WEEK 8

Good Morning! (or afternoon or whenever).   

Here's your work for week 8...

We're literally in the home stretch!

No, wait. That's wrong. We're not literally in the home stretch because we're not all on horses making the last turn before racing to the finish line. Literally doesn't work here. Some of you need to look back at your "Literally" sentences. If you lost points and want them back, you can revise them. Re-read the LBGB entry!

1. ATTC final essay. Choose one of the following options and write a well-argued, well-supported essay...

a. Discuss Dickens' use of dualities and pairs.  

b. Discuss the theme of resurrection. 

800 words minimum
It should meet the usual lit analysis expectations. 

2. Watch this very short intro to Lord of the Flies. It's pretty low budget—I think a teacher made it—but it gets at the basics. 

3.  Read chapter 1 of LOTF.

Some things to keep in mind as you read:

• The setting can be confusing. There's no particular year; think near future. 
• We can gather from some clues, from things the kids say, that a nuclear war has at least begun. 
• There's confusion about how they crashed. We're left in that confusion. In fact, the narrator keeps us focused on the kids so that we only ever know as much as they do.
• The kids don't seem to know each other, except for the boys in the choir. 
• Read it carefully and slowly. Golding loads his writing with imagery and close, precise (sometimes highly stylized) description. 
• Watch for three things as you read: 1) personification - the island and other non-living things will be given human or animal-like characteristics; and 2) zoomorphism - the humans will be given animal traits. Both of these are subtle. They tend to happen in the imagery. For example, you'll read about a fire begin described as a leaping squirrel or one of the boys will be described as walking dog-like on all fours. This is important stuff! Golding is building on a theme with these kinds of descriptions; 3) items — glasses, a conch, clothing — that will emerge as symbols.
• It's a pretty deep story to think about, but it's also just a great story to read, so enjoy it.

4.  Answer these questions for chapter 1:

1. What new reality are the boys beginning to face in c.1 so far?

2. What strange behavior (physical act) does Ralph keep doing? What might Golding be emphasizing by it?

3. At several points in c.1 we read about “green shadows.” Explain what Golding might be doing here.

4. How does Golding make the island seem like it’s alive? Quote the text.

5. What was “dark” and “fumbling along”? What might Golding be suggesting?

6. What does Jack say about his name? What do you think Golding might be suggesting by this?

7. How is the conch a symbol of authority?

8. Describe 3 things (details, ideas, your observations, etc.) about the 3 boys’ exploration of the island.

Have a great week!