Recognizing Author’s purpose and Tone

Your task: In a typed word document, you are to pick a passage from each chapter that you feel represents the title of that chapter. You are to quote the entire passage (to do this easily, find full text of the book online, locate the passage and copy and paste. Cite page numbers from your book). You must then write a paragraph explaining why you chose that passage. Additionally, You are to then choose music you feel best fits the passage you chose and the tone of the chapter. You will write a paragraph on why you chose that song. Finally, you will find a picture (and print it out) of what you think visually represents the passage/tone of the chapter. You will write a paragraph on why you chose that image. To recap:

  • Pick passage that represents title of chapter. Write a paragraph on why you picked that passage
  • Pick a song that fits the passage/tone of chapter. Write a paragraph on why you picked that song
  • Pick an image that represents that passage/tone of chapter. Write a paragraph on why you picked that image

Example:

Chapter 1 The Sound of the Shell

Passage:

“Signs of life were visible now on the beach. The sand, trembling beneath the heat haze, concealed many figures in its miles of length; boyswere making their way toward the platform through the hot, dumb sand.Three small children, no older than Johnny, appeared from startlinglyclose at hand, where they had been gorging fruit in the forest. A darklittle boy, not much younger than Piggy, parted a tangle of undergrowth,walked on to the platform, and smiled cheerfully at everybody. More and more of them came. Taking their cue from the innocent Johnny, they satdown on the fallen palm trunks and waited. Ralph continued to blowshort, penetrating blasts. Piggy moved among the crowd, asking namesand frowning to remember them. The children gave him the same simple obedience that they had given to the men with megaphones. Somewere naked and carrying their clothes; others half-naked, or more or lessdressed, in school uniforms, grey, blue, fawn, jacketed, or jerseyed. Therewere badges, mottoes even, stripes of color in stockings and pullovers.Their heads clustered above the trunks in the green shade; heads brown,fair, black, chestnut, sandy, mouse-colored; heads muttering, whispering,heads full of eyes that watched Ralph and speculated. Something wasbeing done” (17-18).

Explanation:

I chose this passage because it is the first time we hear the conch. All of the boys come to where the sound came from; it is the first gathering of everyone. We see that the boys still are civilized, although they are scared and shocked from the plane crash. This passage also exemplifies how powerful the conch will be, and how it solidifies the authority of whoever has it. The conch is representative of civilization; once the conch is shattered, all pretense of civility drops from the boys. The author’s purpose for titling the chapter The Sound of the Shell was to emphasize the role the conch will play throughout the novel.

Song:

“God Moving Over the Face of the Waters” Moby

Explanation:

I chose this song because it is both haunting and filled with hope. When I hear this song I can visualize the boys running to the sound of the conch, gathering around and feeling hopeful for some guidance. The song also sounds grand and majestic, rather how I picture the island to be—both beautiful and dangerous. The song exemplifies tone in this chapter because the boys are still civilized, yet a danger is apparent. They have hope that they will be rescued.

Picture

Explanation:

This picture has all of the elements of the island in Lord of the Flies. It has rocky outcroppings, dense forest, and beautiful beaches. Additionally, this shot is from late afternoon, which is when the action of the chapter starts. I can easily envision Ralph standing on the edge of the platform of rocks, blowing the conch and rousing the boys to the first meeting.

Chapter 2 Fire on the Mountain

Passage:

Song:

“Play with Fire” Cobra Verde

Explanation: