slide-deck

1.

An exploration of
Chapter 6 of ‘Lord of
the Flies’
English
Unit ‘Lord of the Flies’

2.

Outcome
I can explain and explore the key events of Chapter 6 of ‘Lord of
the Flies’.

3.

Keywords
despondent
unhappy and with no hope or enthusiasm
vivid
producing clear, powerful and detailed
images in the mind
anonymous
someone whose name is not known
humility
freedom from pride or arrogance
dramatic irony
the situation in which the audience of a play or story
knows something that the characters do not know

4.

Lesson outline
An exploration of Chapter 6 of ‘Lord of the Flies’
Understanding Chapter 6
Dramatic irony in Chapter 6

5.

Understanding Chapter 6
Explanation
Discuss: would things have been different if there had
been adults on the island?
Consider:
● the knowledge and skills that adults have compared with children
● Golding’s work experience as a teacher
● the wartime context of the novel

6.

Understanding Chapter 6
Explanation
This
Is
there
is what
anything
the Oak
you pupils
would said:
like to add?
There would be
more order on the
island. Adults are
good at routines.
Aisha
The boys feel they
need adults
because they know
things.
Andeep
WWII was caused
by adults. Golding
believes it’s adults
who cause harm.
Jacob

7.

Understanding Chapter 6
Explanation
Reading Chapter 6.
You need a copy of the ‘Lord of the Flies’ for this lesson. Please ensure that
you are using the Faber & Faber; Main edition (3 Mar. 1997).
Read from the start of Chapter 6 on page 103 to the end of the chapter
on page 118.
In Chapter 6, a dead parachutist lands on the island. As you read the chapter,
consider the following question: what effect does the dead parachutist have on
the characters?

8.

Understanding Chapter 6
Check
Whichlook
Let’s
of the
at the
following
statements
statements
which are
are true
not true.
of Chapter 6?
1. Sam and Eric fall asleep while on fire duty.
2. The boys identify the beast and set out to kill it. No identification.
3. The parachutist is mistaken for the beast.
4. Sam and Eric tell the other boys about the “beast” but the boys are not
convinced.
convinced. All but Simon are convinced.
5.
boys go
go to
to Castle
Castle Rock
Rock where
the “beast”
“beast” was
was spotted.
spotted.
5. The
The boys
where the
6.
6. Ralph
Ralph thinks
thinks Castle
Castle Rock
Rock would
would be
be brilliant
brilliant for
for a
a fort.
fort. Jack thinks this.
7. Simon understands that the beast is a parachutist.
7. Simon understands that the beast is a parachutist. Doesn’t believe in the
8. The boys decide to return to the mountain to relight the signal fire.
beast.
8. The boys decide to return to the mountain to relight the signal fire.

9.

Task A
Understanding Chapter 6
Practice
Discuss the following question: what effect does the dead parachutist
have on the characters?
Some points to consider:
● What do we learn from Sam and Eric’s description of the beast?
● What is Simon’s reaction to the idea of the beast?
● How does the hunt for the beast affect the relationship between Jack and
Ralph?

10.

Task A
Understanding Chapter 6
Feedback
You might have discussed:
● What do we learn from Sam and Eric’s description of the beast?
Sam and Eric are terrified by what they see and give a vivid description
of the “beast”. The way they describe the beast makes it sound like a
strange and powerful creature. They talk about its “claws” and how it
chased them through the trees and came really close to them.

11.

Task A
Understanding Chapter 6
Feedback
You might have discussed:
● What is Simon’s reaction to the idea of the beast?
Simon doesn’t believe in the beast. He finds the description improbable.
He can’t imagine how a beast can run quickly but still not be able to
catch two small boys. He also can’t understand how an animal of that
size can move around the island without leaving traces. Although he is
struggling to articulate his thoughts, he is beginning to think that the
beast is really just a reflection of all that is both grand and unhealthy
about human beings.

12.

