Skip to main content

Can anyone provide me with the quote in William Golding's Lord of the Flies where Piggy first suggests making a list?

In chapter 1 when Piggy and Ralph have not yet met any of the other boys, Piggy asks Ralph his name and expects Ralph to ask him his name. To remind Ralph to return the courtesy, Piggy says, "I expect we'll want to know all their names ... and make a list." He then suggests having a meeting. Ralph doesn't take the hint, and doesn't continue the conversation, so Piggy ends up revealing his nickname...

In chapter 1 when Piggy and Ralph have not yet met any of the other boys, Piggy asks Ralph his name and expects Ralph to ask him his name. To remind Ralph to return the courtesy, Piggy says, "I expect we'll want to know all their names ... and make a list." He then suggests having a meeting. Ralph doesn't take the hint, and doesn't continue the conversation, so Piggy ends up revealing his nickname rather than his real name. That does catch Ralph's attention, and he immediately begins teasing Piggy. 


Later, Ralph throws the idea of the list back in Piggy's face. Piggy tries to get each boy's name as he appears while Ralph is blowing the conch. He shouts each name out at Ralph, but Ralph shows no interest. During the first meeting, Piggy says, "We got most names. ... Got 'em just now." Piggy is trying to be useful as well as trying to impress Ralph. Nevertheless, Ralph spurns Piggy when choosing two boys to explore the island. He tells Piggy to remain behind and take names. In chapter 2 when the boys build the first fire that gets out of control, Piggy laments that the boys haven't "put first things first." They have played at building a fire before taking account of all the littluns. Ralph shoots back at him, "I told you to get a list of names!" Ralph unfairly blames Piggy for not taking the responsibility that Ralph didn't take seriously. 


In chapter 8, when Jack has left the group, taking most of the biguns with him, Ralph becomes more interested in making a list than Piggy is. Ralph says, "We'll have to make a new list of who's to look after the fire." Piggy replies, "If you can find 'em." When Ralph reiterates, "We've got to have a list," Piggy "leaned forward and put a fragment of wood on the fire." He replies without matching Ralph's level of concern, "I expect they've gone. I expect they won't play either." The role reversal between Piggy and Ralph and their interest in lists is ironic and unfortunate. If Ralph and Piggy had seen eye to eye and respected each other's point of view more, the boys would have been better off.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Can you analyze the poem "Absolution" by Siegfried Sassoon?

Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems. This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder. "Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and... Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems. This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder. "Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and the v...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more