Rookie
04-20-2006, 08:58 PM
When you read a book in English Class you get everything out of it you possibly can. Animal Farm was particularly enjoyable to read as a class because of its analogies and metaphors.
Well more recently we did Lord of the Flies. The basic plot is a bunch of kids get stranded on an island with no adult supervision. They try to survive and shtuff.
Well pretty soon Jack, one of the leaders starts to cause mayhem and turn a group of kids into a bunch of savages and such.
This is a very interesting book with many views on our society. This is a very interesting book, but also kinda weird. some people in my class were traumatized by it (not literally but really freaked out). I.E.the death of Piggy via giant boulder squishage or death of simon
So one of the theme's was basically without authority and laws society begins to degrade. Jack is a key player by forming his own tribe and the tribal dances and stuff. He is able to get away with it because ralph is never able to enforce his laws.
The island is like a smaller scale of the world and each character has its own representations for example:
Ralph- Democracy
Jack- Savagery (possibly communism)
Roger- Evil
Piggy- Society and Order
Simon- Christ-like, Good
The Conch- Order, Democracy
The Scar- Man's impact on nature.
Its a very interesting book. But there are several things that went wrong and i have compiled a list of things that might have been done. Anybody who has read it before may or may not agree, comments are welcome.
1. Ralph, when he is elected leader, should have set up a police force to enforce his laws. A KGB like the USSR's would work nicely. In fact, a dictatorship would have worked nicely. The kids keep disobeying Ralph and there are constant mutinees made against him, so an iron (yet caring) fist would put the brats in line.
2. The shelters should have been strategically placed instead of willy-nilly at some random spot near the beach. They had plenty of places to choose from, but they chose that random spot. Nice one guys.
3. Jack is the source of the troubles. He organizes all attempts to tick off Ralph. He is the one who disobeys every order, like hunting without ralphs consent. The first option is to: maim him. the second is to have him imprsioned. a nice cage, or a hole with a caved in entrance would work nicely. Jack is the leader of the rebellions, without Jack the potential for rebellion is severely reduced.
4. Roger, the bully of little kids and all-around mean dude, must also be eliminated. A negative impact on a developing society is not good for moral or the economy. If there is a constant distraction, it will collapse. Roger may be dealt with in the same way (possibly the same time) as Jack. With two threats eliminated you can begin to organize a society.
5. Food must be dealt with as a group in a civilized manner. With Jack out of the way, there will be no tribal dances. Tribal Dances always result in violence. (first tribal dance resulted in Piggys glasses breaking, second in beating, third in killing of Simon). So with tribal dances eliminated there is no risk of harm or loss of group members. Any tribal dances will be hunted down by the KGB of the island.
6. The conch is clearly an authority device which must be used to full effectiveness. It is used to call meetings and also indicates who is speaking by who holds it. In this new point in time, an official of the KGB will hold the conch at all times and stand by whoever speaks and other KGB will be strategically placed in the assembly. Anybody who speaks out of turn shall be shallacked with a large stick designated for this purpose. Therefore, the interuptions during meetings will be kept to a minimum and things will be accomplished.
7. Piggy, the fat kid with asthma, would be Ralphs trusted lieutenant. Piggy has an understanding of situations that the others do not. But due to his vulnerability he would be flanked by his own personal gaurds. This would enforce a respect. All advice given would be heeded. in every movie, the trusted lieutenant is ignored and bad things result from this. Piggy is after all, the trusted lieutenant.
8. The small children would be educated in the ways of the world so that they did not get stupid and get away with doing nothing. In the book, they do nothing but eat, sleep, pee, and poop and make the others nervous with their talk of monsters in the woods. There would also be religous services regularly and use religion to bring them into Ralph's flock. It would also keep them in touch with society and how to behave like civilized humans.
9. To get rescued they need a large bonfire on a high point where a gaurd would constantly be. They would not light the fire until a plane or ship was spotted. Green plants would be used to ensure smoke. Thus burning material is not wasted and the business of maintaining a fire is eliminated. A fire suddenly appearing is more attention getting than one that has constantly been going.
10. Release all prisoners that have been arrested during the reign and allow them to return home if they are not killed first. It is the responsibility to make sure everyone gets home if possible.
