies" i realized that my initial impression of the island was wrong. For some reason i had a more realistic version of 'Lost' in my head. From the book I really like the idea of kids running a 'country' persay of their rules. I actuallty understand the book quite well and dont have questions to be honest.
ReplyDeleteI'm enjoying the book so far. Except for the end of chapter three when Simon just ups and goes into the jungle. What was that about? I also love the metaphorical descriptions and Piggy. I hope all those boys stop bullying him and listen. Since he might be there only real hope.
ReplyDeleteSo far, it seems like LOF is a pretty good book. It is extremely descriptive, and I like the authors use of the word creeper for the vines and breakers for the waves that crash onto the beach. Piggy seems like he could be the hero of this book, and it seems like Jack could be the villain of the book. For instance, I thought it was strange that Jack wanted to kill a pig so bad; to me it felt like he just wanted to kill something, not necessarily a pig. Also, Piggy seems to very knowledgeable at surviving, but he seems to be angered very easily. Ralph seems like he wants to agree with piggy at some points, but he chooses not to because jack and the other kids are around who don’t like Piggy. Also, it seems like Simon is an important character, but it seems hard to tell his true personality. Plus, I am almost certain that the “beastie” is going to come back later in the book. Over all I think this book is going to be worth reading.
ReplyDeleteOne question: why is pink stone and pink granite so important? It's mentioned like every other page! I have yet to find out the significance! Other than this I have enjoyed the book. I agree with Savannah about Simon and Piggy especially. Everyone just needs to stop judging and listen. So what. He's fat. They need to learn to deal and listen, he actually might have something good to say, but they'll never know if he never gets to speak his mind.
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ReplyDeleteAfter reading the first 3 chapters of Lord of the Flies I was greatly reminded of Peter Pan. The whole idea of these boys being alone on this island without adults is very similar Lost Boys of Neverland. They have quickly made their own rules and regulations, and have kept order fairly well. Piggy is definitely the most determined and I agree with several other people who have already posted; I am very aggravated and don’t understand the boys’ cruel treatment of Piggy since he seems to be the main source of sense on the island. I wonder if Jack and the other boys’ desire to kill the pig had any symbolism considering nickname “Piggy”? Like many of my class mates, I am curious as to why all of these boys were on a plane without any known adults, and also the reasons as to why they weren’t associated if they had been together on this plane? So far I think that Lord of the Flies is a fairly slow book, however I’m sure that as the plot progresses it will speed up and I will gain interest.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the first three chapters of LOF my first impressions was that it was very descriptive. I agree with Logan concerning the home metaphors and symbolism although i didn't even notice it when i was reading it myself! My very first question was how did all of the boys get seperated from each other? Werent they all on the same plane?
ReplyDeleteI also agree with what Rachel B said about social darwinism, that only the strong survive. However, social darwinism also implies that the weak can adapt, which is what i think most of the boys are doing. I think it is interesting how Jack wanted to be the leader and is now complaining about how the boys aren't working very hard. the last thing i am curios about is the signifigance of Simon going into the forest and also the "beastie." My first thought about Simon was that he was trying to get some peace and admire the "candle-buds" but now i am questioning alterior motives. I feel sorry for Piggy and am too annoyed that he is constantly shut out of conversations. The boys seem to be progressively lacking authority. Over all I am injoying the book and am antipatating a clearer goal and/or story line.
I'm liking the book so far it seems like a great adventure novel. I agree with Maria K that everyone needs to stop judging Piggy because he might have something important to say but no one will listen to him. I do find some of the text difficult to read on account of the sayings that boys use. It seems very alien to me. I love the description that gives me pictures of this island. I love the idea of a boat shaped island because it is like they are meant to be there not lost. It's like they are on a cruise of some sort. This book shows great promise for an adventure novel by the first three chapters.
ReplyDeleteI found it amazing that the boys were able to create a society that doesn't completely fall apart, it such a short amount of time. An example of this is how the boys created a system of how the choir boys would be the hunters and everybody else would create shelters and gather fruit. Although this isn’t a completely sound system, the chinks could easily be worked out. An example of how this sometimes doesn’t work is that the very young children refuse to do anything but play around in the lagoon. I agree with Ian and many other people that Piggy is being bullied because of his appearance and his name. In addition to that, I think that the boys are forming their own cliques and enemies. An example of two enemies is Jack and Ralph. The cliques are the young six year olds, and the choir boys. There are also a few smaller groups if you dive deeper into the book. I think that in the future of the book, that the organization is going become much stricter, maybe even to the point of savagery. Also, the deeper, more instinctual thoughts of humans will be completely divulged. So, in general, I thought that the first three chapters of this book were very well written and they set the stage for the thought-provoking park of the book.
