home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
CP/M
/
CPM_CDROM.iso
/
mbug
/
mbug180.arc
/
ISLAND
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1979-12-31
|
2KB
|
62 lines
4
14
The island created by Golding is a complex one. It is seen as
a real physical place and also as a symbol of our world.
In Chapter One we find a good description of the geography of
the island when Ralph Jack and Simon climb the mountain.
In an effective image Golding portrays the island as a boat
and significantly the 'boat' already seems to be moving astern
a hint of the way the boys society will also regress into
savagery.
See Themes
----------
Later we find that the island has a 'friendly' and an
'unfriendly' side mirroring the real world - sometimes hostile
sometimes helpful.
12
Specific settings of importance to the novel are The Assembly
Place and The Mountain and Castle Rock.
The Assembly Place
------------------
There is an excellent description of the Assembly Place at the
beginning of Chapter Five so I will not describe it here.
However you should be aware that like the conch the Assembly
Place stands for democracy and an orderly way of doing things.
As the novel progresses the meetings become more and more dis-
orderly and finally nearly all of the boys desert this part of
the island for the greater attraction of Castle Rock.
14
A fruitful revision exercise is to trace the assemblies that
are described (There are others mentioned). Ask yourself
questions about them.
E.g. Does Ralph make a mistake to call the night assembly? Who
is present at the final assembly? etc.
The Mountain
------------
The mountain is another place that seems to turn against the
boys as the novel progresses.
At first it is a place of great hope where they light their
fire that is the main chance for rescue.
Later it becomes a place of fear when they believe the Beast
has taken it over.
15
Castle Rock
-----------
The appearance and the atmosphere of Castle Rock show clearly
that it represents the disorder and evil in Man.
Significantly Jack can only see its good side:
What a place for a fort!
While Ralph instinctively dislikes it:
This is a rotten place.
Their first exploration of the Rock is filled with fear of the
unknown beast and it later becomes a place of terror when
Piggy is killed there.
There is a good description of Castle Rock at the end of
Chapter Six.