Lord of the Flies Chapter 11 Reflection
inspired by Chris Ferrall and South Park
OH MY GOD, THEY KILLED PIGGY!
Respond to the death of everybody's favorite spectacles-wearing character. What does his death mean for Ralph? For the group as a whole? How can it be interpreted symbolically?
When piggy dies, the conch is smashed, signifying all the order, control and civilization in the story is gone. Also, it marks the end of civilized, calm thinking and rationalization, marking savagery has officially taken over, because Piggy was the rational, smart, and calm, one of the crazy group. This relates to Ralph because Ralph was one of the only other people on Piggy's side, now Ralph is alone and vulnerable. Ralph shares Piggy's rational, civilized thinking. Now the question is, will Ralph start thinking like, and maybe even join, the other savages now that he doesn’t have Piggy with him to guide him. When Piggy dies Jack says he meant for it to happen. Now that Piggy is gone Jack has one less person to worry about. And now, since he has the twins as captive, he knows Ralph is all alone and vulnerable, which makes his plans for Ralph even easier to accomplish.
ReplyDeleteHard to believe these were once civilized English schoolboys, isn't it?
DeleteI can't believe that they killed the innocent and adorable Piggy. Piggy's death sybolizes the break of what little piece of civilized society was left on the island. All logic, reason and intelligence is gone. I think that Piggy's body being taken in by the sea (like Simons) represents everything that is lost as a result of his death. The water seemingly sucks all of the good off the island as it carries Piggy's lifeless body away.
ReplyDeleteFor Ralph, Piggy's death not only means the loss of another member of his group, but also a loss of hope. Ralph most likely feels very alone becasue Piggy was virtually the only other person on the island who shared similar thhoughts and ideas as him. Ralph's opinions will definitely not be heard any longer and he now faces the choice of being literally alone or joining Jack's group. He even has reason to fear for his own life after the pattern of deaths on the island. The events in this chapter put Ralph in a tough, uncomfortable situation.
Another body washed away, another consequence for the boys to freely ignore.
DeleteNO!!!!!!! Ugh! Why? D: Piggy's death represents the crumble of society. Also there's no more reasoning with any anyone. The logic is gone, Piggy and his glasses, and no more authority, the conch was broken as well. All right Golding, I understand that Piggy had to die to keep the story going but did he HAVE to get smashed by a giant rock and fell to his death 40 frickin feet into the ocean? Jack could have poked him with a spear or something :p And wth Roger, whatcha do that for? -__- But now I feel really bad for Ralph because now he has no one. Sam and Eric are too scared to say no to Jack. I give Ralph credit for not giving up on himself and having enough pride to keep going. Then again I think that's what Piggy wanted and it completes Simons prophecy. I don't think he's going to stoop to Jack sadistic ways. As a group, honestly I think they're all screwed because Jack's going to kill them all for not listening to him or the title of the "beast" will keep moving to every boy that challenges his authority.
ReplyDeletePiggy does receive one of literature's most memorable deaths, if that's any consolation.
DeleteJack is the beast! He's the evil one who turned them all to savagery, to murderous pigs. Now that Piggy's dead, the others have literally lost their minds (symbolized by how Piggy died on the rock above the sea). For Ralph he lost the one source of power he had left, which was Piggy's intellect, his glasses, and the all-mighty conch that swayed the savages even while they were crazy. He lost the only help he had with Samneric's capture (It took until this chapter for me to realize that Samneric were the twins represented as one person). Ignorance and ill-managed pride have snubbed out the only good in their society, as Golding has been alluding to. Ralph should've stabbed Jack when he had the chance!
ReplyDelete"Samneric" is one of Golding's most inspired creations.
DeleteIf Ralph had stabbed Jack, wouldn't that have been capitulating to Jack's evil?
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(Ignore the numbers if that is what came up above this text)
With the death of Piggy, the island is going to be headed deeper into the hellish nightmare Jack has transformed it into. Ralph is alone. His people either abandoned him, have been captured, or in Piggy's case, have died. Jack now has his rival on the run, with no one to save him. (Besides the littluns, who are less than useful) As for everyone else, this means the total loss of adult-like figures. The last of the logic has been swallowed by the sea. Ralph is running into the jungle, Jack's hunting grounds. Where else can he turn?
What were the numbers "supposed" to be? An image from South Park?
DeleteYou know they probably just made the worst mistake EVER. PIggy was the reason within all the boys they're stupid. But anyway, Piggy's death for Ralph represents the loss of his plans and logic. He only has the face of a good leader, no longer the mind. The death of Piggy for a whole represents the loss of all whatever was left of normal modern human society. Symbolically this represents all the common sense of the group is gone, other then ralph who has little left. I have a feeling soon every boy on the island will become barbaric just like Jack and his followers. But on the other hand, I think it's a good thing that Ralph destroyed the lord of the flies.
ReplyDeleteAt least Ralph won't have too much longer to suffer.
DeletePIggy's death symbolizes the death of reason on the island. Barbarism has taken over 100 %. Ralph is pretty much screwed now. He lost his whole tribe to jack and is all alone. The only way he can get out of this is with a montage inspired by Sylvester Stallone, which who has not been around yet, so he is definitely screwed. The entire group is now in the hands of Jack and how he handles the group. I think Jack will go crazy about killing Ralph and eventually will succeed. They are all doomed.
ReplyDeleteThe image of Ralph dressed as Rambo makes me chuckle, Mark. Maybe the next time Hollywood adapts "Lord of the Flies" ...
DeleteI agree with Mark that Ralph is definitely on the bad end of things now. He lost his main man Piggy, and the only friend who kept him thinking clearly. The conch being shattered as Piggy is killed is a sign of all order on the island being extinguished. Now Ralph has no one to be a sidekick and think things through with. He is an outcast and hated by Jack (and the savages are like an extension of him). There is no good leadership or rational thinking on the island anymore and things are going to go (even further) south quickly for everyone.
ReplyDeleteRalph without Piggy is like a day without sunshine.
Deleteit was probably the worst novel. The first savage act of the new "tribe" is the murder of Simon. The Lord of the Flies' prediction was a warning of the savagery that was to come on the island.Ralph without simon is like a day without sunshine.
ReplyDelete