ReplyDeleteLOF so far is in my opinion very intriguing. All of the characters are described very vividly and I feel as though I've been let into most of their backgrounds. I have a few predictions and questions maybe some of you could answer or put your two cents into. I was thinking maybe Piggy would uprise against Ralph and Jack or something of that sort because he is already so left out even though i believe he is the most wise. Also I was wondering how long they may have already spent on the island. At the end of chapter 3 as well, it seems to me Simon could be somewhat of a dark horse in the story considering his mysterious disappearance and secret for area by the candle-like plants... any thoughts? Overall the first 3 chapters have been interesting while still building the setting and have started an interesting plot.
ReplyDeleteEverything is on the brink of falling apart it seems. The little kids are afraid of vines, and noone but Simon, Jack, and Ralph are the only ones doing work. Piggy is being childish, and wanting all the leadership, even though he obviously isn't suited for it. There is a couple of obvious interesting stuff, and hidden interesting stuff too. Jack couldn't kill a PIG, even for his own good. In the Bible, when Moses got the 10 commandments, the mountain was lit on fire, like the title of chapter 2. The shape of the island might play into the overall scheme- bowl with many rocks, a mountain, and a particularly big rock.
ReplyDeleteI agree with most everyone on this blog that the sadness of the reality the boys have to face while being stranded on this island. It must be hard with no one to guide you to figure things out aall on your own for the very first time
ReplyDeleteAfter reading The Lord of the Flies, I think it made more questions, rather than answering them. I agree with Anna that Piggy will attempt to revolt against Ralph and Jack, but I do not think he will succeed because he is too afraid of them. I don’t get how Jack isn’t even able to kill a pig, when he knows he has to survive for a long time on the island. The oldest boys will have a lot of difficultly keeping the little kids together and working.
ReplyDeleteMy initial impression of LOF was that the kids are very unorganized and they will eventually going to crash and burn. The leadership isn't very good and they are starting to go a little crazy for example the head choir boy is starting to stab things with his knife rather excessively. The kids are having difficulty keeping the little kids under control, piggy keeps loosing the kids because they run out to the forest to gorge on the islands fruit and leave him alone building the huts.
ReplyDeleteI think Lord of the Flies is a very interesting book. It reminds me if the show "Lost" because they are struggling to survive and trying to keep some form of society and civilization. I also think that Piggy will be more important later on in the book. I agree with Avery that the kids are having trouble keeping order and are going to get more primitive later on.
ReplyDeleteWho are the kids?
ReplyDeleteWhere are they from?
How did they get on the island?
What are their backgrounds?
I have many questions about chapters 1-3. The book just dumps us straight onto the island, with a strange kid, who we know nothing about. And suddenly he blows this horn, and dozens of other kids magically appear out of the forest?
Their leadership is corrupt. All of the kids except Piggy are mean with no feelings.
I predict they'll be dead by chapter 4.
I agree with Ross. Who the heck are these kids, and why are they the important ones? Im really scared because they were taking off their clothes in the beginning. The fire they made is a good idea but it wont last forever. The choir kids seem to have an ulterior motive to rule, but that will be relieved later, probably. I also agree with Ian S. Piggy seems like the only competent person in this group of misfits to rule. Overall, this book is crazy so far, and if I had the choice, I would stop.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Ross, it does not give good insight into why these kids are on the island, why they had to leave home and why there is not one adult with them out there. They have a twelve year old trying to be the leader of a group of kids that are younger than he is. If they got there from a plane crash, wouldn't there be a plane they could go and search for equipment to help them. The kids on the island have very little respect for each other and very few of them are willing to do the leg work so that they can survive on the island for a prolonged time period. I agree with Paul that i too would stop reading if i had the choice.
