LOTF Perspective Writing - Chapter Six

Lord of the Flies
Chapter 6 - Beast from Air
"The Beast with No Trace"
Perspective: Ralph

I can’t help but feel that I am isolated form the rest of the boys on the island. All they do is run about and play foolish games, and the only production they ever make, and the only thing that is ever on their minds, is hunting. But sometimes I feel embroiled between feeling self-pity and chastising myself for my moments of anger towards the boys. At night, for example, when I hear them whimpering in their sleep form their nightmares. They will only get worst tonight, after Samneric told their account of what happened at the signal fire. They had rushed up to me and told me, and so I had foolishly called for a meeting. A beast with razor-sharp claws, that leaves no trace or tracks will certainly frighten the boys. I was also jumpy after they had replayed their experience, and I wished that I wasn’t the leader and I could follow diffidently behind someone else. I now realize that what I was really wishing for was a grown up.

Jack and I decided to go and hunt down the beast in a place we called Castle Rock, down by the end of the lagoon where Jack said he hadn’t searched before. It was so far the only thing we had agreed on in a long time. I let Jack lead the way towards the Castle Rock. I was still set on my ambition to have a break from being the chief. There are so many responsibilities, and no one person should have to carry them all. On the way, the boys were energetic and a bit fearful at the thought of going to the beast’s lair. Once we had proceeded to the rock I took charge. If everyone expected Jack to lead, he would. I still feel like I am the strongest leader, and I try to control the boys, but soon enough Jack will have the boy’s respect instead of mine.

On the rock, we found no sign of life except for the guano on the rocks. Jack and I climbed to the top and once there, above the flailing water, the boys saw us and scrambled upon the rocks. They started playing on the rocks, pushing boulders off the cliff, losing the purpose of the expedition. There was still a beast on the island and they were playing fort games? I had to remind them that we were nevertheless searching for the beast, and they mutinously obeyed.

Living on this island seems interminable. Will we ever get rescued?




In Chapter 5, Ralph asks for something grownup or sign. Later on in the beginning of Chapter Six, during when all the boys are sleeping there are planes battling over the island. An aviator attempts to parachute out of the plane, but is killed in the process. The wind drifts him over to the mountain on the island where the stranded boys are sleeping. He is thrown about on the rocks until he gets caught.

LOTF Perspective Writing - Chapter Five

Lord of the Flies
Chapter 5 - Beast from Water
"Rules to Civilization"
Perspective: Simon

The light from the signal fire flickers on my face as I warily watch the dark, dense forest around me. I restlessly peer into the shadowed trees and wish I could go hide under the creepers with slivers of moonlight shining through. But Ralph asked me to watch over the fire and I agreed. I would much rather get rescued than be comfortable and at ease.
Ralph’s new rules are a good idea for the island. Hopefully everyone follows them, especially the rule about the signal fire. We also need better shelter, and the rule about drinking water should be followed through too. Even though they are great ideas, I fear that everything is falling apart too quickly that they will not be followed through in time to prevent mankind’s essential illness. So far, I think that the nighttime meeting was the worst so far. The air between Ralph and Jack has become tempestuous and that can’t lead to decorum between them.. The other boys will follow their lead and either join Ralph or Jack.
The littluns are an effigy of hopelessness, screaming in their sleep with no one to help them. The discursive story the little boy told us at the meeting was an example of what they dream about. Twisty things and beasts couldn’t be real, it is a ludicrous idea, but I wonder if the shadow he saw was truly me, or some other boy. I doubt it could be a beast, but the little boy, Percival brought up an interesting suggestion. The poor thing was too scared to say it around all of the older boys who had already countered his thought, but when he did say it I don’t think any of us had every thought of it before. Could there really be a beastie, and could it really come from the sea? Who are we to judge, as we are just some foolish boys, stuck on an island and subject to mankind’s essential illness: evil. I can tell that some boys have it already, like Roger, and Jack is beginning to show signs of it. Could Ralph or I ever become evil and malicious like them?
I hope Ralph’s plan to set things strait on this island works, or we could all become savage.

LOTF Perspective Writing - Chapter Four

Lord of the Flies
Chapter 4 – Painted Faces and Long Hair
“The Beginning of What Could Happen”
Perspective: Simon

A warm breeze brushes my tangled hair away from my face. It is reaching my shoulder now, showing how long we have been on this forsaken island. Tropical birds chirp but give no hint to where they perch, hidden in the palms. The blatant sounds from the littluns playing on the beach mingles with the susurration of the waves crashing against the reef and numbs my mind from what happened this afternoon. Then the underbrush rustles behind me and I hear a pig squeal and I am jolted back into my memory. The malevolent look on Jack’s face appears in my thoughts and the scene automatically replays itself.

