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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. What physical ailment does Piggy say he suffers from in Chapter 1: “The Sound of the Shell”?

2. Who leads the boys to the mountaintop in order to begin building a signal fire in Chapter 2: “Fire on the Mountain”?

3. Who picks up Percival and carries him to a shelter in the beginning of Chapter 6: “Beast from Air”?

4. What word used in Chapter 3: “Huts on the Beach” refers to a downward slope of ground?

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

Short Essay Questions

1. How have Jack’s and Ralph’s experiences differed during the first days on the island, as seen in Chapter 3: “Huts on the Beach”?

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

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

4. How would you describe the exploration of the boys in Chapter 1: “The Sound of the Shell”?

5. Why does Ralph allow Jack to take the lead in Chapter 6: “Beast from Air”? What consequences does this have?

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

7. What does the conch shell come to represent symbolically in Chapter 2: “Fire on the Mountain”? Why?

8. What can be interpreted by Jack’s behavior toward Piggy in Chapter 4: “Painted Faces and Long Hair”?

9. What is discussed as the “main point” of the meeting in Chapter 5: “Beast from Water”?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine and discuss the character of Simon in the novel. How old is Simon? Is he considered to be one of the older boys on the island or one of the “littluns”? What sets Simon apart from the other characters? What physical ailment does Simon appear to suffer from?

Essay Topic 2

Describe and analyze the character of Ralph as the protagonist of Lord of the Flies. How old is Ralph? What does the reader know about his character based on the dialogue and exposition in Chapter 1? What elements of Ralph’s character indicate he will be the protagonist of the novel?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the destruction of Piggy’s glasses in Chapter 4. How do the spectacles get broken? How do the other boys respond to this violence? What does this suggest about the growing lack of discipline among these boys? What does this say about Ralph’s ability to lead?

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