ela exam

Plane Crash

A group of British boys crash on a tropical island while fleeing a war; no adults survive.

Ralph

Elected leader of the boys; represents order, leadership, and civilization. He tries to maintain structure and focus on rescue.

Conch Shell

Established as a symbol of order, used to call meetings and establish the right to speak.

Jack Merridew

Leader of the hunters and eventual head of the savage tribe. Represents savagery and desire for power.

Fear of the Beast

The boys begin to fear a mysterious 'beast' on the island; this fear divides the group and feeds into hysteria.

Simon

Sensitive and spiritual; he understands that the 'beast' is the boys' own inner savagery.

Piggy

Intellectual and rational character; represents logic, reason, and scientific thought.

Roger

Jack's cruel and sadistic lieutenant who enjoys inflicting pain and represents the darkest aspects of human nature.

Sam and Eric (Samneric)

Twin brothers who are loyal to Ralph but are eventually forced to join Jack's tribe.

Ralph's Leadership

Ralph stresses the importance of building shelters and keeping a signal fire burning for rescue.

Death of Simon

Simon, who realizes the 'beast' is not real, is killed by the boys in a frenzied ritual dance.

Collapse of Order

Piggy's death and the destruction of the conch symbolize the complete collapse of order and civilization.

Ralph's Pursuit

Ralph is hunted by Jack's tribe, which turns on him, setting the forest on fire in the process.

Rescue

Ralph is rescued by a ship that sees the smoke from the fire as he flees for his life.

Split into Two Tribes

Jack rebels against Ralph's leadership and forms his own tribe focused on hunting and feasting.