Wednesday & Friday, 30 September and 2 October

Pardon the late entries. Mr. Zartler was absent on Friday.

On Wednesday of last week students primarily worked on the Text Interactions assignment and completed their notes about Freud: The Ego, The Id, and the Super Ego.


Students took a test on Chapters 1-6 on Friday. Any student who missed the test should see Mr. Zartler immediately for a make up assignment.

Students also worked on writing two paragraphs about symbols in Chapter 5 here is that assignment:

Symbols in Chapter 5 of Lord of the Flies

As we have been studying Lord of the Flies, we have been focusing on several important symbols: The Conch; Rules; The way the boys look; Hunting; Pigs; Piggy’s Glasses; knife.

Most of Chapter 5 is about a meeting the boys have. Below are nine quotes, mostly from the meeting. You are to pick at least three of these quotes and to write a paragraph that explains the relationship of the quote to one of more of the symbols above. Try to write about more than the literal relationship of the symbols and the quotes.

On the first page of this chapter the reader is told what Ralph is thinking, it says, “This meeting must not be fun, but business” (76).

Later it says, “Ralph moved impatiently. The trouble was, if you were a chief you had to think , you hd to be wise…. This made you think; because thought was a valuable thing, that got results …. Only, decided Ralph as he faced the chief’s seat, I can’t think. Not like Piggy.” (8 )

During the important meeting in Chapter 5 “Beast from Water” Ralph says, “We need an assembly. Not for fun. Not for laughing and falling off the log, not for making jokes, or for”—[Ralph] lifted the conch in an effort to find the compelling word—“for cleverness. Not for these things. But to put things straight.” (79)

Ralph says during the meeting, “You hunters! You can laugh! But I tell you the smoke is more important than the pig however often you kill one. Do all of you see?” (81)

Jack talks later in the meeting he says, “And as for the fear—you’ll have to put up with that like the rest of us. The thins is—fear can’t hurt you any more than a dream. There aren’t any beasts to be afraid of on this island.” He looked along the row of whispering litlteluns. “Serve you right if something did get you, you useless lot of cry-babies!” (82)

Later in the meeting Jack says, “Well then—I’ve been all over this island. By myself. If there were a beast I’d have seen it. Be frightened because your like that—but there is no beast in the forest.” (83)

Percival tells the kids that the beast comes from the sea. Then later Simon speaks. He is asked if he believes in the beast and his answer is, “What I mean is … maybe it’s only us.” (89)

Later Jack keeps interrupting Piggy, Ralph tells him to be quiet because Piggy has the conch. Jack says, “Who cares?”

Ralph answers, “Because the rules are the only thing we’ve got!”

Jack’s reply is, “Bullocks to the rules!” (91)

Piggy sums up his thoughts on page 93, “If Jack was chief he’d have all hunting and no fire. We’d be here till we died.”