Chapter 2 Fire on the Mountain (30-47)

Worksheet on William Golding’s dystopian novel Lord of the Flies

Chapter 2 “ Fire on the Mountain” (30-47)

1. (a) What skill does Ralph discover he has at their evening meeting? (b) When the boys report on their exploration, they describe its positive features – food, drink, flowers, etc. They associate it with three well-know adventure novels – name them. (c) What decision is made at this assembly? (Note the conch, the hunting, and eventually the decision about the fire.)

2. (a) How does the boy with the birthmark cause a problem? What two words does he use? (b) What is Ralph’s response to him? (c) What is Jack’s reaction? How does it differ from Ralph’s?

3. Ralph as leader: According to Ralph, what should be their two goals? Which of the two is more important?

4. Conflict: (a) Why do the boys grab Piggy's glasses? (b) How does Piggy feel? (c) What new rule does Jack try to make concerning the conch? (d) Whose side does Simon now seem to be on? (e) The crisis passes (for now); what does Jack say about why they should obey rules? (f) What responsibility does Jack volunteer his “hunters” for? (g) Read carefully the passage in which they realize that the fire they thought had gone out is actually burning again. Comment on these lines: “The knowledge and awe made him savage” and ”Piggy glanced nervously into hell and cradled the conch. “ Make 2-3 predictions about what this episode might foreshadow.

5. (a) What is the intended purpose of the first fire, and (b) what are its actual results? (c) Note the imagery: what do the boys think the burning creepers look like?

Chapter 3 “Huts on the Beach” (48-59)

1. Give three or four of the clues that tell you that time has passed between Chapters 2 and 3. 2. What differences are developing between Ralph and Jack? (Name two or three.) 3. (a) What words are used by Ralph and Jack to ridicule the fears of the littluns and others? (b) What words might be used today? 4. Golding, the author, says, "They walked along, two continents of experience and feeling, unable to communicate." (a) To whom does this refer, and (b) what does it mean? 5. (a) Where does Simon go, and why? (b) What does this tell us about him?