Task A
Understanding Chapter 6
Feedback
You might have discussed:
● How does the hunt for the beast affect the relationship between Jack and
Ralph?
Jack knows the island better than Ralph so he assumes the leadership
position on the hunt. This gives him extra authority. He also captures the
group’s imagination by saying Castle Rock would make a great fort. The
more practical Ralph reminds them of the signal fire, but it is Jack who
leads the boys back down the mountain.

13.

Lesson outline
An exploration of Chapter 6 of ‘Lord of the Flies’
Understanding Chapter 6
Dramatic irony in Chapter 6

14.

Dramatic irony in Chapter 6
Explanation
Read from page 103, second paragraph (beginning with the
description of the moon). Stop reading on page 104, at the end of the
first paragraph (last word “again”).
Focus on the following words:
● “battle”
● “figure”
● “bowed”
Discuss: what might these words suggest about the
parachutist?

15.

Dramatic irony in Chapter 6
Explanation
You might have said:
● “battle”: this word reminds us of the fact that outside the island, people
are fighting. In fact the tensions and conflicts on the islands are smaller
than the war that Golding knew first hand.
● “figure”: Golding is also keen to make us realise that the “figure” is
human because he references his “feet,” “head” and “knees.” However,
the noun “figure” is anonymous. He could be anyone or all of us.
● “bowed”: there is a suggestion of humility in this gesture. It’s as if it has
given up. Perhaps Golding wants us to feel a sense of hopelessness
about the way human beings always fight and destroy each other.

16.

Dramatic irony in Chapter 6
Check
Match the words from the description of the parachutists
with their possible interpretations.
“bowed”
conflict and destruction
“figure”
unidentified and unknown
“battle”
giving up and feeling despair

17.

Dramatic irony in Chapter 6
Explanation
Dramatic irony:
a situation in which the reader has a better understanding of events in
the story than the characters do
At the start of Chapter 6, Golding tells the reader about the parachutist.
Sam and Eric see the parachutist but decide they have seen the beast.
They describe the beast in ways the reader knows are not accurate.
Jack enjoys taking the lead in the hunt for the beast.
Simon doesn’t believe in the beast.
Ralph listens politely to Simon expressing his disbelief in the beast.
Discuss: point
whichof
character’s
point ofto
view
closest toThe
that difference
of the
Simon’s
view is closest
theisreader’s.
reader?
How
is it different?
is
that we
know
the “beast” is a parachutist; Simon has doubts
but no certainty.

18.

Dramatic irony in Chapter 6
Check
Match the name of the characters (Sam and Eric, Ralph, Jack
and Simon) with the statements.
a
He doesn’t seem to care if the beast is real or not.
b
He doubts the existence of the beast.
c
Fear has made the beast seem very real to them.
d
He is prepared to listen to all points of view about the beast.
Jack
Simon
Sam and Eric
Ralph

19.

Task B
Dramatic irony in Chapter 6
Practice
Discuss: how does Golding use dramatic irony in Chapter 6 to affect
the reader’s view of the characters?
Consider:
● Who knows what?
● Who believes what?
● What is the effect on the reader from having superior knowledge about who the
“beast” really is?
● How does it make us feel towards the characters?

20.

Task B
Dramatic irony in Chapter 6
Feedback
Compare
yourthe
discussion
with
theirs. Were your ideas as varied?
This is what
Oak pupils
said.
Izzy
Knowing more than
Until now, I suspected
the characters do
that the beast is not
creates a distance
real. Now I know for real
between us and the
- and that is a relief.
boys.
Sofia
Sam
The distance helps us
evaluate them. It shows
us see how fear can
make us invent
monsters.
Alex
It makes us feel sorry
for the boys. They are
stranded on the island
and trapped by terror.

21.

Summary An exploration of Chapter 6 of ‘Lord of the Flies’
● military airplanes fight above the island and a dead parachutist drifts down
onto the island
● the twins, Sam and Eric, wake and believe that the parachutist is the beast
● the boys set out to hunt for the beast, with Jack in charge of the expedition
● Simon does not believe in the existence of the beast
● the use of dramatic irony creates a distance between reader and characters
so we feel sorry for them

22.

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