Jack’s eyes glint beneath his painted face before he shoves his bloody fist into Piggy’s soft stomach. Piggy doubles over to look at the burned, bare earth. His shrill voice rings out as he criticizes Jack, and Jack’s hand swings towards Piggy’s face and his glasses get knocked to the ground.

I fear that this is just the beginning of what could happen on this island if we aren’t rescued soon. The atmosphere on this island has become bad, even wicked at times. Little Johnny told me Roger was throwing stones at him. Later on I walk up to see Johnny teasing a smaller child. Some of the older boys are not good influences on them, and I worry that if the older boys don’t watch out for them, something worse could happen. I try my best, but there are too many. It crushes me to hear them crying for their mothers and tossing at the mercy of bad dreams at night, when the darkness eats up all of the good thoughts. The sun and the light is like a balm for them; during the day, they spend most of their time playing with the others on the beach, like the ones in front of me are doing so now.

It is hard adjusting to this new life on the island, whereas the littluns play and eat all day, us older ones barely have time for play, as we work hard to make a suitable shelter and find food. And most importantly, trying to get ourselves rescued. We were so close today. The thin line of gray smoke I saw today, just over the horizon taunts me; I keep seeing make-believe ships on the ocean. If only the smoke signal was burning on the top of the mountain, we could all be in fresh clothes and heading home to our families. Jack should have told the hunter who were in charge of the signal fire to stay there. He was so irresponsible! Him and his masks; he feels like he can do anything with it on. It was like he was impalpable to sympathy and regret when he had it on. But he came back with a dead pig hanging on a stick, black gouts dropping from her, and smiling like he was possessed.

LOTF Perspective Writing - Chapter Three

Lord of the Flies
Chapter Three - Huts on the Beach
"Pigs"
Perspective: Jack

We need pigs. We need meat. Ralph doesn’t understand that without meat, we have no protein, and without protein he can’t build those silly huts. He was so rapt about them that he couldn’t realize that. He wasn’t doing a very good job with them either. They were made out of old palm trees and were very unstable; one touch could cause it to fall apart at your feet. Maybe it is because the boys who were supposed to be carrying out the building ignored the orders. If I were chief, the huts would be built well, and with plenty of work form the boys. But we don’t even need shelter; the weather is fine and Ralph is making too much of a wizard about the littluns. They are fine on their own. They took care of themselves the very first night on the island, so why can’t they do it now?

I can’t wait until tomorrow when I can hike up to the declivities where the pigs are. They way I see it, finding meat seems to be our only vicissitude. I was so close today. It kills me that I didn't get it; it was right in front of me! Next time, when I hear the hard castanet sound of the wild pigs hoofs, I will kill. It’s a compulsion I feel, deep in my gut, and I intend to follow it. If I don’t get a pig in time as well, people might start thinking I am weak, and they won’t respect me. There will be susurration from it. Yes, next time, I have to kill.

One thing concerns me. Simon. He always vanishes, and for long periods of time. What is he up to? Could he a found something useful? Useful? But Simon doesn’t seem like a kind of person to hoard things for himself. He is always giving and helping. I should know. He was in my choir. But it still makes me uneasy.

I like this island, and it fun being the hunter. If I become chief it would be even better.
I think … I think it would be okay if we stayed here … if we never get rescued.

LOTF Perspective Writing - Chapter Two

Lord of the Flies
Chapter 2 – Fire on the Mountain
“No More Handstands”
Perspective: Ralph

Journal,

The first day of being chief has taken a turn for the worse. I don’t even feel like doing a handstand anymore.

After going on a glorifying journey and being welcomed back with applause, I find myself partially responsible for a blazing wildfire, savaging down the mountain. I must admit I did get caught up in the ebullience of building the fire. With the setting sun warming my back and the fresh air in my lungs, a kind of glamor was set upon us and I suffered the cost of getting caught up in it. At first, the boys became officious and set off on their own but then I followed them and led them blindly into creating a fire which got out of control and destroyed part of our island, along with all of the useful and accessible fruit and wild pigs. Now that I think back, Jack was the one who errantly led the group of boys in the beginning. Perhaps I should be cautious with him as he also yelled and insulted Piggy. As much as he annoys me, some of the points Piggy made at the top of the mountain made sense. I dare not to agree with him opening for the boys may not respect me as their chief. I wonder if Piggy is right about the boy with the mark on his face; the one who brought up that crazy story about a beastie. Could he have gotten in the way of the flame? Could he really be…dead? But maybe Piggy was wrong and the little boy could be somewhere else in the forest, stuffing himself, along with some other little boys, with fruit. I question if that beastie/snake-thing is real. It is probably just some nightmare the boy had, but it frightens some of the younger kids. That is concerning, for they could get out of hand with panic and fear.

