Fourth Quarter Journal Assignments

  1. Journal One: Post your Guided Imagery Essay here. Click on the link for the prompt sheet.
  2. Journal Two: Answer one of the following questions. If you can't get 400 words, answer more than one question.
    1. Discuss the passage on page 81 in which Ralph says, "You hunters! You can laugh! But I tell you the smoke is more important than the pig. We've got to make smoke up there or die!" Why does Ralph say this? What does it mean? What is the symbolism of "smoke" and "pig" in the context of this passage of the novel?
    2. Discuss the passages on page 83 and 84, when first Jack then Piggy address the assembly in an attempt to calm growing fears about a "beast" on the island. How does Jack suggest dealing with the fear? How does Piggy attempt to reassure people? How do you think each of them might deal with the threat of terrorism?
    3. Discuss the connection between the following two passages. On page 37, Ralph says, "My father's in the Navy. He said there aren't any unknown islands left. He says the Queen has a big room full of maps and all the islands in the world are drawn there. So the Queen's got a picture of this island." On page 88, Maurice says, "Daddy said they haven't found all the animals in the sea yet." What situations prompt each of the two responses? What is the deeper meaning of each response?
    4. Discuss the following passage, describing a point toward the end of the meeting when discussion of "the beast" has spiraled out of control. The group decides to take a vote on whether or not ghosts exist. What are the limitations to this approach to the issue? What is funny or ironic or satirical about this scene? What commentary does it make about the limits of "rational" government--decisions made by the democratic process?
    5. Discuss the following passage. In response to the debate among the group about the existence of the beast or of ghosts, Piggy says to Ralph, "[Of] Course there aren't [ghosts]. Cos things wouldn't make sense. Houses an' streets, an' TV--they wouldn't work." Why does he say this? What does he mean by it? What commentary do Piggy's comments make about our own level of comfort with the "irrational" forces of nature?
  3. Journal Three: Interpret Simon's conversation with the beast (143 to 144) as an example of a "Hero's Journey". How do the various components of the Hero's Journey (separation, initiation, return) map onto Golding's description of Simon's vision? What is the essential insight that Simon obtains in his encounter with the "beast"? (Possible Hint: Why does Simon say at one point, "Pig's head on a stick"?) If you still need more writing to get to 400 words, relate this passage to anything else it reminds you of in literature or life.
  4. Journal Four: Choose one of the poems from your Romantic Poetry Anthology, and discuss how it shows some traits of the Romantic worldview, as defined by the Romanticism Handout we went over in class. Here are two more Romantic poems that might be easier to write about.
  5. Journal Five: Discuss connections you see between Lord of the Flies and your own experiences or observations about human society. In what ways is the book like real life? You should feel free to discuss connections between the book and your Virtual Jungle experience.
  6. Journal Six: You can make back one point you lost on the Virtual Jungle Project for every 100 words you write--up to 38 points. You can write about the experience of doing the project, what you learned in the process, or anything else that can be related to The Virtual Jungle (an analysis of American society, for example). Again, no one can use Journal Five to get more than 38/40 on the project. No points above 38 will be given out from this assignment.

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