Starter quiz
- Which of the following is arguably the central theme of 'Lord of the Flies'?
- family
- love
- good vs evil ✓
- religion and faith
-
- What is symbolism?
- a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning
- the process of creating and developing characters in a story
- comparing two things in order to show the difference between them
- the use of images, words or nouns to represent abstract ideas or qualities ✓
-
- Which character never surrenders to savagery in 'Lord of the Flies'?
- Ralph
- Piggy
- Jack
- Roger
- Simon ✓
-
- What is the "beast" in 'Lord of the Flies'?
- a giant pig who preys on the boys
- the dead body of the littlun who died in the fire
- a figment of the boys' imaginations that represents fear ✓
- a ghost that the boys imagine haunts the island
-
- An ______ is when a writer makes references to another story or text.
- 'allusion' ✓
- Someone who ends up in prison has transgressed. What might 'to transgress' mean?
- to return to an earlier state of development
- to show an innoce and pure heart
- to break or fail to comply with a rule ✓
- to make reference to someone else's actions
-
Exit quiz
- Which of the following stories does Golding allude to 'Lord of the Flies'?
- Milton's 'Paradise Lost' ✓
- Keats' 'Lamia'
- The story of David and Goliath
- The Garden of Eden story ✓
-
- Where did the concept of 'original sin' supposedly come from?
- It came from the devil, Beelzebub, who fell from grace.
- Man inherited this evil from Adam, as part of his punishment for transgressing. ✓
- Milton coined the term as part of this 'Paradise Lost' poem.
-
- What might the fire in Chapter 2 of 'Lord of the Flies' symbolise?
- rebirth of each boy into more civilised characters
- the danger of Jack, also represented by his red hair
- the transition from paradise to hell for the island ✓
-
- Who is Beelzebub?
- Satan, the devil
- one of Satan's followers ✓
- one of Christ's followers
- an alternative name for Christ
-
- Which of the following sentences about 'Lord of the Flies' uses the word "virtuous" correctly?
- Jack was virtuous when he killed the pig.
- Despite the savagery around him, Simon remains virtuous. ✓
- Jack's mask gave him the appearance of a virtuous.
- Piggy's spectacles show his virtuous nature.
-
- Why might Golding have chosen the title 'Lord of the Flies' and alluded to Beelzebub?
- to illustrate that the pig head was a demon sent by Satan
- to illustrate that this novel is an exploration of innate evil ✓
- to show that Jack was acting on behalf of the devil
- to contrast with the novel's key theme: civilisation
- to illustrate that the novel will be about man's fall from grace ✓
-
Worksheet
Loading worksheet ...
Presentation
Loading presentation ...
Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Arguably, through the novel, Golding alludes to the 'Garden of Eden' story in the Bible.
- The Garden of Eden parable recounts the story of original sin - the idea that man is born innately sinful.
- Golding draws parallels between the boys' transgressions on the island and Adam and Eve's transgression in Genesis.
- Arguably, the "beast" inside man tempts man into sinning, thereby corrupting his virtuosity.
- Golding alludes to Milton’s 'Paradise Lost' by using a symbolic title that represents the concept of innate evil.
Common misconception
Students might try to draw parallels between Jack and the snake from the Garden of Eden.
Arguably, the temptation is not Jack himself, but the savagery and evil that resides within him. It is the "beast" within him that tempts him to evil.
Keywords
Allusion - when a writer makes references to another story or text
Transgression - an act that goes against a rule or law
Virtuous - innocent and pure of heart
To violate - to break or fail to comply with a rule
+