We can’t stay on this island forever. As for a rescue plan, I believe making a signal fire is a good idea, but we must be much more careful next time. If it gets out of hand again, who knows what enormities could happen. We can get all of the younger boys to help collect wood, but send them away after a leave some of Jacks choir to make the flame with Piggy’s specks. I don’t regret that Jack pinched Piggy’s specks; it was a good idea and now we have a way to make fire whenever we want. In the mean time, perhaps I can induce the boys to make shelter huts like Piggy suggested. This is a good island, and while we are here we might as well do it right and be happy with it.

I hope I am a good chief from now on. I think I was the best choice anyway. Piggy has good ideas, but he doesn’t speak well, and jack rushes into things, although he seems like a strong leader. Lastly, I am different from them, all of them, because I have the conch. As I lie in bed next to the conch, thinking about the day, I worry that we might never be rescued. Maybe no one will ever find us, and we will be stuck on this island until the day we die.

LOTF Perspective Writing - Chapter One

Lord of the Flies
Chapter 1 – The Sound of the Shell
“What About My Asthma?”
Perspective: Piggy

Dear Diary,

The heat is all around me as I sit here writing this. Even under the shade of the palm fronds, the high temperature penetrates the air and I can feel sweat covering my forehead and dripping off my nose. Like a pig. No, don’t think of that. I have to admit, the island is very beautiful. The beach seems endless and the effulgence of the sand makes it hard to look at. If we weren't in such a situation like this I would enjoy myself.

I sit on a large rock, away from the herd of boys and next to the scar from the plane crash. The only reason I am writing this is because there are no prying eyes. They would probably laugh at me anyway. I see them, even know when they are not from my old school, snigger and point and call me “Piggy” under their breaths. I am still horrified that Ralph told all of the boys on the island what they called me at my old school. I put my trust in him and he betrayed me. I even see the conch and tell him how to use it, and then he turns around and uses it to become chief. The least he could have done would be to take me along with them as he explore the island, but he had to take the precentor, Jack Merridew. He doesn’t seem very trustworthy, and I don’t think Ralph should put his faith in him. His choir seems all right, but I worry what will happen if Jack gets angry. They are a large bunch of boys, and could easily overtake Ralph if they wanted too. The little black haired boy with the pallor and the faints isn’t much better either. Either way, if I did go I suppose I would slow them down with my asthma. I have to be very careful with my asthma.

Ralph seems fit for a leader, he commands much respect and incredulously the little children almost treat him like an adult. His intentions are good, but sometimes I feel like he doesn't listen to me. He is the best we have, I suppose.

The people on the plane really should have at least left one adult in the cabin. That way, we wouldn’t be going through all this.

If I Were Stranded on an Island

If I were stranded on an island and I could bring three people, one person I would take with me would be my dad. I would bring him because when you are stuck on an island you can panic, which can lead to carelessness, and I think my dad would comfort me. I also chose to bring him because he is a physician, and so he could oversee everyone’s health. The last two reasons I chose to bring him is because he can help think of what to do when we are stranded on an island and because he has had some camping experience. Another person I would bring would be the construction worker who is working on the house across the street from mine, because when we are on the island we need shelter and so he could supervise the building. The last person I would take with me to the deserted island, I would bring my friend Mari from Japan because I barely ever get to see her and what better time is there to chat than when you are stuck on an island. I would also bring her because she can also plan what to do when we are stuck on an island.

One item I would bring with me to an inhabited island would be a two-way, manual radio, because if no one knows where we are or that we are lost and stuck on an island, we could radio in and send for help. Another thing I would take with me would be a Swiss Army knife, because it has many purposes. It can be used to capture and kill an animal, cut things, first aid, and much more. The last thing I would bring would be a survival guidebook. A survival guidebook is useful because it can tell you how to create a shelter, make a fire, and show you which plants to eat.

With these people and items, I think I could survive on an island until help comes.