LOTF Questions Part 2.

4) Symbols are everywhere in LotF. Pick 2 that really stood out to you and discuss their importance to the story.

    One symbol that stood out to me in LOTF was the conch, of course. The conch was the most important symbol in my opinion, because it was the only symbol of authority, which basically kept the group under control. The conch has importance for the story because it was what Ralph used to handle the group. During the meetings where they decided on various things was where the conch was used. The only one who was holding the conch could speak, which showed authority. The conch was the symbol that was important throughout the whole story, from when Ralph blew it to call all of the boys attention, to when the conch was smashed to pieces. I think Ralph using the conch to group up the boys in the beginning of the story is where it shows the most importance.
   Another symbol that stood out to me in this book was the fire. To me the fire showed importance because it showed how the characters were determined to retrieve attention of people on a ship or some sort of transportation for them to be saved and go home. It showed how they had determination because Ralph, most of all, was diligent to make sure someone was always watching the fire, night and day, so it would never go out. Another reason why the fire had very great importance to the story is that it actually did have a benefit because the fire is the reason the naval officer went to the island, because he noticed the smoke and fire.  Furthermore, the fire also had importance because it cooked the food which they ate to survive. This had importance to the story because some characters cared about the cooking fire more than the signal fire, and it caused conflict between Ralph and Jack, and some others as well.

5) Do you agree with the idea that evil is inherent in people, regardless of age? Discuss in relation to your own experiences as well as those in the book.

I must disagree with the idea that people can be born evil. I believe that only your surroundings can cause you to be evil, but only if the surrounding isn't one that the person in particular enjoys or is happy with. In other words, if someone has a harsh lifestyle because they are treated badly or something, them memories will always be with them and effect the way they treat others later on in their life. In my everyday life, I see people treated harshly, at school for example, and it eventually causes them to treat others the same way they were treated. In the story I think that the only reason the boys had "evil" times, for example, Piggy's death, was because they were taken out of their comfort zone and regular daily lives and put in harsh conditions where they had to fend for themselves without an adult figure like they were used to, and this new lifestyle changed them completely.