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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who slaps Johnny when he bursts into tears during the impromptu meeting the morning after the beast has been spotted in Chapter 6: “Beast from Air”?

2. The members of the choir have adjusted their choir hats to resemble what, in Chapter 2: “Fire on the Mountain”?

3. Who, in addition to Piggy, tries to convince Ralph not to give up his position as chief at the end of Chapter 5: “Beast from Water”?

4. During Piggy’s speech at the podium during the assembly he declares that “Life is” what, in Chapter 5: “Beast from Water”?

5. What does Jack ask Ralph for when he arrives at the camp in Chapter 3: “Huts on the Beach”?

Short Essay Questions

1. What element of fear and suspense is introduced during the meeting in Chapter 2: “Fire on the Mountain”

2. How would you describe the system of discipline on the island in Chapter 3: “Huts on the Beach”? What effects can you see from this system?

3. How are the relationships between the older and younger boys illustrated in Chapter 4: “Painted Faces and Long Hair”?

4. How do the positions of authority and leadership begin to evolve in Chapter 6: “Beast from Air”?

5. What events have led to the boys’ arrival on the island in Lord of the Flies?

6. How does the dead signal fire develop conflict in Chapter 4: “Painted Faces and Long Hair”?

7. How is Piggy perceived by the other members of the group in Chapter 2: “Fire on the Mountain”? Why?

8. How have Ralph’s feelings about Piggy begun to change in Chapter 5: “Beast from Water”?

9. Why do you think Piggy’s statements during the meeting are largely ignored in Chapter 2: “Fire on the Mountain”?

10. Why does Ralph confront Jack in the beginning of Chapter 3: “Huts on the Beach”? How does Jack respond?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the theme of “Civility versus Savagery” in Lord of the Flies. How has the author developed this theme through the first chapters of the novel? Why and how does the theme come to the forefront in Chapter 7: “Shadows and Tall Trees”? How is the theme represented in the denouement of the story?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the characters of Percival, Johnny, and Henry, as introduced in Chapter 4. How old are the majority of the “littluns” on the island? How do these characters spend most of their time on the island? What fears compel the littluns in the story?

Essay Topic 3

What does the conch shell symbolize in Lord of the Flies? How does the symbolism of this object change in the course of the story? What happens to the conch shell? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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