SHORT ANSWERS - LORD OF THE FLIES BY WILLIAM GOLDING

SHORT ANSWERS - LORD OF THE FLIES BY GOLDING

QUESTION NO. 33

Answer the following questions.

(i) Write the names of four novels of William Golding.
Ans. The major novels of William Golding are; Lord of Flies, The Inheritors, Pincher Martin, Free Fall, The Spire, The Pyramid, The Scorpion God, Darkness Visible, The Paper Men, To the Ends of the Earth, Rites of Passage, Close Quarters, Fire Down Below, The Double Tongue.
(ii) What is the setting of 'Lord of the Flies'?
Ans. "Lord of the Flies" takes place on an uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean probably in 1950. This island is tropical and has a jungle and beaches, and a mountain. Throughout the book, the setting is in different parts of the island.
(iii) What is the significance of the title 'Lord of the Flies'?
Ans. "Lord" is a word of power, and "Flies" connote death and decay. So "Lord of the Flies" is a power of corruption, decay and death. "Lord of the Flies" is also the popular translation of Beelzebub, who is either a demon or the devil himself. Simon calls the severed pig's head "Lord of the Flies" because he sees it as a manifestation of the boy's nature -- and possibly his own.
(iv) Why does Golding use British schoolboys in 'Lord of the Flies'?
Ans. Golding was British. He probably used British schoolboys to illustrate how even boy who have been brought up in a world of rules, regulations and the classics, who are the very epitome of civilization, can quickly revert to "savagery" if the right situation arises. He excluded girls because, in his own words, he did not want "sex to rear its ugly head".
(v) What are the major themes of 'Lord of the Flies'?
Ans. Civilization vs. savagery, individualism vs. community, man vs. Nature, speech and silence, rules and orders, loss of innocence, the nature of evil, dehumanization of relationships, the negative consequences of war, and effects of fear are the major themes of "Lord of Flies".
(vi) How do the boys happen to come to the island?
Ans. The boys are from Military School Britain. The time seems like World War II. They are being evacuated somewhere by a plane. Their plane crashes but they survive and happen to come to the island.
(vii) What is the role of religion in the lives of the boys?
Ans. Simon is a Christ like figure and other boys are devils. Like a religious person, Simon looks into his own heart and accepts that there is a beast within, and face it squarely. There is almost no role of religion in the lives of other boys who kill Simon.
(viii) What is the purpose of the expedition of Jack, Ralph and Simon?
Ans. There are two expeditions of Jack, Ralph and Simon. The purpose of first expedition in Chapter I is to find out if the land is actually an island. On the second expedition, the mission is to find the beast that Sam and Eric spotted.
(ix) What role does the conch play in 'Lord of the Flies'?
Ans. The conch is a symbol of social order, respect, decency and power. When the boys hold meetings around the camp fire, only the speaker who is holding the conch may address the crowd. The speaker with the conch is supposed to be respected by the group and heard. When the conch gets destroyed, the boys' civilized world also becomes unglued.
(x) How and why do the boys make fire?
Ans. Boys gather woods and make fire by using Piggy's glasses. They think that this fire may draw the attention of a plane or passing ship, and in turn, help facilitate their rescue.
(xi) Who or what is the Lord of the Flies?
Ans. "Lord" is a word of power, and "Flies" connote death and decay. So "Lord of the Flies" is a power of corruption, decay and death. "Lord of the Flies" is also the popular translation of Beelzebub, who is either a demon or the devil himself. Simon calls the severed pig's head "Lord of the Flies" because he sees it as a manifestation of the boy's nature -- and possibly his own.
(xii) Interpret 'The head is for the beast. It's a gift'.
Ans. This line is from Chapter 8 in "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding. This line is spoken by Jack. Jack and his hunters sharpen a stick at both ends and place the dismembered head of a pig on it as a kind of offering for the imaginary beast. It also shows boys' lust for blood.
(xiii) Interpret 'Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood'.
Ans. This line is from Chapter 9 in "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding. This line is, in fact, the boys' savage chant in the novel. It symbolizes the loss of reason and blind emotion. When boys get involved in it, nothing seems real, they lose their grip on reality. This is why the boys mistake Simon as the Beast and murder him.
(xiv) What does the dead parachutist symbolize?
Ans. The dead parachutist symbolizes; the civilization from which the boys have been cut off, a link to the adult world, the lack of adult supervision on the island, the lack of order on the island, the essence of the beast and the lord of the flies, savagery and evil in action.
(xv) Why does the boys' plan for rescue fail? 
Ans. The boys only had one plan for rescue, which was to keep a signal fire burning on the mountain top. One day Ralph spotted a passing ship. All the boys were on a pig hunt and the fire was left untended. The ship passed by and the boys remained unrescued.

Notes Prepared By: Prof. Shahbaz Asghar