ReplyDeleteI think that the book LOF is very interesting I hope that it will pick up the pace a little or give more detail to how the boys ended up there besides that they were in a plane crash. I think it can be a little confusing at times too. For example I don't know what the boys are talking about when they refer to the scar? Another thing that bugs me how little respect the boys, especially Ralph and Jack give Piggy. I agree with Whitney that they should give him more attention because the rest of the boys listen respectfully and intently when Ralph, Jack, and Simon are speaking. I do think that the descriptions of the island are very good though. I can always paint a very clear picture in my head of what the island looks like.
ReplyDeleteThis book is confusing! It keeps you in the dark and very slowly reveals what is going on. It is mostly boring for me although there are some parts that aren’t so bad. I think that it will get a lot better as we continue to read on, but it just has a slow start. I agree with Mariah that the vocabulary is challenging but not hard enough to the point of confusion. In response to what Mackenzie asked, I think the boys were being evacuated out of England when the plane crashed. I would guess that it is around the World War II time period but I am not positive. I agree with Abby and Kimberly that the others should listen to Piggy more because he has some good points. Although I do think that Piggy needs to be a little more careful about what he says because I think it will backfire one day if he pushes the others to much.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ross in the point that the author just dumps the reader on an island with a bunch of kids and a lot of questions. In my eyes, this is sort of like a blank slate that the author can work with. I'm intrigued with how he will answer the many question that will be answered throughout the book, such as, why the boys are on this island, where they are, etc. I think this book is well written, but at the same time I think that William Golding's writing is sometimes too much like a riddle and at points that frustrates me. I also think he is from the U.K., because it is not written in modern American English. I had a question about the chapters: What is the cupping motion Ralph uses referring to? That confused me.
ReplyDeleteI think in general the author uses some strange wording of sentences that make it more confusing to read. The kids also do some odd stuff, like I think that one time one of the people stood on their head because they were excited...? I also didnt know what a scar was either, but I looked it up and found that it is just a kind of rocky cliff on an island. I was very confused on the people all dressed in black at the beginning of the book. Who were they? Piggy is the only one who seems smart and nice, so I think he will play a big part in the book.
ReplyDeleteMy first impression of the book was that it seemed pretty well written. The author uses many great techniques to describe the setting of where the book is taking place. I was also quickly pulled into the text as a started reading, which personally is one of my most favorite things that a good book does. I agree with Courtney too on how it was a little confusing though; I didn't understand why all of these kids are grouped together on this island yet, but I'm not going to jump to any conclusions until I read deeper into the book. Overall, i thought that the author made up for any confusion with his vivid descriptions and clear dialogue between characters. I predict that the kids are going to find a group of some sort of native people as they explore the island more.
ReplyDeleteEveryone seems to have the same opinion here. I wish that I could break the cycle but there's not much to break away from at this point. I like what Matthew said about the kids not really caring about what was going on until Piggy was yelling at them about burning the forest down and losing the children. It's like in a horror movie when someone is like, "Where'd Kate go??" And the next person says, "She was just behind me...."
ReplyDeleteBut even with a voice of reason there is still chaos on the island. Everything is false. False leadership, false hope, false sense of security, the list goes on. If things don't get organized quickly (which I doubt they will) then the situation is only going to get worse.
Even with all the annoying boys I still like this book so far. I'm going to stick with it.
I think this book is very well written and already very intriguing. I like the leadership that some of the boys possess. Immediately Ralph and Jack stepped up to lead. The book was immediately put on an upslope right when the tiny boy mentioned the snake-beastie thing he saw in the woods. I panicked a little and my heart beat rose a little because when they mention instances like that in books it always turns out to be negative. I kind of felt bad for the little kid when they wouldn't give him the conch and the other kids started to laugh at him. Piggy is a great character because he shows leadership by going ahead and taking the time to learn kids names and getting to know a little of their character. I think it is mean and rude how the other kids call him fatty and don't let him do the important stuff that they do. Also I am confused why they call Jack's group the choir.
ReplyDeleteThis book has been disappointing to be so far. I thought it would get more into the story quicker, but it took two chapters to finally get to the meat of the story. From here on out, though, I fully expect this to be an excellent read.
ReplyDeleteI didn’t have too many questions, except for one thing: What the heck is Jack doing with a knife? Is it, in case of this exact scenario, but from the sounds of it, it is like a hunting knife. Who carries a hunting knife with them? I don’t understand it, but it’s lucky for the children that he does have that.
