English I—Summer Reading Discussion Questions
Lord of the Flies
Directions: Below are some discussion questions for each chapter of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. These
questions will not be assigned any type of point value, so you won’t be graded on them. They’re geared to help your
understanding of the novel as you read along. And they’ll help you prepare for the summer reading quiz, which is
given the first day of school. No, that wasn’t a typo…your summer reading quiz (assessment) is going to be
given on the first day of school, so be prepared and ready so you can get off to a good start when the school
year begins.
Although it’s optional, some type of written response is strongly suggested. You can answer in complete
sentences. You can bullet your answers and list ideas. You can write by hand. You can type your responses. You
can review them out loud. Just keep in mind that you should definitely respond to the questions as you read the
novel, and review them before school starts. In addition, answering the questions will help you have a better
understanding of the novel’s characters, conflicts, symbols, and the plot itself. See you in August!
Chapter One “The Sound of the Shell”
1. What’s the boys’ overall attitude in relation to being stranded on a deserted island without adult
supervision? How did the boys get there?
2. What role does the conch play in this chapter? What’s it used for? What effect does it have?
3. Bullet a list for how the following characters are physically described: Jack, Ralph, and Piggy. In
addition, provide one personality trait for each character.
4. Explain the incident between Jack and the piglet at the end of this chapter. What’s Jack’s reaction to
it, and what does he promise to do next time?
5. Briefly describe the novel’s setting as explained in this chapter.
Chapter Two “Fire on the Mountain”
6. How do the boys react when Ralph suggests building a fire? What role does Jack play in this scene?
7. What’s decided about the conch in this chapter? Why?
8. Are there any conflicts taking shape in this chapter? If so, what are they?
Chapter Three “Huts on the Beach”
9. Why is there tension between Ralph and Jack in this chapter? What’s Ralph’s main priority and
what’s Jack’s? Write down or highlight a quote for both Jack and Ralph that represents their main
priorities.
10. Highlight the last section of dialogue between Ralph and Jack in this chapter. What does Golding
compare them to? What’s the main idea Golding’s expressing here?
11. What does Simon do for the “littluns” at the end of this chapter? What does this show about him?
Chapter Four “Painted Faces and Long Hair”
12. Describe the incident in which Roger follows Henry. Why doesn’t he throw the stones directly at
him? Why do you think Roger’s throwing stones in the first place?
13. Describe the effect the face paint has on Jack. Write down a quote that shows this effect. What’s the
overall significance in the change in Jack’s character that we see here?
14. On page 71 Golding writes, “Jack stood up as he said this, the bloodied knife in his hand. The two
boys faced each other. There was the brilliant world of hunting, tactics, fierce exhilaration, skill; and
there was the world of longing and baffled common sense.” What’s the importance of this quote? (If
you have a different version of the book, the quote takes place on top of the mountain when the
boys realize that a ship has passed the island.)
15. Who has more power at the end of the chapter, Ralph or Jack? How so?
Chapter Five “Beast from Water”
16. What five main points does Ralph address in his speech? What does he say about each one of these
things? Write down or highlight a quote that summarizes Ralph’s view of the fear.
17. How is there a conflict between Jack, Ralph, and Piggy on page 91? Write down a quote that reflects
each of their points of view. (If you have a different version of the book, the conflict takes place
during the meeting when Ralph, Jack, and Piggy express their different opinions/views.)
18. How does Jack influence the boys at the end of this chapter? What’s the importance of this?
Chapter Six “Beast from Air”
19. What’s occurring “at ten miles’ height” above the island? According to Golding, what’s the sign
given to the boys from the world of grownups? What is the deeper meaning of this sign? Try to
figure out what it could symbolize/represent.
20. What are Jack’s and Ralph’s priorities in relation to what the boys should do about the beast? What’s
Jack’s main goal? What’s Ralph’s main goal?
21. What was the main conflict in the novel at the end of chapter five? How has the main conflicted
shifted in chapter six? Why is this shift in conflict so important?
Chapter Seven “Shadows and Tall Trees”
22. Briefly describe the incident in which Ralph wounds the boar. What emotions does Ralph feel during
and after this incident?
23. Who goes with Ralph and Jack to the top of the mountain? Highlight where they see the supposed
beast. What’s their reaction? What’s the importance of their discovery?
Chapter Eight “Gift for the Darkness”
24. How does Jack try to manipulate this meeting? Write down two quotes in which Jack criticizes
Ralph. What do you think Jack’s implying when he tells the others that Ralph’s like Piggy?
25. What’s the mood like during Jack’s first meeting as chief of his own group? What does Jack decide to
leave for the beast? What’s the importance of this?
26. When Simon’s talking to the Lord of the Flies, it says, “‘Fancy thinking the Beast was something you
could hunt and kill. . . You knew, didn’t you? I’m a part of the you? Close, close, close! I’m the
reason why it’s no go? Why things are the war they are”’ (143). What’s the importance of this quote?
What do you think the Beast is?
Chapter Nine “A View to a Death”
27. What’s the overall mood at Jack’s feast? How does Golding foreshadow a conflict in this scene?
28. As Simon falls into the hunters’ circle, Golding doesn’t refer to him by his name. What does he refer
to him as? Why would he do this?
29. What is the final image that the reader is left with Simon? Why would Golding bring forth an image
like this?
Chapter Ten “The Shell and the Glasses”
30. What is the mood at the beginning of the chapter? How does Ralph feel? Find a quote that shows his
emotions.
31. What does Jack tell the hunters about the beast? What are they going to do about it from now on?
What’s the significance of this?
Chapter Eleven “Castle Rock”
32. What does Roger start doing when Ralph blows the conch and begins to address the group? Highlight
the following quote: “Some source of power began to pulse in Roger’s body” (175). What do you
think Golding means by this? Have we ever seen Roger do something similar to this? When?
33. What’s the overall significance of the conch being destroyed? What does this symbolize? How is
Piggy’s body taken by the sea? How does this contrast from Simon’s body?
Chapter Twelve “Cry of the Hunters”
34. What happens when Ralph encounters the Lord of the Flies? What emotions does he feel? What does
he do to the skull?
35. How does Golding’s reference to the hunters change once the naval officer appears? What words
does he use in place of “hunters” and “spears” in this scene? What do you think is the importance of
this?
36. What’s ironic about the way in which the boys are rescued? Hint: Think about who lights the fire that
enables them to be rescued.