C H A P T E R 9 & 10
Chapter 9: A View to a Death
&
Chapter 10: The Shell and the Glasses
A death has shaken up the island
What is civilization to the boys without the conch or the specs?
Vocabulary
BOURDON (164): a low-pitched tone
("...the crackle of the fire was the loudest noise over the bourdon of the reef.")
FESTOONED (161): a decorative representation
("Presently the creepers festooned the trees less frequently...")
CONVULSIVE (184): characterized by convulsions (contortion of the body caused by violent,involuntary muscular contractions)
("He could feel Piggy's head against his shoulder and the convulsive grip of a hand.")
UNGAINLY (179): not graceful, clumsy or awkward
("Ralph remebered the ungainly figure on a parachute.')
Plot of Chapter 9
Plot of Chapter 10
-
Simon woke up with a bloody nose and saw the dead parachutist and realized that there was no beast
-
Piggy and Ralph decided to join Jack's group to make sure nothing happens and their friendships rekindle
-
Tension rose as Jack and Ralph argued about power and authority as usual
-
It started raining/thundering and out of excitment, Jack and his tribe danced, including Ralph and Piggy
-
Simon stumbled out of the forest, in hopes to tell the boys about his discovery but they mistake him for the beast and kill him like how they killed a pig
-
The wind take the dead parachutist towards the beach and out to the sea, followed by Simon's body
-
Both Ralph and Piggy were uncomfortable at the thought of Simon's murder and became scared (of themselves)
-
Jack invaded Ralph's camp and acttacked them, Piggy realized they stole his specs
-
Ralph still thinks the conch as valuable (oblivious to Jack wanting the glasses)
Literary Device
"Softly, surrounded by a fringe of inquisitive bright constellations, Simon's body moved out towards the open sea." (Narrator-169)
SYMBOLIZED Christ's death for everyone else's sins but it is hinted that Simon may be Christ
"Even when the vessel broke in Simon's nose and the blood gushed out they left him alone, preferring the pig's high flavour. With running of blood Simon's fit passed into the weariness of sleep" (Narrator-160)
FORESHADOWED Simon's death
"A fist withdrew and came back like a piston, so that the whole shelter exploded into light." (Narrator-185) SIMILE AND HYBERBOLE
Passage Study
"The strange, attendant creatures, with their fiery eyes and trailing vapours, busied themselves round his head. The body lifted a fraction of an inch from the sand and a bubble of air escaped from the mouth with a wet plop. The it turned gently in the water." (Narrator-170)
From this passage, to me it seemed that Simon's body being pulled into the tides by the moon was Christ being taken up to heaven. Similarly, Simon died for eveyone's sins. If Simon was Christ, then Lord of the Flies must be satin. This was really fascinating to realize that William Golding had associated the book to Christ and Satin more than I have expected. It was a passage that was very overwhelming.
"He was a chief now in truth; and he made stabbing motions with his spear. From his left hand dangled Piggy's broken glasses." (Narrator-186)
I think Golding descriped Jack's lack of care for civilization perfectly. Jack wasn't holding but dangling one of the two symbols of civilization on the island and he didn't care too much about it. I assumed that Jack was proud that he raided the camp and injured the boys because of his violent and savage personality.
Reader's Response
These two chapters were very mind-boggling and just so profound. As we talked in our chapter chats, I discovered more to the characters than I originally thought. For instance, Simon possibly representing Christ was mind blowing. I couldn't believe what the boys did to Simon, especially reading that they tore and bite into him. I can assume that the hopes of being rescued is slowly fading by their increasing savage behaviours.
