Name ______
Chapter 6
Literary Elements – the parts or ‘elements’ of a story
Theme – the main idea or underlying meaning of a literary work; they often have to do
with widely held human concerns such as love, death, justice, happiness, etc.; the
big idea that a story conveys about life
civilization vs. savagery
“This is more than a hunter’s job,” said Ralph at last,
because you can’t track the beast. And don’t you want to
be rescued?”
He turned to the assembly.
“Don’t you all want to be rescued?”
He looked at Jack.
“I said before, the fire is the main thing. Now the fire
must be out –“ (pg.102)
How does this discussion between Ralph, Jack and the other boys support the theme of a
conflict between civilization and savagery? ______
innate evil
Once Jack and Ralph reach ‘Castle Rock’ they each have very different thoughts. Ralph, of course, thinks about the signal fire and rescue. Here are Jack’s thoughts:
“Side by side they scaled the last height to where
the diminishing pile was crowned by the last broken
rock. … ‘Shove a palm trunk under that and if an
enemy came … One heave’ , cried Jack, exulting,
‘and – wheee --!’ “ (pg. 106)
How do his thoughts show ‘evil’? ______
______
Conflict -- a struggle
External Conflict – the main character struggles with another person or with an
outside force, like nature or rules
person vs. society -- the values and customs by which everyone else lives are
being challenged
“’Conch! Conch!’ shouted Jack. ‘We don’t need the
conch anymore. We know who ought to say things.
… It’s time some people knew they’ve got to keep
quiet and leave deciding to the rest of us.’
Ralph could no longer ignore his speech. The blood
was hot in his cheeks.
‘You haven’t got the conch, ‘he said. ‘Sit down.’ (pg. 102)
PersonvsSociety/rules
Who is involved?______
What is the problem? ______
______
______
Literary Techniques/ Devices ( tools used by an author to
improve their writing)
Personification – a figure of speech which gives the qualities of a person to an animal, an object, or an idea. It is a comparison which the author uses to show something in an entirely new light, to communicate a certain feeling or attitude towards it and to control the way a reader perceives it.
“Soon the darkness was full of claws, full of the
awful unknown and menace.” (pg. 99)
The ______is given human qualities to help the reader understand
how afraid the boys were of darkness. The dark does not have ______,
but it is scary because people cannot see what is hiding in the dark.
Flashback – insertion of a scene or an event that took place in the past, it often
appears as a memory
“Ralph was dreaming. He had fallen asleep after
what seemed like hours of tossing and turning….
he was back to where he came from, feeding the ponies
sugar over the garden wall.” (pg. 98)
Why do you think the author tells us about Ralph’s dream? ______
Symbol --something that stands both for itself and an idea or concept
the conch -- civilization and order
“’Conch! Conch!’ shouted Jack. ‘We don’t need the
conch anymore. We know who ought to say things.
… It’s time some people knew they’ve got to keep
quiet and leave deciding to the rest of us.’
Ralph could no longer ignore his speech. The blood
was hot in his cheeks.
‘You haven’t got the conch, ‘he said. ‘Sit down.’ (pg. 102)
This passage demonstrates a conflict between Jack and the rules that were set up by the group when they first arrived on the island. We know that the conch stands for ‘civilization’ and ‘order’.
What does Jack’s idea of the conch mean or symbolize? ______
______
______
What does Ralph’s idea of the conch mean or symbolize? ______
______
______