Lots of people mentioned a scar on the island, and I heard an explanation of a side of a rock on a mountain, and that might be what it is. I perceived it as the gash the plane made when it crashed into the island.
I can’t wait to read on!
When I picked up this book to read it, I flipped to the 1st page, read the first 3 paragraphs and I was already confused!! Where did the one boy come from? How do they not know each other? And as I read on I had even ore questions like Where did a choir come from? What are creepers? What's a beastie? And why the heck aren't any of the boys on the island asking these questions? I thought it was really odd that not one of the boys asked where the choir came from? Or how none of them are panicked that they are alone on a deserted island? Also how did they get there? They mentioned being dropped, they talked about the back of the plane being covered in flames? In the beginning Ralph (?) said that some of the boys used part of the plane to go out in the ocean, which makes me wonder how they got there. Also what is a scar? When they go in the "lagoon" is the the ocean or a tidal pool? And again why the heck aren't any of the boys on the island asking these questions? Typically the author sets up dialogue or shows a certain characters thoughts in order to tell the reader the background story but in this book there hasn't been any at all. I feel like there's a possibility for a great story, I just wish the author would find a way to explain more to the reader.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit I was a little disappointed in how LOF started out. It took while to really tell the reader what was happening. I agree with Paul. Who are these kids. I would like to know how they got on to this island and why there are no adults. I kept reading about a scar on the island. My mind has been wandering thinking about what this could be or mean. Could it be a path or is it a mark the plane left when it crashed? But I have to say the writing has been painting an image in my mind since the first page. I think this shows me how the rest of the book will be described.
ReplyDeleteI was a little confused by what the boys were saying. Some of there words were new to me. But overall I am excited to keep reading on.
I think that the style of this book slowly revealing things about the characters will work for it in the end. A wealth of knowledge will be created, and if we don't know what the characters' values or instincts are, twists can appear to be much more plausible. I still have many questions about this though. Why were there a group of british children on a plane in the first place? It can't be a coincidence that they were on the same flight. And what about the adults? Or girls? What happened to all of them? Did they die? Who is the man with the megaphone? However, because of the fantastic description and succint use of words in this book, i can't wait to find out the answers to these questions and more to come.
ReplyDeletePS: The idea that Jack has an actual choir as his group and that he can sing C-sharp so he's their leader...huh? This was funny though.
I think that so far the LOF is an interesting story with an engaging premise. Though it has quite a descriptive style, the writing itself seems rather dry to me. As I said, I think the premise is quite interesting, and has the potential to be very intriguing as the plot develops. To me, I think a lot of things that have been introduced will come back and play a larger role as the story progresses. For example, I think the “snake” and possibly the pink rock might come back later to play a larger part. Also, I have noticed that the kids are very quick to turn on each other, and this could prove extremely dangerous in the future.
ReplyDeleteSo far Lord of the Flies has been an interesting read. The boys are clearly building a sense of leadership on the island as they try to work together. A lot of questions are still unanswered. Why were they on the plane? Where were they going? How will all this play a role in how the story unfolds? Could all of this first part be foreshadowing for things to come? If these questions are answered, then based on what I have read this is going to be a good book.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Justin, and his thought on the criteria apparently needed to be the leader of the choir. Although the ability to sing C sharp may be something that the other members of the choir look up to, it should not be the sole deciding factor in who is chosen to be the head of this group. In my opinion, leadership should be based on the ability to make decisions in the ultimate interest of the people, and not simple abilities that could be held by anyone.
ReplyDeleteOne other facet that slightly unnerved me was the hostilities that the choir showed to the rest of the boys when the groups first came together on the beach, after being summoned by the conch. The choir appeared to have an attitude that conveyed the message, "We are above it all." This came out through their disgust towards the group of schoolboys that they found on the beach. However, it seems that the choir members are the only ones that have any sense of logic. When the plane crashed, the choir was looking for water instead of wandering aimlessly around the island, such as the regular schoolboys were doing.
Another thought, what plane were they on? Why was the plane attacked? Is there a war going on? One of the boys also said something about an atomic bomb going off. Since a hydrogen bomb was the weapon of choice for most countries after about 1965, it must be prior to then. There are a lot of unanswered questions that I am hoping