So if you've read it, what was your take and how would you have done it?
(We're currently reading Farenheit 451 so there may be a write-up for that later)
Well more recently we did Lord of the Flies. The basic plot is a bunch of kids get stranded on an island with no adult supervision. They try to survive and shtuff.
Well pretty soon Jack, one of the leaders starts to cause mayhem and turn a group of kids into a bunch of savages and such.
This is a very interesting book with many views on our society. This is a very interesting book, but also kinda weird. some people in my class were traumatized by it (not literally but really freaked out). I.E.the death of Piggy via giant boulder squishage or death of simon
So one of the theme's was basically without authority and laws society begins to degrade. Jack is a key player by forming his own tribe and the tribal dances and stuff. He is able to get away with it because ralph is never able to enforce his laws.
The island is like a smaller scale of the world and each character has its own representations for example:
Ralph- Democracy
Jack- Savagery (possibly communism)
Roger- Evil
Piggy- Society and Order
Simon- Christ-like, Good
The Conch- Order, Democracy
The Scar- Man's impact on nature.
Its a very interesting book. But there are several things that went wrong and i have compiled a list of things that might have been done. Anybody who has read it before may or may not agree, comments are welcome.
1. Ralph, when he is elected leader, should have set up a police force to enforce his laws. A KGB like the USSR's would work nicely. In fact, a dictatorship would have worked nicely. The kids keep disobeying Ralph and there are constant mutinees made against him, so an iron (yet caring) fist would put the brats in line.
2. The shelters should have been strategically placed instead of willy-nilly at some random spot near the beach. They had plenty of places to choose from, but they chose that random spot. Nice one guys.
3. Jack is the source of the troubles. He organizes all attempts to tick off Ralph. He is the one who disobeys every order, like hunting without ralphs consent. The first option is to: maim him. the second is to have him imprsioned. a nice cage, or a hole with a caved in entrance would work nicely. Jack is the leader of the rebellions, without Jack the potential for rebellion is severely reduced.
4. Roger, the bully of little kids and all-around mean dude, must also be eliminated. A negative impact on a developing society is not good for moral or the economy. If there is a constant distraction, it will collapse. Roger may be dealt with in the same way (possibly the same time) as Jack. With two threats eliminated you can begin to organize a society.
5. Food must be dealt with as a group in a civilized manner. With Jack out of the way, there will be no tribal dances. Tribal Dances always result in violence. (first tribal dance resulted in Piggys glasses breaking, second in beating, third in killing of Simon). So with tribal dances eliminated there is no risk of harm or loss of group members. Any tribal dances will be hunted down by the KGB of the island.
6. The conch is clearly an authority device which must be used to full effectiveness. It is used to call meetings and also indicates who is speaking by who holds it. In this new point in time, an official of the KGB will hold the conch at all times and stand by whoever speaks and other KGB will be strategically placed in the assembly. Anybody who speaks out of turn shall be shallacked with a large stick designated for this purpose. Therefore, the interuptions during meetings will be kept to a minimum and things will be accomplished.
7. Piggy, the fat kid with asthma, would be Ralphs trusted lieutenant. Piggy has an understanding of situations that the others do not. But due to his vulnerability he would be flanked by his own personal gaurds. This would enforce a respect. All advice given would be heeded. in every movie, the trusted lieutenant is ignored and bad things result from this. Piggy is after all, the trusted lieutenant.
8. The small children would be educated in the ways of the world so that they did not get stupid and get away with doing nothing. In the book, they do nothing but eat, sleep, pee, and poop and make the others nervous with their talk of monsters in the woods. There would also be religous services regularly and use religion to bring them into Ralph's flock. It would also keep them in touch with society and how to behave like civilized humans.
9. To get rescued they need a large bonfire on a high point where a gaurd would constantly be. They would not light the fire until a plane or ship was spotted. Green plants would be used to ensure smoke. Thus burning material is not wasted and the business of maintaining a fire is eliminated. A fire suddenly appearing is more attention getting than one that has constantly been going.
10. Release all prisoners that have been arrested during the reign and allow them to return home if they are not killed first. It is the responsibility to make sure everyone gets home if possible.
So if you've read it, what was your take and how would you have done it?
(We're currently reading Farenheit 451 so there may be a write-up for that later)